FRIDAY 09 AUGUST 2024 www.thestatesman.com X.com/thestatesmanltd. Fb/thestatesman1875 INDIA’S NATIONAL NEWSPAPER SINCE 1818 Pages 14 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR RUNNING MATE CM: WAYANAD NEEDS COMPREHENSIVE REHABILITATION PROJECT P4 SENSEX 78,886.22q581.79 WEATHER Generally cloudy sky. Light to moderate rain / thundershower very likely to occur. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 31 °C and 27 °C respectively. RAINFALL: 5.6 mm RELATIVE HUMIDITY Max. 94 % NIFTY ‘MAIN SUSPECT IN TAYLOR SWIFT CONCERT PLOT BACKED ISLAMIC STATE’ P6 24,117.00q180.50 P9 ` vs $ 83.44 GOLD 69,270 Min: 27.0˚C (+0.5) SUN SETS 18:14 hrs MOON SETS 20:35 hrs Full Moon on 19 August THUMBNAILS Bangladesh interim govt sworn in: An interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus was sworn in on Thursday in Dhaka. Earlier today, Yunus, who was named chief adviser of the interim government by President Mohammed Shahabuddin late on Tuesday, returned to the country from Paris. Nahid Islam and Asif Mahmud, two key organisers of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, were also part of the 16-member advisory council. (Pg 11) SILVER 81,500q5,500 T he Government on Thursday agreed to refer the Waqf Act 1995 Amendment Bill to a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) after a heated debate in the Lok Sabha during which the Opposition charged that the Bill was against the Constitution’s basic structure, encroached on fundamental rights and would harm the country’s secular image. Speaker Om Birla announced that he would talk to all political parties to constitute a JPC, after Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that the government was ready for discussion on the Bill in any committee or forum. The Bill was introduced after about two-and-ahalf hours’ discussion. “We are open-minded. Our intentions are clean,” he said, and proposed that a JPC be formed to study the Bill. Mr Rijiju told the Opposition that the Bill only sought to legislate changes which were proposed by committees formed by Congress governments for proper management of vast Waqf properties. The amendment Bill seeks to rename the Waqf Act, 1995 as the Unified Waqf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development Act, 1995. The Minister introduced a related Bill to repeal the Mussalman Wakf Act, 1923 also. The Minister said the House was competent to legislate on the issue as the subject came under the Concurrent List of the Constitution under Entries 10 and 28. He said Sachar and Rahman committees had made recommendations on the subject. There were lakhs of Waqf properties which could generate more income for the welfare of the community only, he said. There would be faster resolution of disputes. Most people want the new law for better administration of the Waqf properties, he said. The Opposition across several parties did not want the Bill introduced at all, stating that it would not stand judicial scrutiny, and simply interfered with religious freedom. Members from the Treasury Benches pointed out that the Bill did not touch mosques at all; the Waqf properties came under a law which required amendment. Opposing the Bill, K C Venugopal (Congress) said the Bill was draconian and an attack on the fundamental rights. Followers of all religions had freedom to manage their affairs. The Bill proposed that non-Muslims could be on the Waqf management. Could anyone imagine non-Hindus on the management of Ayodhya or Guruvayur temples, he asked. He said Hindus respected all religions. The ruling BJP had perhaps introduced the Bill for advantage during the coming Haryana and Maharashtra Assembly elections. The Bill was also against the federal structure as all it would call for State data to a Central portal, he said. Communist leader and erstwhile CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee passes away STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 8 AUGUST Veteran Communist leader Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, who was the second and last chief minister of the 34-yearlong Left Front rule in West Bengal, passed away on Thursday at the age of 80. He served as the state's chief minister for 11 years, from 2000 to 2011. The news of Bhattacharjee's death was announced by his son Suchetan Bhattacharjee on Thursday morning. Suchetan said his father had breakfast in the morning and then fell ill. Bhattacharjee passed away at 8:20 a.m. at his Palm Avenue residence. Bhattacharjee is survived by his wife, Mira, and Suchetan. According to sources, Bhattacharjee had severe breathing Neeraj settles for silver, India win hockey bronze STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE PARIS, 8 AUGUST Defending Olympic men’s javelin champion Neeraj Chopra, had, by his standards, a bad day in office and settled for the silver medal in tonight’s javelin throw final at the iconic Stade de France in Paris, behind Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem, who heaved a massive 91.79 metres to break the Olympic record and earn his country’s first gold in athletics. Neeraj Chopra fouled all but one of his six throws in the final, but that one clean throw, going a distance of 89.45 metres, was enough to earn him the silver medal. Grenada’s Anderson Peters took bronze with a best effort of 88.54 metres. The 26-year-old Neeraj , also the reigning world champion, became the first Indian to