SATURDAY 22 JUNE 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 NAIDU RETURNS TO ANDHRA ASSEMBLY AFTER 31 MONTHS ‘LET’S SEED FOREST OF EQUALITY’ P7 SENSEX 77,209.90269.03 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Light Rain or Thundershower likely to occur. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 33 °C and 26 °C respectively. RAINFALL: 3.0 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 98 % Min. 79 % Max: 31.5°C (-1.5) SUN RISES 04:53 hrs MOON RISES 18:1 hrs Min: 26.0°C (-0.8) SUN SETS 18:24 hrs MOON SETS 03:46 hrs TEMPERATURE Full Moon on 22 June THUMBNAILS Police personnel detain a Samajwadi Party supporter during a protest over the NEET issue in Lucknow on Friday.  ANI 98 Indians have died during Hajj, says MEA: A total of 98 Indian nationals have lost their lives so far during Hajj in Saudi Arabia, it was officially confirmed on Friday. At a media briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said nearly 1,75,000 Indians have already gone for Hajj this year. ''So far we have lost 98 of our citizens. These deaths have happened on account of natural illness, natural causes, chronic illness, and also old age,'' he said. Jt CSIR-UGC-NET exam put off due to ‘unavoidable circumstances’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday evening announced that the Joint CSIRUGC-NET Examination June2024 which was scheduled to be held between 25 to 27 June has been postponed due to “unavoidable circumstances as well as logistic issues”. “The candidates are hereby informed that the Joint CSIR-UGC-NET Examination June-2024 which was scheduled to be held between 25.06.2024 to 27.06.2024 is being postponed due to unavoidable circumstances as well as logistic issues," a notice issued by the NTA said. The revised schedule for the examination will be announced later, it said. The NTA is already under fire over alleged irregularities in the NEET-UG 2024 medical entrance test, while on 19 June the UGC-NET exam was cancelled a day after it was held due to fears that its integrity has been compromised. P4 NIFTY 23,501.1065.90 P5 GOLD 73,250810 ` vs $ 83.56 P12 SILVER 94,0001,500 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 82.870.21 Defer implementation With HC staying trial court’s bail order, Delhi CM Kejriwal of 3 criminal laws: Didi to remain in prison for now Mamata Banerjee writes to PM expressing ‘grave concern’ over new laws STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 21 JUNE hief Minister Mamata Banerjee has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressing “grave concern” over the impending implementation of the three new criminal laws from 1 July, and has urged the PM “to consider at least a deferment of the implementation date”. The three new criminal laws ~ the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 and the Bharatiya Sakshaya Adhiniyam, 2023 ~ to replace the Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973 and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, respectively, were notified on 25 December 2023 and will come into effect on 1 July 2024. Miss Banerjee, in a letter to PM Modi, said: “I write to you with grave concern regarding the impending implementation of three crucial laws, namely The Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNA) 2023, The Bharatiya Sakhsya Adhiniyam (BSA) C 2023, and The Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023.” She said the three laws which were passed with absolutely no debate in Parliament deserve a review now. “If you kindly recall, on the 20th of December last year, the outgoing Government of yours had passed these three critical Bills unilaterally, and with absolutely no debate. That day, almost one hundred members of the Lok Sabha had been suspended and a total 146 MPs of the both Houses were thrown out of the Parliament. The Bills were passed in an authoritarian manner in that dark hour of democracy. Matter deserves review now,” she stated. “I urge your esteemed office now to consider at least a deferment of the implementation date. Reasons are twofold: ethical, and practical," Miss Banerjee said. “Ethically, I believe it would be in the fitness of things to place those significant legislative changes before the newly elected Parliament for fresh deliberation and scrutiny. Given the wide-ranging reservations expressed in the public domain regarding the hurriedly passed new laws, fresh parliamentary review of these attempts would demonstrate a commitment to democratic prin- Canada giving political space to ‘Khalistani’ extremists, says MEA Jail for Hinduja clan members for exploiting Indian staff STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE A Swiss court handed jail sentences to four members of Britain’s richest family on Friday for exploiting Indian staff at their Geneva mansion. The Hindujas were acquitted of human trafficking, but convicted on other charges in a stunning verdict for the family whose fortune is estimated at 37 billion pounds. Prakash Hinduja and his wife Kamal each got four years and six months, while their son Ajay and his wife Namrata received four-year terms. The cases stem from the family's practice of bringing servants from India and included accusations of confiscating their passports once they were flown to Switzerland. Prosecutors argued the Hindujas paid their staff a pittance, forced them to work excruciatingly long hours and barred them from leaving the house. The family has denied the allegations. AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE India on Friday reacted sharply to Canadian Parliament observing two-minute silence on the death anniversary of 'Khalistan' supporter leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, saying it is opposed to any moves giving political space to extremism and those advocating violence. At a media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal also stated that India has lodged a strong protest with Canada over 'Khalistani' extremists holding a so-called "citizens court" and burning an effigy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi outside the Indian consulate in Vancouver. The spokesperson said India has communicated to the Canadian High Commission in New Delhi its anguish over the space being given to the 'Khalistani' separatists by the Justin Trudeau government. India's reaction came