DONALD TRUMP: IS HE HERO OR VILLAIN? 09 JUNE 2024 www.thestatesman.com Twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd Facebook.com/thestatesman WHY MAMATA BANERJEE KEEPS WINNING PAGE 15 INDIA LOOK TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF PAK’S VULNERABILITY IN MEGA T20 WORLD CUP CLASH PAGE 13 PAGE 12 India’s National Newspaper since 1818 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR PAGES 16 | `5.00 | LC WEATHER Partly cloudy sky. Maximum and Minimum Temperature most likely be around 36°C and 29°C respectively. RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 85% TEMPERATURE All set for Modi’s swearing-in as PM for historic 3rd term Mr Modi will be sworn in along with a sizable number of his Council of Ministers Min.63% Sheikh Hasina, other leaders to attend Modi govt’s oath ceremony Max:35.4°C (+0.9) Min: 29.0°C (+1.8) SUN RISES SUN SETS 04:51 hrs 18:20 hrs MOON RISES MOON SETS 06:9 hrs 20:22 hrs Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Seychelles Vice-President Ahmed Afif arrived here on Saturday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Narendra Modi government on Sunday. Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe, Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Nepal Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ and Bhutan Prime Minister Tshering Tobgay will also be attending the the swearing-in ceremony to be held tomorrow evening. “The swearing-in ceremony of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Council of Ministers following the General Elections 2024 is scheduled on 9 June 2024. On the occasion, leaders from India’s neighbourhood and Indian Ocean region have been cordially invited as distinguished guests,” the Ministry of External Affairs said on Saturday. In addition to participating in the swearingin ceremony, the visiting leaders will attend a banquet hosted by President at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the same evening. likely to be made a Minister. Others whose names were in circulation were Mr Jitan Ram Manjhi of the Hindustan Awam Morcha; Mr Ram Mohan Naidu of the TDP, and Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) leader Jayant Chaudhary, son of late Union Minister Ajit Singh and grandson of late Prime Minister Charan Singh. Full Moon on 22 June THUMBNAILS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 8 JUNE reparations at Rashtrapati Bhavan for Sunday’s swearingin of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his third consecutive term as Prime Minister were in full swing throughout Saturday. President Droupadi Murmu will administer the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Modi in the forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan at 7.15 p.m. Several thousand chairs were installed at the venue on Saturday. Mr Modi will be sworn in along with a sizable number of ministers. Mr Modi was unanimously elected leader of the NDA and was invited to form the P Cadets pose for a group photo during the piping ceremony at the passing out parade of the Indian Military Academy (IMA), in Dehradun on Saturday.  ANI Six Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter: Security forces in Chhattisgarh neutralized six Maoists in a fierce encounter at the border regions of Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Bastar districts. Among the deceased is a high-ranking commander from the DVCM cadre, who had an Rs 8 lakh bounty on his head. Authorities indicated that the death toll might rise as operations continue. (Pg10) Nitish was offered PM’s post by INDIA bloc: KC Tyagi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 8 JUNE Senior Janata Dal (United) leader K C Tyagi on Saturday claimed that his party chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had received an offer from the INDIA bloc to become the country's Prime Minister but it was turned down. Talking to a TV news channel, he said the JD (U) will stay with the BJP in the NDA alliance and there is no question of going back to the INDIA bloc. Mr Tyagi said the same leaders who were not ready to make Mr Kumar the convener of the INDIA bloc were offering him the Prime Ministership after the polls results. “We made the INDIA bloc a reality...we ended the political untouchability of the Congress party,” he said. The Janata Dal (U) leader claimed that Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee were not ready to share the stage with the Congress. He said the Janata Dal (U) decided to come out of the INDIA bloc over the manner in which its leader was treated. At the Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Saturday ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister and members of the Council of Ministers. ANI next government by the President. Since it will be a coalition government, the ceremony will see oath-taking by representatives of several NDA partners like the Telugu Desam Party, the Janata Dal (U), the Lok Janshakti Party, the Janata Dal (S) and the Nationalist Congress Party. There was speculation the whole day on the different parties’ nominees likely to be included in the new Council of Ministers. There could be 12 to 15 nominees from the alliance partners. Since the TDP and the JD-U are major allies of the BJP in the NDA, they will be getting their due share of Cabinet posts. JD-U leader Nitish Kumar and TDP leader Chandrababu Naidu have been keen on the speedy development of their states and they are believed to be seeking Ministries which can push development projects of their states. Mr Naidu has been seeking funds for Amaravati, the new capital of Andhra Pradesh. Among those likely to be inducted as ministers is Rajya Sabha member Ram Nath Thakur of the Janata Dal (U), son of legendary Bihar leader and Bharat Ratna awardee Karpoori Thakur. Son of late Union Minister RamVilas Paswan, Mr Chirag Paswan, whose Lok Janshakti Party secured five Lok Sabha seats, is also STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 8 JUNE CWC urges Rahul to take post of Leader of Opposition STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Sonia Gandhi re-elected as Chairperson of CPP NEW DELHI, 8 JUNE The Congress Working Committee (CWC) on Saturday unanimously passed a resolution urging party leader Rahul Gandhi to take the post of Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha. The decision was taken at the meeting of the CWC, convened by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge at a five star hotel here, in the presence of Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) chairperson Sonia Gandhi, former party president Rahul Gandhi, party’s general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and party’s national general secretary of Organisation KC Venugopal, among others. Mr Gandhi told the party’s highest decision making body that he would take a decision very soon in this regard. Addressing a press conference, Mr Venugopal said: “Today, the extended CWC met and a thorough discussion was held for three and a half hours about the Lok Sabha elections results of 2024. The CWC unanimously requested Rahul Gandhi ji to take the Leader of the Opposition position in Lok Sabha. All the participants unanimously put up their views on this issue. Everybody was unanimous that Rahul Ji should take the Leader of Opposition position in the Lok Sabha.” The senior Congress leader said: “During the elections we raised so many burning issues: unemployment price rise, Agniveer, women issues, social justice issues. These issues have to be continued in a greater manner inside Parliament also. Rahul ji is the best person to lead this campaign inside Parliament. This is the CWC’s view.” “Entire CWC feels that in the current scenario of Indian politics, for a better and stronger and vigilant Opposition, Rahul ji should be the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha,” he said. Asked about whether Mr Gandhi has accepted the CWC’s request, Mr Venugopal said: “He told the CWC that he will take a decision very soon.” Ahead of the CWC meeting, several Congress leaders includ- ing Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said that Rahul Gandhi should be the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha. In another resolution, the CWC said: “Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi has to be singled out largely because of the Bharat Jodo Yatra and the Bharat Jodo NyayYatra that he designed and led. Both these Yatras that reflected his own thinking and personality were historic turning points in our nation’s politics and instilled hope and confidence in lakhs of our workers and crores of our voters.” The party’s highest decision making body noted that his election campaign was singleminded, sharp and pointed. “The Paanch Nyay-Pachees Guarantee programme which resonated so very powerfully in the election campaign was the outcome of Rahulji’s yatras Senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi was on Saturday reelected as the Chairperson of the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP). The name of the former Congress president was proposed by the current president Mallikarjun Kharge at the CPP meeting at the Central Hall of Parliament here. Congress leaders Tariq Anwar and Gaurav Gogoi seconded the proposal. The meeting unani- mously elected Mrs Gandhi as the Chairperson of the CPP . Speaking on the occasion, she said: “Kharge ji and fellow MPs, I am deeply conscious of the great responsibility all of you have placed on me yet again.” Congratulating all the newly elected party MPs, Mrs Gandhi said: “You have fought a tough election under the most challenging of circumstances. You have surmounted many obstacles and campaigned so very effectively. Your success has given us a much greater presence in the Lok Sabha and a more effective voice in its proceedings, both of which will help give greater strength to our participation.” In a veiled attack on the BJP she said: “The Indian , National Congress has once again demonstrated its resilience. It was up against a mighty and malevolent machine that was doing its utmost to destroy us.” in which he listened to the fears, concerns and aspirations of all people especially youth, women, farmers, workers, dalits, adivasis, OBCs and minori- ties,” the resolution read. The Congress won 99 seats in the recently concluded Lok Sabha elections. (See also Page 5) STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 8 JUNE ‘Ultimately INDIA bloc will form govt, we are waiting and watching’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 8 JUNE Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee said on Saturday that the BJP has undemocratically and illegally formed the government at the Centre. The national opposition alliance INDIA will ultimately form the government, she said. After a spectacular performance in Bengal, with the party winning 29 Lok Sabha seats out of 42 in the state, the Trinamul Congress chief held a meeting with her party’s newly elected MPs at her Kalighat residence. She later told reporters: “The BJP has undemocratically and illegally formed the government at the Centre. The national opposition alliance INDIA will ultimately form the government.” Slamming Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Miss Banerjee said: “Literally, the BJP has lost the general elections this time. Therefore, Narendra Modi should have quit and let some other leader in his party hold the PM’s post.” The BJP leadership had been claiming the NDA would win 400 out of the 543 Lok Sabha seats but the saffron party failed to achieve even a simple majority. “INDIA is not claiming to form the government right now but that does not mean that the national opposition alliance will not come in power at the Centre in future. We are waiting and watching,” Miss Banerjee said. “We will intensify