SATURDAY 20 APRIL 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 BJP EXPECTING ITS BEST SHOW IN SOUTH: AMIT SHAH ‘CONGRESS IS QUITE STRONG IN MP’ P7 SENSEX 73,088.33599.34 WEATHER PARTLY CLOUDY SKY. STRONG SURFACE WINDS (SPEED 25-35 KMPH). THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 39 & 21 DEGREE CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 69 % P4 NIFTY 22,147.00151.15 P5 ` vs $ 83.586 PAISE GOLD 74,340540 Over 62 pc voting in 1st phase of LS polls Voting began amidst tight security at 7 a.m. across 1,871 polling stations Min. 27 % Min: 24.3 °C (+3) SUN SETS 18:50 hrs MOON SETS 04:22 hrs THUMBNAILS Voters wait in a queue to cast their votes for the first phase of Lok Sabha elections at Durganagar village, Cooch Bihar, Bengal on Friday.  SNS (R) Voters show their ink-marked fingers after casting their votes in Meghalaya.  ANI Visitors at the Jantar Mantar in the Capital on Friday.  SUBRATA DUTTA Senior IPS officer Nalin Prabhat to head NSG: Nalin Prabhat, a 1992 batch IPS officer of Andhra Pradesh cadre, has been appointed as the Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG). “Nalin Prabhat, presently working as an Additional Director General in the CRPF, has been appointed as the Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG) in Level-16 of the pay matrix from the date of joining the post and up to August 31, 2028, i.e., date of his superannuation or until further orders, whichever is earlier,” read the official order. Paring early losses, Indian stocks close week on a high: Making a strong comeback from the early losses, Indian stock indices closed the day and the week's trading on a high. During the morning trade, the Indian stock market nosedived into negative territory with continued selling for the fifth session, succumbing to the escalating geopolitical (Pg 8) tensions between Iran and Israel. WA tensions: AI suspends Israel flights AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 19 APRIL STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 APRIL M ore than 62 per cent voter turnout was recorded on Friday in the first phase of voting in the 18th Lok Sabha elections in 102 constituencies spread over 21 states and Union territories. The voting was by and large peaceful, save stray incidents in some places, including in the Inner Parliamentary Constituency in violence-hit Manipur. The Election Commission of India said the voting percentage is likely to go upwards when report from all polling stations are obtained. Final figures will be known tomorrow after the scrutiny of the available data, an ECI official said. The voting, which PARMOD KUMAR The Supreme Court on Friday directed competent authorities in states/Union territories to decide within three days on applications seeking permission to conduct ‘yatras’ or public meetings aimed at educating people on elections. The direction by a bench of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Sandeep Mehra came on a plea seeking the quashing of prohibitory orders issued under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) solely on the grounds of ongoing general election to Lok Sabha. Posting the matter for fur- ther hearing after two weeks, the bench expressed surprise over blanket orders being issued to prohibit any assembly during the polls and asked, “How can such orders be passed?” In the course of the hearing advocate Prashant Bhushan appearing for the petitioner – social activist Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey - told the bench that in the last six months, blanket orders under Section 144 of CrPC are being issued for the entire duration of elections from the time of announcement of the election by the Election Commis- Boosting defence ties, India delivers Brahmos missile system to Philippines recorded at 62.37 per cent. Tripura registered 80.70 per cent turnout, Bengal 77.57 per cent, Puducherry 73.25 per cent, Assam 72.10 per cent, Sikkim 69.47 per cent and Arunachal Pradesh 67.15 per cent. Jammu and Kashmir registered 65.08 voter turnout, Madhya Pradesh 64.77 per cent, Tamil Nadu 65.19 per cent, Uttar Pradesh 58.49 per cent turnout, Maharashtra 55.35 per cent, Uttarakhand 54.06 per cent, Rajasthan 56.58 per cent, and Bihar 48.50 per cent as per the ECI data. (More reports inside) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 APRIL Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said INDI alliance and Congress leaders are busy insulting Hindu faith, and not just opposed the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, but even described prayers on the day of Ram Lalla’s Surya Tilak on Ram Navami day as pakhand (hypocrisy). Addressing a large BJP election rally in Damoh, Madhya Pradesh, he said Lord Ram is still considered the reigning king in Orchha in the state. But the INDI alliance and Congress leaders, for the sake of their vote bank politics, did not attend the Pran Pratishtha ceremony at the Ram temple, rejecting an invitation extended to them by the temple administration. The Prime Minister said, in contrast to the Congress leaders, an ordinary family of Ansaris in Ayodhya, which fought for the Babari Masjid for generations, opposing the Hindus in courts, happily attended the foundation-laying and Pran Pratishtha ceremonies of the Ram temple, once the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Hindus. He said the “dynastic and corrupt” leaders are not happy with Modi’s guarantees and say if Modi comes to power for the third time, the country will sion till the end of elections. The bench was told that such orders prohibit all kinds of assemblies, meetings and demonstrations during the duration of elections. Mr Bhushan said that both Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey had applied for permission to conduct a 'yatra' to educate voters about their democratic rights during last year's Assembly election, but permission was not granted. He further said that the authorities must decide on such applications within a stipulated time. Social activists Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey have approached the top court seeking direction to check the indiscriminate practice of the Magistrates and State governments passing "blanket orders" under section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure prohibiting meetings, gatherings, processions or 'dharnas' ahead of every Lok Sabha or State Assembly election, until the declaration of results. The petition by Aruna Roy and Nikhil Dey states: “These blanket prohibitory orders directly affect the civil society and general public from freely discussing, participating, organising, or mobilising on issues affecting them ahead of elections.” NEW DELHI, 19 APRIL for the Indian defence sector. India has delivered this missile system to the Philippines amidst the ongoing tension between the Philippines and China in the South China Sea. The ground system exports for this missile system commenced last month. It is believed that the BrahMos missile system will be deployed in the coastal areas of the Philippines by the country's marine corps. Considered one of the most accurate and successful missile programmes globally, the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile is a joint venture between India and Russia. The DRDO in India and the NPOM Mashinostroyeniya in Russia are its main partners. Defence experts say that as the world's leading and fastest precision-guided weapon, Brahmos played a key role in increasing India's defence capabilities, with the Indian Army integrating several BrahMos regiments into its arsenal since 2007. burn. The INDI alliance leaders are giving threats to Modi every day, but Modi has never worried about such threats, he said. The Prime Minister said the current Lok Sabha election is not just to elect members of Parliament; it will decide the future of the country, and play a major role in making India a big power of the world in the next five years. He said at present the situation is bad in many countries, many of them are getting bankrupt, and one neighbour that was supplying terrorism, is now worried about its supply of flour. In such challenging circumstances, India is progressing at the fastest rate, he said. “Are you not proud of this; Indian progress is being celebrated all over the world, in the US, and other countries,” he said. How did this happen, he asked, and said it was not he, but people’s votes for his party had Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi to take over as next Naval chief STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 APRIL Vice Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, who is presently serving as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, will be the next Chief of the Naval Staff, it was officially announced on Friday. Vice Admiral Tripathi will take over charge from incumbent Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar when the latter demits office on 30 April. Born on 15 May 1964, Vice Admiral Tripathi was commissioned into the Executive Branch of the Indian Navy on 1 July1985. A Communication and Electronic Warfare specialist, he has had a long and distinguished service spanning nearly 39 years. Prior to taking over as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, he had served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command. He has commanded Indian Naval ShipsVinash, Kirch and Trishul. He has also held various important operational and staff appointments which include Fleet Operations Officer of the Western Fleet; Director of Naval Operations; Principal Director, Network Centric Operations and Principal Director, Naval Plans at New Delhi. As a Rear Admiral, he has served as the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy and Plans) and the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet. Can’t risk paralysis to get bail, says Kejriwal STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 19 APRIL AGENCIES India on Friday delivered the Brahmos supersonic cruise missile system to the Philippines, as part of a $374.9 million contract signed between the two countries in 2022. A video that has now gone viral on social media shows sweets being shared after an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft landed at the Clark Air Base, a Philippine Air Force base on Luzon Island. Defence experts maintain that this deal for a shorebased version of an anti-ship cruise missile with a range of 290 km was the first major international export order Kamal Nath's son Nakul Nath (Chhindwara, MP). Another key candidate was former Bihar chief minister Jitan Ram Manjhi of the Hindustani Awam MorchaSecular (HAM-S) from Bihar’s Gaya. The Lok Sabha elections are being held in seven phases between 19 April and 1 June. Voting in the second phase will take place on 26 April. Results of the elections will be declared on 4 June. According to the data issued by the Election Commission of India (ECI) at 9 pm, the poll turnout was BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 86.410.70 Congress, INDI alliance insult Hindu faith for vote bank: PM SC asks states/UTs to decide within 3 days on pleas to conduct yatras on poll awareness NEW DELHI, 19 APRIL Amid escalating tensions in West Asia, Air India announced it is suspending flights to and from Tel Aviv until 30 April. Sharing on their social media platform X, Air India stated: "Our