VP SHOCKED OVER PC’S REMARK 07 JULY 2024 www.thestatesman.com Twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd Facebook.com/thestatesman AN OPPORTUNITY RAHUL MUST NOT MISS PAGE 4 COACHING IS ABOUT BUILDING CONNECTIONS & CREATING RIGHT ENVIRONMENT: DRAVID PAGE 7 PAGE 12 India’s National Newspaper since 1818 PAGES 12 | `5.00 | LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR RAINFALL: 000.6 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE Min. 69 % Max: 34.7 °C (-2) SUN RISES 05:30 hrs MOON RISES 07:28 hrs STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Centre refutes reports of NEET counselling deferment NEW DELHI, 6 JULY STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY WITH LIGHT RAIN. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 34 AND 26 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. Max. 92 % Union Budget to be presented on 23 July In telephone talk with PM Modi, Starmer said he was ready for an FTA deal that benefitted both sides WEATHER The Budget session of Parliament will be held from 22 July to 12 August and the Union Budget 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on 23 July, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju announced on Saturday. In a post on microblogging platform X, he said: “Hon’ble President of India, on the recommendation of Government of India, has approved the proposal for summoning of both the Houses of Parliament for the Budget Session, 2024 from 22nd July, 2024 to 12 August, 2024 (Subject to exigencies of Parliamentary Business). Union Budget, 2024-25 will be presented in Lok Sabha on 23 July, 2024.” Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had presented an Interim Union Budget for 2024-25 on 1 February, as elections for the 18th Lok Sabha were due in April-May. The Interim Budget Session started with President Droupadi Murmu’s address to a joint sitting of Parliament on 31 January and adjourned on 10 February. The first budget of the BJP-led government NDA Committed to deepen ties with India: Starmer NEW DELHI, 6 JULY Min: 27.1 °C (-1) SUN SETS 19:23 hrs MOON SETS 20:48 hrs THUMBNAILS The three newly-built and decorated chariots of the deities of Jagannath Temple, Puri, parked on the Grand Road on Saturday for the annual Rath Yatra on Sunday.  SNS Nine arrested so far, including the main accused in Hathras case: Altogether nine people including the prime accused in the Hathras stampede incident of 2 July have been arrested so far. While six sevadars were arrested on Thursday, three more were taken in custody since last night. The main accused, Dev Prakash Madhukar, was arrested from Delhi's Najafgarh. (Page 10) U K's new Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Saturday assured Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his commitment to further deepening the strong and respectful relationship between the two countries and welcomed the latter's leadership on key global challenges, such as climate change and economic growth. The two leaders, who spoke over the telephone this morning, exchanged congratulations on their respective election wins and reflected on the strength of the relationship between their two nations. A press release issued by the UK government said that discussing the importance of the living bridge between India and the UK, and the 2030 roadmap, the two leaders agreed there was a wide range of areas across defence and security, critical and emerging technology, and climate change, for the two countries to deepen cooperation on. Pleased to speak with @Keir_Starmer. Congratulated him on being elected as the Prime Minister of the UK. We remain committed to deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and robust India-Great Britain economic ties for the progress and prosperity of our peoples and global good. NARENDRA MODI PRIME MINISTER Discussing the Free Trade Agreement, Mr Starmer said he stood ready to conclude a deal that worked for both sides. The leaders hoped to meet at the earliest opportunity. After his phone conversation with the UK’s new PM, Mr Modi wrote on microblogging platform X: “Pleased to speak with @Keir_Starmer. Congratulated him on being elected as the Prime Minister of the UK. We remain com- PM Modi congratulates newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian SNS & AGENCIES TEHERAN/NEW DELHI, 6 JULY Masoud Pezeshkian, Iran's former Health Minister, won the country's 14th presidential election, Iran’s election authorities announced on Saturday. Reformist Pezeshkian and principlist Saeed Jalili, Iran's former chief negotiator in the nuclear talks with world powers faced off in a run-off election on Friday. Masoud Pezeshkian (69), is a cardiac surgeon and a lawmaker in the country's Parliament. He was the Parliament's first Deputy Speaker from 2016 to 2020 and Health Minister between 2001 and 2005 in the government of former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami. Pezeshkian managed to secure 10,415,991 votes, more than 42 per cent of the total, in the first round of the presidential election. In the runoff on Friday, Pezeshkian secured 16,384,403, whereas Jalili garnered 13,538,179 out of a total of 30,530,157 cast. The election in the Islamic Republic were necessitated due to the death of President Ebrahim Raisi, along with his foreign minister and other key aides, in a helicopter crash in May. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday congratulated Mr Pezeshkian on his victory in the presidential election in Iran, saying he looks forward to further strengthening the long-standing relationship between the two countries. “Congratulations @drpezeshkian on your election as the President of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Looking forward to working closely with you to further strengthen our warm and long-standing bilateral relationship for the benefit of our peoples and the region,'' the PM said in a post on X. Due to its civilisational ties with Iran, India will keep a close watch on the developments in the Islamic country in the wake of the presidential election. Iran, which is battling Western sanctions, is one of India's key sources of crude oil. Despite threats of sanctions from the US, India has maintained close relations with Iran in diverse fields. India's bilateral trade has also increased to $2.33 billion in 2022-23, making it one of the biggest trading partners in West Asia. mitted to deepening Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and robust IndiaGreat Britain economic ties for the progress and prosperity of our peoples and global good.” Mr Modi was among the first top world leaders to congratulate Starmer on his election victory yesterday. India is hopeful that relations with the UK will continue to grow despite