days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Trudeau held a brief conversation on the sidelines of the G7 Summit in Italy's Apulia region. The interaction between them came against the backdrop of wrinkles in IndiaCanada ties. The relations between the two countries came under severe strain following Mr Trudeau's allegations in September last year of a "potential" involvement of Indian agents in Nijjar's killing. New Delhi rejected Mr Trudeau's charges as "absurd". GENEVA, 21 JUNE Breathe in peace, breathe out stress: Int’l Yoga Day celebrated across the globe RITA SACHDEVA NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE Celebrating the harmony of mind, body, and spirit, the 10th International Yoga Day was commemorated across the globe on Friday. The theme of this year’s Yoga Day – ‘Yoga for Self and Society'’~ reminds people of the significant role yoga plays in the life of an individual and that of the wider community. Various events, mass yoga sessions, workshops, and seminars were organised worldwide to mark the occasion. On the occasion, President Droupadi Murmu greeted the global community and noted that Yoga is India's unique gift to humanity. ''In view of rising lifestyle-related problems,Yoga has become far more important today. Yoga is a way to physical, mental, and spiritual well- ‘YOU HAVE TO BE A STEP AHEAD OF RASHID KHAN’ BANGLADESH PM ARRIVES, TO HOLD TALKS WITH MODI Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes selfies with people after leading a Yoga session on International Day of Yoga celebrations, at Dal Lake in Srinagar on Friday.  ANI being. Let us resolve to adopt yoga as an integral part of our day-to-day living.'' Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the IYD in Srinagar. Addressing a gathering, he said today’s spectacle of enthusiasm and commitment shown by the people of Jammu and Kashmir towards yoga would be immortalised in the minds of people. PM Modi, who was wearing a Gamosa of Assam origin, said Yoga has gained global significance as a power for good with an increasing number of people across the world embracing it. ''The world is looking at yoga as a powerful agent of global good.Yoga helps us live in the present moment without the baggage of the past,'' he said. He shared selfies with Yoga enthusiasts on the occasion.Yoga Day was also celebrated in the cold desert of Ladakh. Army troops and men from the paramilitary forces performed Yoga at the Siachen Glacier and at the Pangong Lake near the Line of Actual Control with China. Army personnel and dog squad members performed yoga at the LoC on the eve of the IYD in Jammu district. Union ministers, including S Jaishankar (External Affairs) and Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport & Highways), and chief ministers of various states shared glimpses of their yoga sessions organised to commemorate the event. CMYK ciples and foster greater transparency and accountability in the legislative process. This approach would afford the newly elected people’s representatives the opportunity to thoroughly examine the proposed reforms, address concerns raise by various stakeholders and ensure that the laws reflect the collective will and aspirations of the citizenry. Such renewed parliamentary oversight mandate would reinforce public confidence in the legislative process and enhance the legitimacy of the legal reforms,” she wrote. “Practically, the request for postponement stems from a pragmatic assessment of the challenges and preparatory work required for smooth transition, particularly concerning the training programme of law enforcement personnel and Judicial Officers,” Miss Banerjee wrote. The CM also argued that any far-reaching legal change would require meticulous groundwork beforehand to ensure effective enforcement and administration. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 21 JUNE Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal will have to remain behind bars for now as Delhi High Court on Friday put an interim stay on a trial court's order granting the AAP chief bail in a money laundering case stemming from the alleged Delhi liquor policy scam. The Directorate of Enforcement moved Delhi High Court on Friday morning challenging the trial court order with a plea that the order on 20 June granting regular bail to the Delhi chief minister was passed without granting adequate opportunity for the antimoney laundering agency to make its arguments. The vacation bench of Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain said it would pass the order in two to three days with regard to the ED's plea regarding stay, as it reserved the order after hearing the arguments. The HC was hearing the Enforcement Directorate's plea challenging the trial court’s decision granting bail to Mr Kejriwal. Yesterday evening, a judge at the Rouse Avenue Court granted bail to Mr Kejriwal. On Friday morning, the ED moved the high court seeking a stay on the order. Speaking to a news agency regarding the court staying Mr Kejriwal's bail order, AAP Legal Cell State President Sanjeev Nasiar said: “By Monday or Tuesday, the court is likely to give its order on the stay application, and as per that order, it will be decided when Arvind Kejriwal will come out.” The ED's counsel had requested the trial court on Thursday to stay its order till it exercises legal remedies. However, the court rejected the request. Challenging the Rouse Avenue court’s order, Addi- tional Solicitor General SV Raju told the High Court bench that the trial court’s order was perverse. Mr Raju, appearing for the ED, said proper opportunity was not given to the probe agency to make its arguments before the trial court. Mr Raju also argued that the trial court made the wrong statement that the ED failed to point out direct evidence against Mr Kejriwal. Mr Kejriwal was arrested on 21 March by the ED from his official residence in connection with the Delhi liquor policy-linked money laundering case. He was granted interim bail on 10 May by the Supreme Court to take part in the Lok Sabha election campaign till 1 June, and later the AAP chief surrendered as per the court's directions on 2 June to the concerned authorities at the Tihar prisons. Meanwhile, Delhi Minister and AAP leader Saurabh Bharadwaj hit out at the federal probe agency, claiming that Thursday's order of the Rouse Avenue trial court has broken down the ED's case.