TUESDAY 28 MAY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR ‘UNFORGIVABLE BETRAYAL OF THE PEOPLE’ ‘SPIRITUAL EMPOWERMENT IS REAL EMPOWERMENT’ P4 SENSEX 75,390.50 WEATHER MAINLY CLEAR SKY. HEAT WAVE CONDITIONS AT MOST PLACES WITH SEVERE HEAT WAVE CONDITIONS AT A FEW PLACES. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 46 AND 29 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY ` vs $ 83.13 GOLD 74,370.00 Max: 45.1 °C (+5) SUN RISES 05:25 hrs MOON RISES 23:49 hrs Min: 29.2 °C (+3) SUN SETS 19:13 hrs MOON SETS 10:37 hrs THUMBNAILS People buy umbrellas from a temporary roadside shop on a scorching hot afternoon in Amritsar on Monday.  ANI Record-high dividend transfer by RBI to h govt equivalent to 0.6pc of GDP: The ratings agency Fitch on Monday said the record-high dividend transfer by the RBI to the government is equivalent to 0.6% of GDP. It further said that such a high level of dividends as a percentage of GDP is unlikely to be maintained. Notably, the board of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), last week decided to transfer a record Rs 2.1 trillion dividend to the government out of the profits earned in fiscal 2023-24. (P8) P12 SILVER 93,000 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 82.41 Revanna apologises, says will appear before probe team In the self-made video, Revanna said, "I will appear before SIT on 31 May" NEW DELHI, 27 MAY Min. 19 % J D-S MP Prajwal Revanna, who is facing charges of sexually abusing many women, announced in a video message that he would appear before the SIT on May 31 and fully cooperate in the investigation. The grandson of former prime minister HD Deve Gowda, who is seeking a fresh term in the Lok Sabha from Hassan as an NDA candidate, is at the centre of a brazen sexual scandal involving him in the exploitation of hundreds of women in his constituency. He left the country on April 27, a day after voting for the Lok Sabha elections in his constituency. In the self-made video, Revanna said, "I will appear before SIT on 31 May." He further said, "...When elections were held on 26th April, there was no case against me and no SIT was formed, my foreign trip was pre-planned. I came to know about the allegations while I was on my trip... '' Prajwal Revanna alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and other senior leaders spoke about his sex abuse videos which made him go into depression and isolation, adding that it was a polit- ical conspiracy. “Rahul Gandhi and many other Congress leaders started talking about it and against me and a political conspiracy was formed against me... On Friday 31st May at 10 am I will appear before SIT and provide all information related to the investigation. I will support the investigation. I have faith in the judiciary..." he said. Meanwhile, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is undertaking the process of canceling Prajwal's diplomatic passport under the provisions of the Passports Act of 1967 as well as related regulations. The Siddaramaiah-led Congress Government in Karnataka has written a letter to the MEA seeking the revocation of the diplomatic passport of the suspended JD-S leader. According to sources, the MEA is currently processing the Karnataka government’s request in this regard. Revanna is wanted in sex abuse cases after a pen drive Remal fury leaves six dead in Bengal STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 26 MAY Cyclone Remal claimed six lives, including one unconfirmed so far, ravaging several districts in south Bengal, mainly South 24-Parganas, North 24-Parganas, East Midnapore, Howrah, Hooghly and East Bardhaman since Sunday night. Many mudthatched-houses in Hingalganj, Jharkhali, Bakkhali Frazerganj and Gosaba in the coastal belts of Gangetic West Bengal were also damaged. With a wind speed of around 130 kmph the severe cyclone had a landfall at Mongla (Bangladesh) between the coastal belt Sagar island in West Bengal and Khepupara in Bangladesh around 11pm on Sunday. The six victims of the cyclone include four men and a 80-year-old woman. The first victim was reported in Kolkata when a man died of his injuries after a wall collapsed due to the heavy shower on Sunday night at the Bibir Bagan area of Entally in the P10 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Max. 63 % TEMPERATURE P5 NIFTY 22,932.45 ‘ONE FORMAT MIGHT DROP OFF’ ‘RELIGION-BASED QUOTA THREATENS INTEGRITY OF THE COUNTRY’ central part of the city. Roofs of thatched huts were blown away, uprooted trees blocked roads in Calcutta as well as in the coastal districts, and electricity poles were knocked down causing significant power disruption in various parts of the state, including in the city’s outskirts, according to officials of the state disaster management department. Around 1,200 electric poles, including 300 in South 24-Parganas were uprooted by Remal. More than 300 huts in Sundarbans were also badly damaged since Sunday, according to the officials. The state gov- ernment evacuated more than one lakh people from vulnerable areas mainly in the Sundarbans ahead of the cyclone's landfall. The chief minister Mamata Banerjee has asked the state chief secretary B P Gopalika to prepare a detailed report on casualties and damages of properties caused by the severe cyclone. In her X handle Miss Banerjee has assured to give monetary compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the family members of the deceased. Several pockets in Ballygunge, Park Circus, Dhakuria and Alipore in South Calcutta, Behala in the West and Col- lege Street, Thanthania Kali Bari, CR Avenue and Sinthi in the northern part of the city and Shibpur, Salkia, Kadamtala, Tikiapara, Ramrajatala, in the Howrah Municipal Corporation (HMC) area remained waterlogged since Sunday night because