MONDAY 18 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 REVANTH REDDY ALLEGES CONSPIRACY TO TOPPLE GOVT SIMULTANEOUS POLLS P6 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 31 AND 13 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 86 % P4 Min. 22 % Min: 11.9 °C (-5) SUN SETS 18:31 hrs MOON SETS 03:03 hrs THUMBNAILS Devotees after breaking their fast during 'Iftar' in the ongoing Ramadan month, at Jama Masjid in New Delhi on Sunday.  ANI ED issues 9th summons to Kejriwal in Delhi liquor policy case: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Sunday issued a ninth summons to Delhi Chief Minister and AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal in connection with the money laundering probe into the nowscrapped Delhi liquor policy case.The central probe agency has asked the Delhi chief minister to appear before it on 21 March for P2 questioning in the case, sources said. ‘The parties in the INDIA bloc were already fighting among themselves’ A ccusing the Congress of adopting a “use and throw” policy towards its alliance partners, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the parties in the INDIA bloc were already fighting among themselves in states like Kerala, West Bengal, and Punjab to further their selfinterests and wondered what would be their fate after the elections. Addressing the first NDA rally at Boppudi in Chilakaluripet mandal of Palanadu in Andhra Pradesh after the TDP rejoined the alliance, the prime minister, who shared the stage with N Chandrababu Naidu and Pawan Kalyan after a decade, took potshots at the Congress and its alliance partners on the eve of the latter’s rally at Mumbai. “In the NDA, we take everybody along. But on the other side, there is Congress which has only one agenda – to use and throw its alliance partners. Even though Congress has now been compelled to form the INDI Alliance, its mindset has remained the same,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the public meeting in Palnadu on Sunday. TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party president Pawan Kalyan are also seen.  ANI he alleged. Mr Modi further said, “In Kerala, what do the Left and the Congress call each other? In (West) Bengal, what do TMC and the Left say to each other? In Punjab, what kind of language Congress and the AAP use against each other? If they fight like this before elections for their own interests, you can very well gauge what they will do after elections.” He said in contrast, the NDA balanced regional aspirations with national progress. He claimed that a “double-engine government in AP” would expedite development in the state. He reminded that Con- EC makes fresh electoral bonds data public, BJP received `6,986.5 crore STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 17 MARCH The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday uploaded fresh data on electoral bonds, which was previously submitted to the Supreme Court in sealed covers, on its website. “The same can be accessed at this url: https://www.eci.gov.in/candidate-politicalparty,” the Election Commission said in a statement. The ECI had submitted the data under sealed cover to the Supreme Court and was later asked to put it in the public domain. The fresh data pertains to transactions that occurred before 12 April 2019, while details of electoral bonds issued after this date were disclosed by the election commission last week. “In compliance of the Supreme Court's directions, contained in its order dated Feb 15 and March 11, 2024 (in the matter of WP NO.880 of 2017), the ECI has already uploaded data on Electoral Bonds as provided by State Bank of India (SBI) vide press note of the Commission dated 14.3.2024," it said. Political parties had filed data on Electoral Bonds in sealed cover as directed by the Supreme Court’s interim order dated April 12, 2019 in the said WP NO.880 of 2017, it said. "Data so received from political parties was deposited in the Supreme Court without opening sealed covers. In pursuance of the Supreme Court’s order dated March 15, 2024, the Registry of the Supreme Court has returned physical copies along with a digitized record of the same in a pen drive in sealed cover. The Election Commission of India has today uploaded the data received in the digitized form from the registry of the Supreme Court on electoral bonds on its website," the EC statement said. According to the new details, DMK received Rs 656.5 crore through electoral bonds, including Rs 509 crore from lottery king Santiago Martin's Future Gaming. BJP encashed electoral bonds totalling Rs 6,986.5 crore. The highest amount received by the ruling party was in 2019-20 worth Rs 2,555 crore. Congress redeemed a total of Rs 1,334.35 crore through electoral bonds. The Supreme Court, in a ruling in February, struck down the Centre's Electoral Bond Scheme, which allowed for anonymous funding to political parties, and ordered the State Bank of India (SBI) to stop issuing Electoral Bonds immediately. gress had always insulted the “Andhra Pride”. He also criticised the YSRCP Government under YS Jagan saying the ministers were competing with each other in corruption. He also warned the people about the collusion between YS Jagan and his sister YS Sharmila who heads AP Congress. “Don’t make this mistake thinking that Andhra Jagan’s (YS Jagan Mohan Reddy) party and Congress are different, they are the same. Both are being run by people of the same family. This is their collusion so that in the anger towards the incumbent government, Vote counting for Arunachal, Sikkim polls now on 2 June NEW DELHI, 17 MARCH The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday said that it has advanced the date of counting of votes for Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim assembly polls from 4 June to 2 June. According to the EC, this decision was taken because the terms of the Legislative Assemblies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim is till 2 June, which means elections have to be wrapped up on or before that date. The date of counting of votes was changed from 4 June to 2 June and the date before which the election will be completed was changed from 6 June to 2 June as well. The two states go to polls on 19 April. "There shall be no change in respect of Schedule for Parliamentary Constituencies of Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim," the poll panel said.SNS Navy’s 40 hrs operation led to surrender of 35 