the change of regime in London. The two countries Army soldier, 4 terrorists killed in two separate encounters in J&K STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE JAMMU, 6 JULY An Army soldier and four terrorists, including a top Hizbil Mujahideen commander, were killed on Saturday in two encounters in the Kulgam district in south Kashmir. The soldier lost his life in a gunfight that broke out in the Modergam village of Kulgam when the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the area following intelligence inputs about the presence of terrorists. At least two to three terrorists have been trapped in the area. Four terrorists were killed in another encounter at Frisal Chinnigam area in Kulgam where the terrorists were hiding.The soldier was injured when terrorists fired at the security forces. He was shifted to the hospital where he succumbed to his injuries, reports said. SC to resume work after summer vacation on Monday; heavy agenda awaits adjudication PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 6 JULY As the Supreme Court resumes work on Monday, 8 July, after a seven-week-long summer vacation, it will address several important matters. These include petitions seeking the cancellation of NEET-UG 2024 and a demand for a reconduct of the exam. The court will also consider two aspects related to the judgment upholding the stringent provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The NEET-UG 2024 petitions will be taken up on Monday, 8 July. Besides these important matters, it is expected that judgments on the challenge to the constitutional validity of Section 6A of the Citizenship Act and the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University are likely to be pronounced. Section 6A of the Citizenship Act was incorporated to grant citizenship to immigrants from Bangladesh who had crossed over to India between 1 January 1966 and 25 March 1971. Both the Central government and the other petitioners defending Section 6A of the Citizenship Act had asserted that the validity of the provision could not be assailed on the apprehension of the language, culture, and religious identities of Assamese people getting overshadowed by the presence of the immigrants from Bangladesh. A batch of petitions is before the top court seeking the cancellation of NEET-UG 2024 and its reconduct, alleging paper leak, malpractices, and other irregularities in the conduct of the examination that is a precursor to admission to undergraduate medical courses such as MBBS, BDS and AYUSH, and other related medical courses in govern- ment and private institutions across the country. However, the Central government has opposed the cancellation of NEET-UG 2024 in its entirety stating that the plea for the cancellation and the reconduct of the NEET-UG 2024 is based on “conjectures” and “surmises” and it would adversely impact and “seriously jeopardise” the prospects of the lakhs of honest candidates who had taken the exam. Another much-awaited hearing is on two aspects — denial of ECIR by the ED while arresting an accused in an alleged money laundering case and the presumption of innocence. Both issues arise from the 27 July 2022, judgment of the top court upholding the stringent provisions of the antimoney laundering law (PMLA). The top court in an 25 August 2022 order had said that it will relook at two aspects of the 27 July 2022 judgment relating to the denial of ECIR by the Directorate of Enforcement while arresting an accused and presumption of innocence of an accused till convicted. The matter will be heard by a three-judge bench. Last year, this issue was taken up for hearing by a three-judge bench headed by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul (since retired) but because of the paucity of time, the hearing was adjourned. Besides hearings on important matters, including NEET-UG 2024 and the PMLA, a number of important judgments are awaiting to be pronounced that includes petitions seeking the recognition of Aligarh Muslim University as a Muslim minority educational institution. have been negotiating the FTA for quite some time and New Delhi is optimistic that the delayed pact could fructify now that a stable Labour government is in office. In its manifesto, the Labour Party had pledged to seek “a new strategic partnership with India, including a free-trade agreement” and to deepen cooperation in security, education, technology, and climate change. Mr Starmer has named David Lammy as his new Foreign Secretary. Mr Lammy just a week ago had said he intended to visit India within the first month of office if his party was elected to power. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has congratulated Mr Lammy on taking charge as the UK Foreign Secretary. “Congratulations to @DavidLammy on being appointed Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom. Look forward to continuing our engagement and strengthening the India-UK Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” he wrote on X. NEW DELHI, 6 JULY The first budget of the BJP-led government NDA in its fresh term would be watched with keen interest, with PM having stated earlier that the third term will be used to write new chapters of bold decisions. in its fresh term would be watched with keen interest, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi having stated earlier that the third term will be used to write new chapters of bold decisions. The first session of Parliament after the formation of the 18th Lok Sabha was stormy with the opposition and government clashing on a range of issues including the NEET-UG examination row and the situation in ethnic-conflict-hit Manipur. The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance returned to power for the third successive term in the general elections, though with diminished numbers. The government on Saturday clarified that media reports suggesting the deferment of the NEET-UG 2024 counselling process are “incorrect” as the dates of counselling have not been notified yet. “It has been noticed that news regarding deferment of NEET-UG counselling has been doing the rounds in some media groups. This is to clarify that the date of NEET-UG counselling has not been notified yet, hence the news of its deferment is incorrect,” the Union Health Ministry said in a statement. News agencies had reported earlier in the day that the NEET-UG counselling process which was originally scheduled to start today, 6 July, has been deferred till further notice. The National Testing Agency (NTA), responsible for conducting the National Eligibility-cumEntrance Test for undergraduate courses in medicine (NEET-UG), had earlier informed the SC that counselling for the exam’s candidates would begin on 6 July as scheduled.