THURSDAY 07 MARCH 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 INDIA’S BIO-ECONOMY GREW 13-FOLD IN THE LAST DECADE: SINGH ‘2024 LS POLLS TO SHAPE INDIA’S DESTINY FOR NEXT 25 YEARS’ P8 P5 SENSEX 74,085.99408.86 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 25 AND 09 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 75 % TEMPERATURE Max: 23.6 °C (-4) SUN RISES 6:38 hrs MOON RISES 15:18 hrs NIFTY 22,474.05117.75 Min: 09.0 °C (-4) SUN SETS 18:25 hrs MOON SETS 14:59 hrs THUMBNAILS UP Warriorz players give final touches to a mural painting on the wall of MCD Primary School to promote Gender Equality, in New Delhi on Wednesday.  ANI Navy commissions INS Jatayu base to strengthen operational reach in Lakshadweep: The Indian Navy on Wednesday commissioned its second naval base, INS Jatayu at Minicoy Island in Lakshadweep to strengthen its foothold in the region, the Indian Navy said in an official statement. The INS Jatayu was commissioned in the presence of Adm. R Hari Kumar, the Chief of Naval Staff, Hon'ble Administrator of Lakshadweep, Shri Praful K Patel, V Adm V Srinivas, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, (Pg10) Southern Naval Command. ` vs $ 82.837 PAISE GOLD 65,130280 P12 SILVER 74,500200 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 81.790.46 Key Sandeshkhali accused In Bengal rally, Modi Shahjahan in CBI custody rakes up Sandeshkhali STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BARASAT, 6 MARCH P rime Minister Narendra Modi, speaking at a women’s empowerment rally organised by the BJP in Barasat, on Wednesday raked up the unrest in Sandeshkhali, saying that whatever happened there has put everyone to shame, but the Trinamul Congress government does not care. The rally took place at Kachari Maidan in Barasat, the district headquarters town of North 24-Parganas where Sandeshkhali is located. "Under TMC's rule, the women of this land have been tortured. Whatever happened in Sandeshkhali will put everyone to shame, but the TMC government does not care about your issues,” Mr Modi said. “The TMC is putting efforts into protecting the accused, but got a shock from the High Court as well as the Supreme Court. The TMC has full confidence in their leader but not in the women of West Bengal,” he said. Mr Modi remarked that the ruling party in Bengal has taken a disgraceful approach towards teaching women's empowerment. He said that the entire nation will witness a storm of condemnation against such practices. “The ruling Trinamul Congress had been ignoring the complaints of harassment of women for a long time. Everyone is ashamed of what has happened in Sandeshkhali, but it does not matter to the Trinamul Congress and the state government," he said. “Now they are trying to protect the accused by moving one court after another. But they have been snubbed in all the courts,” the Prime Minister said. He applauded the women PM Modi inaugurates India’s first underwater Metro route in Kolkata NISHAT NIZAMI KOLKATA, 6 MARCH Kolkata Metro Railway, the country’s first metro railway, had another jewel added in its crown today when Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the first underwater metro corridor between Howrah Maidan and Esplanade on the East-West Metro line. The Esplanade area, considered the heart of the city, came alive this morning with numerous enthusiasts flocking to catch glimpses of the historic moments. The PM inaugurated the much awaited Howrah Maidan to Esplanade stretch of EastWest Metro from the newly constructed Esplanade Metro station of the corridor. He also inaugurated the Kavi Subhash-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay stretch of the Orange Line and the extended TaratalaMajerhat stretch of the Purple Line. After the inauguration, he flagged off the first Metro services on these three routes, P9 Protests by women victims of TMC leaders will spread across Bengal: PM Min. 34 % INDIA PLANNING TO MAINTAIN HOME RECORD NIKKI HALEY TO SUSPEND HER CAMPAIGN then took a ride through the underwater stretch from Esplanade station travelling in a Metro to Howrah Maidan and back. Apart from the metro stretches totalling 11.45 kms in Kolkata, the PM also inaugurated Metro projects of Agra, Puna, Kochi and a part of the Delhi-Meerut RRTS Section. According to the city metro office, he also flagged off the first metro services on these routes. After today’s inauguration, a total of 11.45 km has been added to the Kolkata Metro network today at an estimated cost of around Rs 6,925 crores. According to the chief public relations officer of the city metro, Kausik Mitra, the projects are aimed at providing