flights to and from Tel Aviv will remain suspended until 30th April 2024, in view of the emerging situation in the Middle East." Explosions echoed over the Iranian city of Isfahan on Friday in what was described as an Israeli attack, but there were no reports of casualties. Teheran also played down the incident and indicated it had no plans for retaliation. began amidst tight security at 7 a.m. across 1.87 lakh polling stations, concluded at 6 p.m. Voters reaching the polling stations till the end of the polling hour were allowed to exercise their franchise. Prominent BJP candidates whose fate was sealed in the ballot boxes today included Union ministers Nitin Gadkari (Nagpur), Sarbananda Sonowal (Dibrugarh), Kiren Rijiju (Arunachal Pradesh West) and Jitendra Singh (Udhampur); Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai (Coimbatore); and Uttar Pradesh minister Jitin Prasada (Pilibhit). Heavyweights from the Congress in the first phase include the party's deputy leader in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi (Jorhat, Assam) and former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister P12 SILVER 86,500 TEMPERATURE Max: 39.4 °C+3) SUN RISES 5:50 hrs MOON RISES 15:47 hrs DC HOPES TO RETAIN WINNING MOMENTUM ‘CONG CLAIM OF SOUTH BEING ALIEN TERRITORY FOR BJP IS HOGWASH’ Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal represented by his counsel Friday accused the ED of misrepresenting the diet chart and opposed the agency’s allegations of increasing his sugar levels by eating mangoes and sweets, further saying that he cannot risk “paralysis" for getting bail. Mr Kejriwal's counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi submitted in a Delhi court that, “The allegation is that I have been consuming mangoes... Out of 48 meals sent from home, only three times mangoes were there… No mangoes have been sent after April 8,” Mr Singhvi told the court. Mr Kejriwal's counsel also told the court that aloo puri was served once as part of prasad to him. A Delhi court on Friday made an oral observation and reserved its order on an application moved by Mr Kejriwal requesting for administering insulin in jail and also allow the AAP chief to consult his doctor via video conferencing on a daily basis for 15 minutes due to his acute diabetes and fluctuating sugar levels. The Delhi CM has also requested the court to allow his wife to join the video consultation with the doctor. The court reportedly said it will examine if the Delhi CM followed the approved diet chart while accepting homecooked food in judicial custody. Mr Kejriwal's counsel made the submission while objecting to the allegations made by the ED on Thursday that Delhi CM is intentionally eating mangoes and sweets in jail to increase his sugar levels. The court after hearing arguments has reserved its order on Delhi CM's plea and has also asked the jail authorities and ED to file their replies. On Thursday, the federal probe agency had alleged that Mr Kejriwal was consuming mangoes and sweets in Tihar Jail to increase his sugar levels to build grounds for a medical. Mr Kejriwal is presently under judicial custody till 23 April in connection with a money laundering case linked to the Delhi excise policy case . done the magic. “Your enthusiasm says it again, phir ek baar, Modi Sarkar (Once again, Modi government):” he said. The Prime Minister said for decades, the Congress had kept the country’s defence sector backward; the party saw its own interests even in buying weapons for the armed forces. The whole nation saw how the party made its maximum effort to see India’s Air force does not get Rafale fighter planes, he said. If congress was in power, India-made Tejas planes would not have flown in air, he said. He said “It is the BJP government which is making Indian armed forces self-sufficient. India has even become an arms exporter; this year India exported Rs 21,000 crore weapons. Even as I speak, the first batch of the Brahmos missiles is leaving for Philippines. I congratulate all countrymen on this.” ‘Even progressive Islamic nations have UCC...’: Rajnath Singh HYDERABAD , 19 APRIL Stressing that many progressive Islamic nations have a Uniform Civil Code, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday stressed for the need of UCC to be implemented in India. Rajnath Singh was addressing a public meeting in Hyderabad in support of Bharatiya Janata Party candidate, G Kishan Reddy. Addressing the public meeting, Rajnath Singh said, "Many progressive Islamic countries have a Uniform Civil Code and why not India should have one." “BJP is the only party in the country that delivers all the promises it made to the people of this country. There is no difference in words and deeds of the party," he added. G Kishan Reddy, who has served as the Union Minister of Tourism, Culture and North-East Region, is contesting the polls from the Secunderabad constituency. Hitting out at the Bharath Rashtra Samithi and Congress party, the Defence Minister said that the two parties have created a "crisis of credibility in the politics". "Congress has done appeasement politics. The BJP has never done politics based on region, religion, or caste. We do politics for the development of the nation. BJP is known for delivering promises it makes to the people. One could check all previous manifestos of BJP to verify that the party has delivered all the promises it has made in the manifesto," he added. “In 2014 manifesto, we promised Ram Mandir and it has been constructed. This is a sign of the start of Ram Rajya. We abrogated Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, and also brought law against Triple Talaq,"the former UP CM AGENCIES added.