‘BJP DOES POLITICS TO SERVE THE NATION’ 19 MAY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd Facebook.com/thestatesman ‘IF PAK MAKES MISTAKE, WE’LL WIPE IT OUT’ PAGE 5 PAGE 10 ROYALS LOOK FOR MUCH-NEEDED IMPETUS VS KKR PAGE 12 India’s National Newspaper since 1818 PAGES 12 | `5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR WEATHER Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and Minimum Temperature most likely be around 38°C and 30°C respectively. RAINFALL: 0.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 88% TEMPERATURE Delhi CM's aide arrested in Maliwal assault row As per reports, Bibhav Kumar has also lodged a complaint with police Min.43% Max:38.1°C (+2.3) Min:29.5°C (+2.8) SUN RISES SUN SETS 04:55 hrs 18:11 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 13:47 hrs 01:37 hrs Full Moon on 23 May THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 18 MAY hief Minister Arvind Kejriwal's close aide Bibhav Kumar was arrested by the Delhi Police on Saturday in connection with the alleged misconduct with the AAP Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal. It is said that police may likely question other people also in this connection in the days to come. It is said that Bibhav Kumar has also lodged a complaint with police and also declared that he was ready for the investigation into the incident. Following his arrest in the evening, several party leaders could be seen visiting Mr Kumar's residence in visuals shared by news agencies. This follows after Ms C A woman florist with her varieties of statice flowers, in Senapti on Saturday.  ANI 889 candidates to contest in sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Saturday said 889 candidates are in the fray for the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls, scheduled to be held on 25 May. In a statement, the ECI said: “889 candidates from eight States/Union Territories (UTs) to contest elections in the sixth phase of Lok Sabha polls. This includes 20 contesting candidates for the adjourned poll in Anantnag-Rajouri Parliamentary Constituency (PC) of Jammu and Kashmir.” Maliwal recorded her statement before a magistrate in this connection at the Tis Hazari court on Friday. Mr Kumar's arrest comes two days after an FIR was filed against him at the Civil Lines police station on Thursday, which was after police recorded her statement in connection with the alleged misconduct. Ms Maliwal has alleged that the CM's aide attacked her, slapping her in the face and kicking her in the chest and abdomen on 13 May morning, when she had gone to meet the chief minister. The FIR was filed under IPC Sections 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 341 (Punishment for wrongful restraint), 354B (Assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 506 (Punishment for criminal intimidation), and 509 (Word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman). The BJP on the other hand has questioned Mr Kejriwal's silence on the issue, and hit out at the AAP chief for not speaking a word on the issue, saying that once he would praise the same leader and now when the alleged incident took place at his own residence with her, he is not breaking his silence. Delhi BJP chief Virendra Sachdeva has hit out at the Delhi CM, saying that instead of speaking on various issues, he must first answer on the incident involving his own party's MP and come forward informing who is responsible for the same. Meanwhile, another purported video of Ms Maliwal which shows her being escorted out from the CM residence where she could be seen walking surfaced on social media, referring to which the AAP has claimed that everything that Ms Maliwal has alleged seems to be contradictory as she can be seen walking and not in the condition which she had said she was in after being attacked by Mr Kumar. INDIA alliance busy in destroying Delhi: Modi NIKHIL VYAS NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday came down heavily on the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Delhi over the alleged corruption in the now scrapped excise policy and slammed the Congress for embracing the AAP at the instance of the party's 'royal family' for vote bank politics. “Delhi aur Haryana mein Dosti, Punjab mein kushti (friendship in Delhi and Haryana, wrestling in Punjab). This is what the INDIA bloc is,” he said while addressing an election rally at Ghonda in North-East Delhi in support of BJP MP candidates Manoj Tiwari from North-East Delhi, Harsh Malhotra from East Delhi and Praveen Khandelwal from Chandni Chowk constituency. Mr Modi was obviously referring to the seat adjustment between the AAP and the Congress in Delhi and Haryana although they fight against each other in Punjab. Without directly referring to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other top leaders of AAP, PM Modi alleged they had indulged in corruption worth crores of rupees in the liquor scam and were now visiting jails. “The same Congress party, which was earlier taking the credit for exposing the liquor scam, was now supporting the AAP and was silent on the scam," the Prime Minister said. Hitting out at CongressAAP alliance in Delhi, the Prime Minister said: “The INDI Alliance is hell-bent on creating hindrances to development works.They are responsible for breaking the trust of the people.” Mr Modi said: “They formed the government to end corruption, but now they are busy defending themselves against corruption charges.” “Amid development works happening here, the INDIA