of heavy downpour. Suburban train services from the Sealdah terminal station were also partially suspended for at least three hours, adding to commuters’ woes, before operations limped back to normal. Flight services at the Calcutta airport resumed on Monday morning after remaining suspended for 21 hours in view of Cyclone Remal. Airport sources, however, said it will take some more time for the situation to become normal. In a later update today, the Alipore Met office said ‘Remal’ weakened into a cyclonic storm at 5.30 a.m. on Monday, about 70 km northeast of Canning and 30km westsouthwest of Mongla. The system is likely to gradually weaken further. containing his purported obscene videos went viral. After the videos went viral and a woman filed a case against him, he fled to Germany. On May 23, his grandfather Deve Gowda, in an emotionally charged message, warned him of ‘isolation’ if he didn’t return and face the law. The patriarch wrote an open letter directed to people vilifying the family over Prajwal’s sex scandal. “At this juncture, I can do only one thing. I can issue a stern warning to Prajwal and ask him to return from wherever he is and surrender before the police. He should subject himself to the legal process. This is not a mere appeal, it is a warning that I am issuing.” In the letter posted on X, he stated that he had already said that he should be given the harshest punishment under the law if found guilty. “I also cannot convince people that I was unaware of Prajwal’s activities. I cannot convince them that I have no desire to shield him. I cannot convince them that I am not aware of his movements and that I was not aware of his foreign trip. I believe in answering to my conscience. I believe in God, and I know the almighty knows the truth.” Deve Gowda also appealed to his grandson to return to the country if he had any respect left for him. Between Jan-Apr, users faced over `1,750 crore loss due to A cybercrime: According to the data available on the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal, between January and April 2024, over 740,000 complaints were lodged related to cybercriminal activities leading to monetary losses worth over Rs 1,750 crore. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) stated that in May 2024, an average of 7,000 cybercrime complaints were recorded daily. This marked a significant surge of 113.7 per cent compared to the period between 2021 and 2023, and a 60.9 per cent increase from 2022 to 2023. Additionally, 85 per cent of these complaints pertained to financial online fraud. The significant escalation in reported cases is evident from 2019 to 2024, with 26,049 complaints recorded in 2019; as many as 257,777 (in 2020); 452,414 (2021); 966,790 (2022); 1,556,218 (in 2023) and 740,957 in the first four months of 2024 alone. Further, the data from I4C said that the investment scams resulted in a loss of Rs 222 crore across 62,687 complaints, while dating apps caused losses amounting to Rs 13.23 crore in 1,725 complaints. The total financial toll inflicted by cybercriminals on Indians from January to April 2024 reached Rs 176 crore. It is to be highlighted that the report said that most victims fell prey to online investment fraud, gaming apps, algorithm manipulations, illegal SNS lending apps, sextortion, and OTP scams. Kejriwal seeks 7-day interim bail extension to undergo medical tests STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 27 MAY Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has filed a fresh plea with the Supreme Court requesting extension of his interim bail for undergoing a series of medical tests in view of his health complications, sources said on Monday. The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) chief, in his application, requested the court that he will surrender on June 9 after getting the required medical tests done. It has also been mentioned in the plea that a senior doctor has prescribed a host of full body tests which are necessary to be carried out before the AAP leader surrenders, they said. Since Kejriwal was taken into custody, he had witnessed weight loss, the sources said, adding that a sudden rise in ketone levels could be indicative of kidney damage, serious cardiac ailments and even cancer. Delhi Minister and senior AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj said the party supremo’s bail extension has been sought to rule out the possibility of any serious health complications. “The doctors say Kejriwal’s weight loss and the high level of ketones indicate there could be a possibility of some serious issue, and to rule out any doubts, the kidney test and a PET scan of the whole body have been suggested,” he said. Kejriwal was granted interim bail by the apex court on May 10 up to June 1, in a money laundering case linked to the Delhi liquor policy scam. He was arrested on March 21 and was later sent to judicial custody after his custodial remand with the Directorate of Enforcement. The excise policy was introduced to bring an overhaul to the national capital's liquor business, promising a more modern shopping experience with discounts and offers. However, Delhi Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena's order to investigate alleged irregularities prompted the policy's cancellation. AAP leader and former deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia is already under judicial custody in connection with the case. He was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 26 last year, while party leader Sanjay Singh, a Rajya Sabha member, was arrested by the ED on October 5 and was granted bail in April this year. Sanchar Saathi initiative: DoT and ‘Ab ki baar, 10 lakh paar’ is Varanasi’s MHA get tough on SMS scammers clarion call for PM Modi’s third