faster and smoother connectivity to the commuters of South 24-Parganas, Howrah, Hooghly and Midnapur heading towards Kolkata and its adjoining areas without traffic snarls. According to official sources, commercial services in the Esplanade-Howrah Maidan, Kavi Subhash–Hemanta Mukhopadhyay and Taratala–Majerhat stretches are likely to be started in seven to ten days. “The stretch is fully ready from the technical point of view. Only minor works like deployment of manpower for various functions, displaying of fare structures, deployment of railway protection forces (RPF), staff at booking counters and so on are to be done,” informed the managing director of Kolkata Metro Rail Corporation Limited (KMRCL), V. K. Srivastava. of Bengal, acknowledging the contributions of figures like Rani Rashmoni, Pritilata Waddedar, Kalpana Datta, Matangini Hazra, Sister Nivedita, and Sarala Devi. “Bengal is the land of Ma Sarada, Rani Rashmoni, Sarala Debi, Matangini Hazra and Pritilata Waddedar. In West Bengal, the ruling dispensation does not show the minimum respect towards women. Remember there is provision for even death penalty in case of heinous crimes against women, like rape."“The Union government has started a helpline where women in distress can call and register their com- Centre issues advisory against illegal betting & gambling ads STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 6 MARCH The government has issued a comprehensive advisory in response to increasing instances of advertisements promoting illegal activities such as betting and gambling. The advisory, issued by the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) in accordance with the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, emphasises the prohibition of advertising, promotion, and endorsement of unlawful activities prohibited under various laws. Betting and gambling are strictly prohibited under the Public Gambling Act, 1867, and are considered illegal in the majority of regions across the country. Despite this, online betting platforms and apps persist in advertising betting and gambling directly, as well as under the guise of gaming. plaints. But in West Bengal, the state government has not allowed that system to operate,” he said. Mr Modi added that the women of Sandeshkhali had shown the way by launching a spontaneous protest against harassment and violence. “The wave of Sandeshkhali protest will now spread to each and every corner of the state. Appeasement politics and rampant corruption are the two pillars on which the Trinamul Congress is standing,” Mr Modi said. He also accused the West Bengal government of not implementing different central projects for women empowerment. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 6 MARCH The West Bengal CID finally handed over suspended Trinamul Congress leader and Sandeshkhali strongman Sheikh Shahjahan to the Central Bureau of Investigation on Wednesday evening following a fresh high court directive. Shahjahan, who is also accused of extortion, land grab, and sexual assault in Sandeshkhali, was arrested in connection with the cases relating to the physical attack on Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials during a raid at his residence at Akunjipara on 5 January. Shahjahan was to have been handed over to the CBI on Tuesday evening following a Calcutta High Court directive, but the CID refused to do so, contending that the high court’s directive was being appealed in the SC. On Wednesday, issuing a contempt notice to the West Bengal CID, Calcutta High Court said the investigation into the attack on ED officials should be handed over to the CBI, along with the custody of accused Sheikh Shahjahan, today by 4.15 p.m. The division bench of A Bench of Justice Harish Tandon and Justice Hiran- may Bhattacharyya observed that moving to the top court against yesterday’s high court directive could not be an excuse to give a stay on the handover of Shahjahan and the related case documents to the CBI. "The Supreme Court has not ordered a stay. So Shahjahan must be handed over to the CBI by 4.15 pm today," it said. Accordingly, a CBI team arrived at Bhabani Bhavan Police Headquarters in Kolkata to take custody of Sheikh Shahjahan on Wednesday evening, but he was not immediately handed over. The CBI team had to wait a few hours as Shahjahan had been taken to SSKM hospital for a health check-up. In New Delhi, meanwhile, the West Bengal government failed to list its plea in the Supreme Court for an early hearing on its Rahul expected to contest from Amethi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE AMETHI, 6 MARCH The Amethi District