alliance is busy in destroying Delhi...They are not leav- ing any opportunity to loot the people of Delhi. These people had come in the name of eliminating corruption, but today they are in jail due to scams worth crores of rupees," he said. Mr Modi hit out at the grand old party for contesting just three Lok Sabha seats in the national capital, saying: “Four generations of Congress ruled in Delhi, but today such is the state of the party that they can't even contest in four seats here.” The Prime Minister said the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are crucial for positioning India as the thirdlargest economy globally. “They are also pivotal to safeguard India from the parties which could bankrupt India,” he said. Campaign ends for 5th phase of Lok Sabha polls NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Campaigning for the fifth phase of voting in Lok Sabha elections concluded on Saturday evening. In the fifth phase, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president JP Nadda, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge , former party president Rahul Gandhi and party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra had campaigned extensively in different states which will go to polls on 20 May. On the last day of the campaign, Mr Shah held a road show in UP’s Amethi for BJP’s nominee and Union Minister Smriti Irani while Congress’ Priyanka Vadra for KL Sharma. Mr Kharge held a joint press conference with the parties of the INDIA bloc in Mumbai. A total of 695 candidates are in the fray for the 49 parliamentary constituencies spread across eight States and Union Territories. SNS You can put in jail whoever you want: Kejriwal dares PM Modi NEW DELHI, 18 MAY Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has dared Prime Minister Narendra Modi to arrest him and other AAP leaders, announcing that he along with his top party leaders will march to the BJP headquarters on Sunday at 12 p.m. Addressing a press conference on Saturday evening, Mr Kejriwal alleged that Prime Minister Modi is playing 'Jail ka Khel' with the AAP "You can see how . they (BJP) are after AAP . One after another, they are putting AAP leaders behind bars. I would like to tell the PM- you are playing this 'jail ka khel'. Tomorrow, I am coming to the BJP headquarters with all my top leaders, MLAs, and MPs at 12 noon. You can put in jail whoever you want," SNS Kejriwal said. BJP plotting to ignite communal tensions, says CM Mamata STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE HOOGHLY, 18 MAY Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday accused the BJP of plotting to ignite communal violence in the state for electoral gains. Speaking at a public gathering at Goghat in Arambagh Lok Sabha constituency, Miss Banerjee said: “For political gains, the BJP has distorted religion, they ignite religious sentiments and emotions to divide people on the basis of religion. They are well known for igniting communal violence in the society... They have a conspiracy to ignite communal violence during the election and after the election. Suddenly you may find the idols of God and Goddesses missing from the temples.” “I am asking the state administration to keep a special watch on the temples. After their plot in Sandeshkhali, they might create tension over certain temples in the state. Do not allow that,” the Chief Minister said. Miss Banerjee, while heaping praise on the Kamarpukur Ramakrishna Mission and the Saradha Math in Jayrambati, recalling the help they extended to victims of the reign of ter- ror of CPI-M harmads during Left Front rule, said: “I have great regard for them since they have no affinity towards any political parties. They are impartial and not biased in their social welfare activities, but the BJP is trying to use some of the other maths and ashram to motivate their devotees to vote in favour of BJP The . BJP is distributing money. They should remember that they cannot buy the love and regard of the people for Trinamul Congress and Mamata Banerjee.” The Chief Minister said: “We want Bauri samaj, Bagdhi samaj, Mathua samaj, Raj Bangshi samaj, minorities and all other communities to come together and work together.” She urged the gathering not to vote in favour of Congress and CPI-M since the division of votes will help the BJP . Banerjee said "I had coined the name INDIA and at the national level we the coalition partners are all working together to resist the autocratic, demonic Narendra Modi government. TMC will play its role in installing the INDIA bloc to power." "See what Modi is telling now – he is no more making tall '400 paar' seats by BJP He can read the writing . on the wall already. BJP will not cross even 200 tally. BJP will bite the dust," she said. Miss Banerjee said: “I had coined the name INDIA and at the national level we the coalition partners are all working together to resist the autocratic, demonic Narendra Modi government. TMC will play its role in installing the INDIA bloc to power." “See what Modi is saying now – he is no more making tall claims of ‘400 paar’ seats. He can read the writing on the wall already. BJP will not cross even 200 tally. BJP will bite the dust," she said. She added that the business world is already anticipating the defeat of Modi and the BJP The share mar. kets have crashed, she said. She also observed that Amit Shah in his election campaign meeting is urging voters to invest in the share market, and criticised it as a violation of the electoral model code of conduct.