pirates, rescue of 17 crew members AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 17 MARCH The Indian Navy on Sunday said that its rescue operation in the Arabian Sea, which last lasted approximately 40 hours, led to the surrender of 35 pirates and the rescue of 17 crew members of merchant vessel MV Ruen. The Navy said that it had deployed INS Kolkata in the Arabian Sea to thwart the designs of the Somali pirates to hijack ships transiting through the region. “Merchant vessel MV Ruen was intercepted on March 15 by INS Kolkata which had been hijacked in December 2023 and was under the control of the Somalian pirates,” the Navy said. It said that INS Kolkata confirmed the presence of armed pirates on MV Ruen through a ship-launched P9 Cong has a use-&-throw policy for its allies: Modi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE HYDERABAD, 17 MARCH TEMPERATURE Max: 30.8 °C-1) SUN RISES 6:26 hrs MOON RISES 12:19 hrs TRUMP WARNS OF ‘BLOODBATH’ IF HE IS NOT ELECTED PRESIDENT IAF C-17 aircraft executed a precision airdrop of two combat boats along with marine commandos in the Arabian Sea while assisting the Navy to seize a hijacked cargo vessel from Somali pirates, on Sunday.  ANI drone. “In a reckless hostile act, the pirates shot down the drone and fired at the Indian Naval warship. INS Kolkata disabled the ship's steering system and navigational aids, forcing the pirate ship to stop,” the Navy said. The efforts of the Indian Navy in the ongoing antipiracy operation 1400 nm (2600 km) from mainland India were augmented by the deployment of INS Subhadra in the area and also by air-dropping of the Marine Commandos (PRAHARS) by C-17 aircraft, the official said. “The pirate vessel was kept under surveillance by HALE RPA and P8I maritime reconnaissance aircraft. Due to sustained pressure and calibrated actions by the Indian Navy over 40 hours, all 35 Somali pirates surrendered on March 16 while all 17 original crew members of MV Ruen were safely evacuated from the pirate vessel without any injury,” he said. He said that the vessel has also been sanitised for the presence of illegal arms, ammunition and contraband. The Navy also said that the seaworthiness of MV Ruenwill be assessed on 17 March and the vessel carrying approximately 37800 Tonne cargo, estimated at around one million dollars will be brought safely to India. C-17 aircraft of the Indian Air Force executed a precision airborne drop of two boats along with Indian Navy MARCOS in the course of the operation. some of it (votes) goes to Congress so that NDA does not benefit. This is their cunningness.” He praised both Naidu and Pawan Kalyan for fighting for the development of Andhra Pradesh. Both the TDP and the Jana Sena supremos had lavished their praises on the Prime Minister in their speeches earlier. Referring to the prime minister as ‘Vishwaguru”, Naidu said Modi represented the country’s self-respect and its bright future. He even switched to Hindi and took the vow, “We pledge to be with him”. He said though the three party flags were different, their agenda was the same. “NDA will win 400 seats, the onus is on you to ensure it clinches 25 MP seats in AP,” he reminded the massive gathering. Jana Sena leader Pawan Kalyan vowed to defeat “Ravana” Jagan and establish Ram Rajya. The first meeting of the trio was however marred by disturbances in the public address system. The prime minister also had to intervene when enthusiastic supporters climbed on electric poles for a better view. ‘I AM INDEBTED TO DHONI FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE’ P12 Prepare roadmap for 1st 100 days of new govt: PM to ministers STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 17 MARCH Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday chaired a Cabinet meeting during which he asked the ministers to prepare a roadmap for the first 100 days and the next five years of the new government with the officers and secretaries of their ministries, sources said. The Cabinet meeting was held this morning, a day after the announcement of the Lok Sabha election dates by the Election Commission of India (ECI). The sources said the Union Government today initiated the process of notifying the dates of the seven-phase Lok Sabha elections by sending the Election Commission's recommendation to President Droupadi Murmu. The Cabinet meeting recommended to the President to issue the notifi- cations for the different phases. The elections for the 18th Lok Sabha will begin on April 19 followed by subsequent phases on April 26, May 7, May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1, according to the schedule announced by the Election Commission on Saturday. "The Cabinet approved to recommend to the President for issuing statutory notifications under sub-section (2) of Section 14 of the Representation of the People Act 1951 from the Parliamentary constituencies for the election of members of the Lok Sabha," the sources said. The first notification will be issued on March 20 for the first phase of polls on April 19 in 102 Lok Sabha seats. The nomination process starts for a particular phase with the issuance of the notification. Based on the recommendation, the Law Ministry prepares a proposal for the Union Cabinet, which recommends to the President to approve the issuance of notifications for the different phases. INDIA puts on show of strength at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park MUMBAI, 17 MARCH As the INDIA bloc kicked off its Lok Sabha poll campaign from Mumbai’s iconic Shivaji Park today, Congress leader Rahul Gandh targeted the Central government over its politics of “fear”. Speaking at the rally, he said that the Opposition alliance is not fighting against Narendra Modi, “he is just a mask”. The rally, that marks the culmination of Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Yatra, also saw the participation of top Opposition leaders including Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav, former Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar and AAP leader Saurabh Bhardwaj among others. At the rally, the opposition bloc leaders stressed on the need for a "national Mahagathbandhan". "We are not fighting against a person or a party. There is a word 'Shakti' in Hinduism. We are fighting against that Shakti," Rahul Gandhi said. The rally is being billed as the biggestever show of strength of the INDIA bloc, to launch the bloc's campaign for the Lok Sabha elections. (Details on Page 5)