Congress Committee is gearing up after they received an indication from the party high command that Rahul Gandhi could be the candidate from Amethi again. Amethi Congress district president Pradeep Singhal met Priyanka Gandhi Vadra in Delhi on Monday, and it is being claimed that Ms Vadra told him to go make preparations as Amethi is “our family”. Party sources here on Wednesday said during the meeting, the district president informed Ms Vadra that there are doubts in Amethi and whether Rahul Gandhi will contest from the family turf or not. Ms Vadra told the district president to go and prepare for the elections. “Amethi is our family and family relationships will remain intact. The person whom Amethi wants to see as a candidate in the Lok Sabha elections and contest the elections will contest " she informed the district President. Mr Singhal, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and party leader Rahul Gandhi in Dhar on Wednesday.  ANI returned to Amethi from Delhi on Wednesday. He later confirmed to the district party leaders that he met Ms Vadra in Delhi and hinted at Rahul Gandhi's decision to contest elections from Amethi. At present, the Congress candidates list is yet to be released as an official confirmation of Rahul Gandhi contesting the Amethi Lok Sabha elections. On 19 February last, Rahul Gandhi visited Amethi as part of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra and addressed a public meeting. But he did not say anything about his plan to contest from Amethi, though Poll panel issues advisory to Rahul Gandhi: Ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, the Election Commission (EC) has issued an advisory to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, sources claimed on Wednesday. The poll panel has issued the advisory to the Wayanad MP after taking into account all facts in connection with certain remarks made by him against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources asserted. The sources further claimed the Commission in its advisory to Gandhi advised him to be more “careful and cautious” while making remarks in public. It may be mentioned that the EC issued a show cause notice to the Congress leader November last year over his alleged remarks including ‘pannauti’(bad omen) against the Prime Minister during an election rally in Rajasthan. SNS party media in-charge Jairam Ramesh had definitely said that there is an atmosphere for Mr Gandhi's return in Amethi. Corbett safari : SC ‘amazed at audacity’ of ex-forest minister, DFO in defying law PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 6 MARCH The Supreme Court on Wednesday said that it was “amazed at the audacity” of former Uttarakhand Forest Minister Harak Singh Rawat and Divisional Forest Officer Kishan Chand in allowing the cutting of trees on a “mass scale” in utter disregard of the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act. It said that the trees were cut to unauthorisedly construct buildings in the Jim Corbett Park for tiger safari in Pakhro and Morghatti forest areas on the pretext of promoting tourism. Taking a serious view of the cutting of trees in large numbers for constructing buildings for setting up tiger safari in Pakhro and Morghatti forest areas, a bench of Justice BR Gavai, Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice Sandeep Mehta, directed the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change (MoEF&CC) to appoint a committee that will include a representative of the NTCA, Wildlife Institute of India, a representative of the Central Empowered Committee; and an officer of the MoEF&CC not below the rank of Joint Secretary as its Member Secretary. Justice Gavai, speaking for the bench, stated: “We are amazed at the audacity of the then Hon’ble Forest Minister and Mr. Kishan Chand, DFO, in giving a total go-by to the statutory provisions. In the present case, it is clear beyond doubt that the then Forest Minister and Mr. Kishan Chand, DFO, considered them to be law unto them- The SC says that trees were cut to unauthorisedly construct buildings in the Jim Corbett Park for tiger safari in Pakhro and Morghatti forest areas on the pretext of promoting tourism selves. They have, in blatant disregard of the law and for commercial purposes, indulged in the illicit felling of trees on a mass scale to construct buildings on the pretext of promoting tourism. This is a classic case that shows how the politicians and the bureaucrats have thrown the public trust doctrine in the dustbin.” Having expressed its bewilderment over the manner in which the former forest minister and the DFO acted in the teeth of law, the