our movement in Parliament demanding cancellation of NRC and UCC. We have 42 MPs in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha together. We have the third highest number of MPs in the country,” she added. “Don’t sit silent in the Parliament.You have to raise your voice against Modi’s anti-people moves like NRC and UCC,” she told the party’s newly elected MPs. Sudip Bandyopadhyay will be made the leader of the Trinamul Congress parliamentary party while Kalyan Banerjee will be the chief whip, Miss Banerjee said. The chief minister has asked Rajya Sabha MPs Derek O’Brien, Dola Sen and Nadimul Haque to go to Haryana and talk to the farmers there. Miss Banerjee also said that there should be changes in the election process, which should be completed within one month, otherwise development works are delayed because of the prolonged election process lasting about two and a half months. While charging that the Election Commission has manipulated the general elections, she said the role of the election observers should also be looked into seriously. Miss Banerjee said the Trinamul Congress will not take part in the oath-taking ceremony of the PM on Sunday in Delhi. Senior leaders like Abhishek Banerjee, the all India general secretary of the Trinamul Congress, Subrata Bakshi, MPs and leaders from the districts were present in the meeting at Kalighat. The TMC will celebrate its victory in the Lok Sabha polls on 21 July, at the annual Martyrs Day observation of the party at Esplanade. Media baron and Ramoji Group chairman Cherukuri NEET exam row: NTA sets up panel to examine grace mark issue Ramoji Rao passes away in Hyderabad, aged 87 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE HYDERABAD, 8 JUNE Media baron and chairman of the Ramoji Group, Cherukuri Ramoji Rao, passed away early this morning at a private hospital in Hyderabad after a prolonged illness. He was 87. The founder of the largest Telugu daily, Eenadu, and television channels under the banner of ETV, Rao is survived by his wife, Rama Devi and his son Ch Kiran. His younger son, Ch Suman, passed away a decade ago. Rao was awarded a Padma Vibhushan for his contribution in the fields of journalism, literature and education. Following his demise, Telangana chief minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials that his last rites slated for Sunday should be conducted with state honours. The Telugu film industry will observe a day of mourning tomorrow in his honour and all shoots have been cancelled for the day. Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his condolence message said:“The passing away of Shri Ramoji Rao Garu is extremely saddening. He was a visionary who revolutionized Indian media. His rich contributions have left an indelible mark on journalism and the world of films. Through his noteworthy efforts he set new standards for innovation and excellence in the media and entertainment world.” The Andhra Pradesh government has declared two days of mourning on 9 and 10 June. Rao was born on 16 November 1936 in Pedaparuudi village of Krishna district in Andhra Pradesh in an ordinary farming family belonging to the powerful Kamma community. He had started the Margadarshi chit funds in 1962 to finance his massive business empire, dabbling in media, film production and distribution and then proceeded to build the Ramoji Film City with state-of-the-art facilities for film production. He diversified into food sector through Priya Foods, entered the hospitality sector through the Dolphin group of hotels and dabbled in sarees and artefacts through a chain of Kalanjali showrooms. He revolutionised the media business by launching Eenadu and its sister publications and then a bouquet of 24x7 television channels in vernacular languages using technology to reach out to his readers and audience. Annadatta, a magazine on farming gained massive popularity among the farmers, particularly with televised episodes. He openly supported the Telugu Desam when NT Rama Rao launched it in 1982 and then extended it to his protege, Chandrababu Naidu. His open support for TDP and Naidu earned the ire of former Andhra Pradesh chief minister YS Rajasekhar Reddy and in recent times of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. Last year, the octogenarian was interrogated by the Andhra Pradesh CID and the group’s chit fund offices in districts were raided and sealed. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 8 JUNE Amid allegation of irregularities in this year’s NEET-UG exam for admission in medical courses, the Union Ministry of Education and the National Testing Agency have set up a committee to review the grace marks awarded to certain candidates. Subodh Kumar Singh, Director General, National testing Agency (NTA), meanwhile, categorically said the integrity of the entrance test was not compromised. Addressing a press conference, Mr Singh said: “NTA conducted the NEET exam on 5th May, 2024. We conduct- ed this exam in 571 cities at 4,750 centres. We declared the result on 4th of June. This year there were certain issues raised by the candidates like higher marks and so many toppers.” “The issue concerning the NEET exam is pertinent to 6 centres and 1,600 candidates. We had formed a committee of experts, analysed the issue and addressed the grievances. To allay the fear of 1,600 candi- dates especially, and other 23 lakh candidates, NTA has decided that a high-powered committee will analyse the recommendations by the grievance redressal committee. Thereby, addressing all the issues again,” he said. Elaborating about the panel, the DG said: “The committee will look into the issue of compensatory marks which has been recommended by the grievance redressal committee. So, this committee's mandate is limited to six centres and 1600 candidates.” The DG said: “The whole exam process has been very transparent. The integrity of the exam was not compromised at all.”