victory STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 27 MAY The Department of Telecommunications (DoT), in collaboration with the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), has taken decisive action to protect citizens from potential SMS fraud through the Sanchar Saathi initiative, the Ministry of Communications said on Monday. The Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C), MHA, provided information about the misuse of eight SMS headers for sending fraudulent communications for committing cybercrime. According to an action taken report (ATR) by DoT, more than 10,000 fraudulent messages were sent using these eight headers in the past three months. The prin- cipal entities that were owners of these eight SMS headers were blacklisted. All the 73 SMS headers and 1,522 SMS content templates owned by these principal entities were blacklisted. None of these principal entities, SMS headers, or templates can now be used to send SMS to any telecom operator. The DoT has prevented further potential victimisation of citizens by blacklisting these entities. The DoT reiterates its commitment to safeguarding citizens against cybercrime. Citizens can report suspected fraud communications at the Chakshu facility on Sanchar Saathi to help DoT in the prevention of misuse of telecom resources for cyber-crime and financial frauds. "It is not permitted to use mobile numbers for telemarketing activities. If a consumer uses their telephone connection to send promotional messages, their connection will be liable for disconnection on the first complaint, and their name and address may be blacklisted for two years," the Ministry said. Telemarketing calls can be identified by their prefixes: 180, 140, and 10-digit numbers are not permitted for telemarketing. To report spam, dial 1909 or use the DND (Do Not Disturb) service. AGENCIES VARANASI, 27 MAY The people of Varanasi have decided that they will gift Prime Minister Narendra Modi his third-straight victory from the Lok Sabha seat with a bigger margin of votes and they have given the clarion call of ‘Ab ki baar, 10 lakh paar.’ A young BJP worker, Aditya Singh, sums up the sentiments of the people of the constituency when he remarks, “The political heavyweights who are flocking to Varanasi, actually need not do so. They are here only to mark their attendance. Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not need any campaigning. Unka naam hi kafi hai.” In the last few days, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Union Minister Piyush Goyal, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Ministers Brajesh Pathak and Keshav Maurya, along with BJP President JP Nadda have campaigned here. While these bigwigs have been interacting with students, traders, artisans, weavers etc. the people of Varanasi – on their own – are campaigning for PM Modi. For instance, the Gujarati community held rituals that lasted several days to pray for a bigger victory margin for the PM. Music recitals and dance performances by artists from across the country, particularly southern India, serve as a reminder of the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam that the PM launched in 2022 to foster a cul- tural connect. BJP spokesperson KK Sharma said, “Varanasi has witnessed a remarkable makeover in the last ten years. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done much more than what he promised. The cultural scene is relatively vibrant. Infrastructure is better. Tourist footfall has increased manifold. The law and order has improved. It was a city that stayed indoors after dusk. Today, you will find people queuing up for the morning darshan and aarti from 2.30 A.M. onwards.” The electoral battle in Varanasi, according to locals and political experts, is not about whether PM Modi will win for a third-successive time, but whether he will increase his share of the votes polled and his victory margin and to what extent. INDIA bloc to meet on 1 June, Mamata likely to skip STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, KOLKATA, 27 MAY A meeting of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) bloc is scheduled to be held on June 1 ahead of the Lok Sabha election results. Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge is likely to chair the meeting at his residence here. “INDIA bloc meeting will be held on 1st June at 3 pm at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in the national capital,” sources said here on Monday. It is likely that during the meeting, the leaders of the opposition parties will deliberate on a wide range of issues, including building a strategy for the post-election results. Notably, the date of the meeting coincides with the seventh phase of the Lok Sabha election, which is the last phase of the general election. The meeting will also be held a day before Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal, who is out on bail in the alleged liquor scam, is scheduled to surrender and return to Tihar jail. AAP is one of the constituents of the INDIA bloc. The principal opposition party Congress, as part of the INDIA alliance, has teamed up with the Samajwadi Party (SP), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in the ongoing Lok Sabha election to oust the ruling BJP. However,TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee said that she can't join the meeting as voting is scheduled for nine seats in West Bengal on the same day. Banerjee said, "The INDIA team is holding a meeting on June 1. I have told them I can't join as we have an election on 9 seats in West Bengal on the same day. Punjab, Bihar & UP also have elections on June 1. On one side is the cyclone, and on the other side, it is elections - I have to do everything. Cyclone relief is my priority right now."