court permitted the Committee to coopt any other authority, including a representative of CZA, and also take the services of the experts in the field, if found necessary. Besides the committee to be notified by the MoEF&CC, the court also asked Chandra Prakash Goyal, former Director General of Forest, Anup Malik, IFS, PCCF (HoFF), Uttarakhand, and Dr. Samir Sinha, IFS, PCCF (Wildlife) & Chief Wildlife Warden, Uttarakhand, to give their suggestions for more effective management of the “Tiger Reserves” in India. After directing to set up the committee, the court issued a slew of directions, including the stipulation that the existing safaris and the one under construction at Pakhrau would not be disturbed. However, regarding the safari at ‘Pakhrau’, the court directed the Uttarakhand government to relocate or establish a rescue centre in the vicinity of the ‘Tiger Safari'. The court further said that the directions it would issue with regard to the establishment and maintenance of the ‘Tiger Safaris’ upon receipt of the recommendations of the committee would also apply to all the existing safaris across the country, including the safari to be established at Pakhrau. The court gave the committee three months’ time to submit its report. Directing the Central Bureau of Investigation to effectively investigate the matter as directed by the Uttarakhand High Court, the top court asked the CBI to submit a status report within three months. The court further directed the Uttarakhand government to complete the disciplinary proceedings against the delinquent officers as expeditiously as possible, in any case, within a period of six months from today. The status report in this regard shall be submitted in the court within a period of three months from today. The court kept the matter pending so that it could monitor the steps taken by the authorities as well as the investigation by the CBI. It further said that it would consider issuing appropriate directions after receiving recommendations from the aforesaid committee. appeal challenging the Calcutta High Court order to hand over the investigation into the attack on the ED officials in Sandeshkhali in January from the state police to the Central Bureau of Investigation. The Bengal government had on Tuesday (March 5) as well pleaded before a bench headed by Justice Sanjiv Khanna for an urgent listing of the matter. However, the bench asked senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi to approach the Registrar General of the Supreme Court, following which Chief Justice DY Chandrachud will order its listing. But Mr Singhvi could not mention the matter before the CJI’s bench as Chief Justice Chandrachud is heading a nine-judge Constitution bench hearing a matter pertaining to levy of taxes in mines. RBI asks banks, NBFCs to allow customers to choose multiple networks STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 6 MARCH In a significant move towards the credit card business, the Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday asked banks and non-banking financial companies (NBFCs) to give customers the option to choose from multiple networks when they issue credit cards. Existing cardholders may be given the option at the time of their next renewal, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) said in a communication to banks, NBFCs, and payment system providers. The directive will be effective six months later from 6 September. In exercise of the powers conferred under Section 18 read with Section 10(2) of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007 (Act 51 of 2007), the RBI being satisfied that it is necessary and expedient, in the interest of payment system and public interest, to do so, issued the directive, the central bank said in a statement. It said that it found in a review that some arrangements between card networks and issuers are “not conducive to the availability of choice for customers”. RBI prohibited card issuers and networks from making any arrangement or agreement that restrains customers from availing the services of other card networks. The network for a card issued to a customer is currently decided by the card issuer~based on bilateral agreements. It is worth highlighting that RBI’s directive will not be applicable to credit card issuers whose tally of active cards is one million or less. Card issuers with their own authorized network are excluded too. RBI’s directive defines authorized card networks as American Express Banking Corp, Diners Club International Ltd, MasterCard Asia/Pacific Pte. Ltd., National Payments Corporation of India~Rupay and Visa Worldwide Pte. Limited.