win track and field medals in two consecutive Olympics. His silver was also India’s first in these Games, in addition to which it has so far won four bronzes. Earlier, skipper Harmanpreet Singh scored two penalty corner goals in the space of four minutes to pilot India to the men's Olympic hockey bronze medal with a thrilling 2-1 victory over Spain in the third place play-off match here today. India survived anxious moments at the fag end when Spain forced four successive penalty corners which were stoutly defended by the eight time gold medalists sparking wild celebrations at the Yves- BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 77.27 Opposition parties attacked the Bill as being against the Constitution’s basic structure TEMPERATURE Max: 30.8˚C (-1.2) SUN RISES 05:11 hrs MOON RISES 08:14 hrs P14 Govt agrees to send Waqf Bill to JPC after heated debate STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 8 AUGUST Min. 78 % EMOTIONAL VINESH QUITS WRESTLING du-Manoir stadium. It was redemption time for the Indian skipper who could not find his mojo in the 2-3 semi-final defeat to Germany on 6 August. But today was a different day culminating in Harmanpreet scoring both the goals off penalty corners, on either side of half time. The first one in the 30th minute of the match made it 1-1 after Spain went 1-0 up in the 18th minute off a penalty stroke goal scored by captain Marc Mirales. The all-important match winner came off the Indian captain's stick in the 33rd minute off their third penalty corner award. India were bolstered by the return of Amit Rohidas who had to sit out the semifinal against Germany following his red card send-off against Britain in the quarter finals. India thus earned their second successive bronze starting with Tokyo 2020 that broke a four-decade medal drought. It is also the country's 13th medal in Olympic hockey history. difficulties on Wednesday night, but it was managed. It was decided that doctors from Woodlands would come to check on him at around 11 a.m. on Thursday and, if necessary, admit him to hospital. However, on Thursday morning, he fell ill again after having breakfast and tea. Sources said that he had a heart attack at that time. Doctors were informed, and upon arrival, they declared Bhattacharjee dead. Like his predecessor Jyoti Basu, Bhattacharjee had also pledged to donate his body posthumously. On Thursday afternoon, Bhattacharjee left his tworoom Palm Avenue flat for the last time. His mortal remains, wrapped in a CPI-M flag, was driven in a hearse to the Peace World mortuary in Topsia, as admirers and party supporters sang The Internationale’. Many in the crowd raised slogans; others broke down. Bhattacharjee’s mortal remains will be taken to the state Legislative Assembly tomorrow for people to pay their respects and thereafter to the CPI-M headquarters at Alimuddin Street and SFI office at AJC Bose Road. (Obituary: Page 3) (PHOTO: BISWAJIT GHOSHAL) CM pays tribute to Bhattacharjee STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE KOLKATA, 8 AUGUST Chief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday expressed shock at the passing away of Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and paid glowing tributes to her one-time political opponent and predecessor as Bengal chief minister. Miss Banerjee, who visited the former chief minister’s Palm Avenue residence following his demise this morning, termed Bhattacharjee’s death as a “great loss” for the state. Miss Banerjee, after meeting the former chief minister’s wife, Mira Bhattacharjee told newspersons that she was in touch with the family members since morning after the news of his death was made public.(See Pg 3) RBI keeps repo rate unchanged at 6.5 pc STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 8 AUGUST The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor Shaktikanta Das on Thursday announced that the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) has decided with a majority of 4:2 members to keep the policy rate unchanged at 6.5 per cent. Members decided to remain focussed on withdrawal of accomodation to ensure that inflation progressively aligns to the target while supporting growth. “Consequently, the standing deposit facility (SDF) rate remains at 6.25 per cent, and the marginal standing facility (MSF) rate and the bank rate at 6.75 per cent,” he said. The Governor further said the PMI services stood strong of 60.3 in July and is above 60 for seven consecutive months, which indicates robust expansion of services. “Healthy balance sheets of banks and corporates, thrust on capex by the government and visible signs of pickup in private investments could drive investment activity in the current year,” the Governor said. Governor Das said the real GDP growth for the Financial Year 2024-25 is projected at 7.2 per cent. Real GDP growth for Q1 is projected at 7.1 per cent, Q2 at 7.2 per cent, Q3 at 7.3 per cent and Q4 at 7.2 per cent, the risks are evenly balanced, he said. Real GDP growth for Q1 FY25-26 is projected at 7.2 per cent. The CPI Inflation for FY24-25 is projected at 4.5 per cent. The Governor further said the CPI Inflation for Q2 is projected at 4.4 per cent, Q3 at 4.7 per cent and Q4 at 4.3 per cent. CPI inflation for Q1 FY25-26 is projected at 4.4, he added. After remaining steady at 4.8 per cent during April and May, inflation increased to 5.1 per cent in June, the Governor said.