FRIDAY 30 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 ‘SUSPECTS PLANNED TO KILL TENS OF THOUSANDS AT TAYLOR’S SHOWS’ SEBI CHIEF CALLS FOR BETTER COMPLIANCE FROM MARKET PARTICIPANTS P10 SENSEX 82,134.61p349.05 GUJARAT FLOODS: RADHA YADAV THANKS NDRF FOR AID US-CHINA TIES P9 NIFTY 25,151.95p99.60 P6 ` vs $ 83.87 GOLD 74,120.00 P14 SILVER 88,500 BRENT CRUDE (IN $) 77.25p0.41 ‘Did not utter a single word against medical students’ Govt launches portal to monitor complaints of sexual harassment of women at the workplace RAINFALL: NIL RELATIVE HUMIDITY CM Mamata said the medical students’ movement is genuine, and she totally supports it NEW DELHI, 29 AUGUST Max. 88% STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE The Ministry of Women and Child Development on Thursday launched the new SHeBox portal, a centralised platform for registering and monitoring complaints of sexual harassment of women at the workplace. Union Minister of Women and Child Development Annpurna Devi also launched the new website of the ministry during the event. The new SHe-Box portal serves as a centralised repository of information related to Internal Committees (ICs) and Local Committees (LCs) formed across the country, encompassing both the government and private sectors. It offers a common platform to file complaints, track their status and ensure a time-bound processing of complaint by ICs. It provides assured redressal of complaints and streamlined process for all stakeholders. The portal, through a designated nodal officer, will enable real-time monitoring of complaints. As India approaches its centenary in the next 25 years, the government has placed significant emphasis on women-led development WEATHER Partly cloud. Thunderstorms developing in the afternoon. Maximum and minimum temperatures likely to be around 34 °C and 27 °C respectively. Min. 74 % TEMPERATURE Max: 34.6˚C SUN RISES 05:18 hrs MOON RISES 01:39 hrs Miss Banerjee clarified that she had spoken against the BJP as they are threatening democracy and trying to create anarchy in West Bengal. NEW DELHI, 9 AUGUST Min: 27.3˚C SUN SETS 17:55 hrs MOON SETS 15:43 hrs C Full Moon on 3 September THUMBNAILS An artist gives final touches to the idols of Lord Ganesha for the upcoming Ganesh Chaturthi Festival, at a workshop in Jalandhar on Wednesday. n ANI Three Pak terrorists killed in Kashmir: Three Pakistani terrorists were killed on Thursday in two joint operations conducted in North Kashmir's Kupwara by the Indian Army and J&K Police. Police said the operations were launched based on inputs about simultaneous infiltration attempts in Machhal sector. At least two terrorists died in a gunbattle in Kumkadi area in the early hours of Thursday, while one was killed in an encounter in Karnah. hief minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday made it clear that she had not uttered a single word against the agitating medical students or their ongoing movement at yesterday’s Trinamul Congress Chhatra Parishad foundation day function. Posting on social media platform X, Miss Banerjee said the medical students’ movement is genuine, and reiterated that she totally supports it. “I detect a malicious disinformation campaign in some print, electronic and digital media which has been unleashed with reference to a speech that I made in our students' programme yesterday. Let me most emphatically clarify that I have not uttered a single word against the (medical etc.) students or their movements. I totally support their movement. Their movement is genuine. I never threatened them, as some people are accusing me of doing. This alle- HC grants temporary relief to K’taka Dy CM Shivakumar AGENCIES BENGALURU, 29 AUGUST The Karnataka High Court on Thursday granted temporary relief to Deputy Chief Minister and State Congress President D K Shivakumar by quashing the CBI's plea seeking to continue the probe against the leader in connection with the disproportionate assets case. A division bench, headed by Justice K Somashekar, said that the CBI can move the Supreme Court. “The Supreme Court should decide the matter between the state government and CBI. It would be more appropriate if the Supreme Court examines the matter, as the High Court's decision in this connection might be inappropriate,” it added. The bench, also comprising Justice Umesh M Adiga, quashed a related petition filed by BJP MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal. Earlier, a single-judge gation is completely false,” she said. Miss Banerjee clarified that she had spoken against the BJP as they are threatening democracy and trying to create anarchy in West Bengal. “I have spoken against BJP. I have spoken against them because, with the support of the Government of India, they are threatening the democracy in our State and trying to create anarchy. With support from the Centre, they are trying to create law- lessness and I have raised my voice against them,” the chief minister wrote. “I also clarify that the phrase (‘phonsh kara’) that I had used in my speech yesterday is a quote from Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa. The legendary saint had said that occasionally there is need to raise one's voice. When there are crimes and criminal offences, voice of protest has to be raised. My speech on that point was a direct allusion to the great Ramakrishnite saying,” Miss Banerjee wrote. Miss Banerjee was alluding to a popular parable of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa about a snake that refused to hiss, which was advised by a monk “not to bite anybody but surely hiss when attacked,” meaning that "while not harming is the principle, protesting against injustice is right." Junior doctors like postgraduate trainees (PGTs), house staff, interns and medical students of government medical colleges and hospitals have been on strike since the rape and murder of a 31 yearold PGT doctor at the R G Kar Medical College Hospital on 9 August, demanding safety and security for themselves and justice for the victim. The cease-work by the junior doctors has severely affected normal healthcare services in government hospitals across the state. While speaking at the TMCP programme held at Mayo Road in the city yesterday, Miss Banerjee had urged the junior doctors to go back to work for the sake of the poor patients who were having to go without medical treatment, while asserting that they had her support because they are demanding justice for the death of their friend. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE India, China agree to SC rebukes Telangana CM Revanth Reddy for adverse uphold peace at LAC, comments on grant of bail to BRS leader Kavitha early resolution of issues PARMOD KUMAR NEW DELHI, 29 AUGUST STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 29 AUGUST bench had referred the case to a division bench stating that the case was a first-ofits-kind in the state and requires a larger bench. The CBI has questioned the Congress government's decision to withdraw the consent given to the CBI to investigate the disproportionate case against Shivakumar by the Yediyurappa-headed BJP government on 25 September 2019. The CBI claims that during 2013-2018, Shivakumar, as a minister in the Congress government amassed assets disproportionate to known sources of income. over the past decade, recognising the pivotal role of women's leadership in driving inclusive economic growth. A cornerstone of this initiative to enhance women's participation in the workforce is ensuring that workplaces are safe and secure, enabling women to thrive and succeed. The Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition, and Redressal) Act, 2013, protects women from sexual harassment in the workplace and addresses their grievances. In line with this commitment, the new SHe-Box portal represents a significant step forward in addressing and managing complaints of workplace sexual harassment. In addition to the SHeBox portal, the ministry also launched a newly developed website tailored to meet the needs of the government. India and China on Thursday agreed to jointly uphold peace and tranquility on the ground in border areas in accordance with relevant bilateral agreements, protocols and understandings reached between the two governments. It was reiterated that the restoration of peace and tranquility, and respect for the LAC (Line of Actual Control) are the essential basis for the restoration of normality in bilateral relations. The 31st meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation & Coordination on India-China Border Affairs (WMCC) was held this evening in Beijing. Mr Gourangalal Das, Joint Secretary (East Asia) from the Ministry of External Affairs led the Indian delegation. The Chinese delegation was led by Mr. Hong Liang, Director General of the Boundary and Ocean Affairs Department of the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as per reports. In line with the guidance provided by the foreign ministers of the two countries after their meetings in Astana and Vientiane in July to accelerate their discussion, and building on the WMCC meeting held last month, the two sides had a frank, constructive and forward-looking exchange of views on the situation along the LAC to narrow down the differences and find early resolution of the outstanding issues, the Ministry of External Affairs said. For this, the two sides further agreed for intensified contact through diplomatic and military channels, the MEA added. The Supreme Court on Thursday took exception to the adverse comments by Telangana Chief Minister A. Revantha Reddy on the grant of bail to BTS leader K. Kavitha in the now scrapped 20212022 Delhi excise policy case, stating that such comments were not expected from a person holding a responsible position of Chief Minister. Mr Reddy was quoted by a media outfit this morning as saying: “It is a fact that BRS worked for the victory of the BJP in the 2024, Lok Sabha polls. There is also talk that Kavitha got bail because of the deal between BRS and BJP.” Observing that such comments were not expected from a person holding a responsible position of Chief Minister, a bench of Justice B R Gavai, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra and Justice K V Viswanathan told senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Mr Reddy, that such comments create apprehensions in somebody’s mind. “Just read what he has stated … that sort of statement by a responsible Chief Minister, that might rightly create an apprehension in somebody's mind...do we pass our orders in consultation with a political party? We are not bothered about politicians, or if anybody criticises our orders or not. We do our duty as per our own conscience, as per our oath,” Justice Gavai told Mr Rohatgi. The top court’s rebuke to Mr Reddy came in the course of the hearing of a plea seeking transfer of trial in ‘cash for vote’ case from Telangana to Madhya Pradesh. Mr Reddy is the main accused in the case. In the pre-lunch session, the court indicated that it would not transfer the trial outside the state but appoint an independent Special Public Prosecutor to inspire a sense of confidence in all concerned. The court said that it would pass order in the post lunch session. However, the tables appeared turned on Mr Reddy in the post lunch session and the focus of the hearing shifted to Mr Reddy's remarks on Kavitha's bail. Questioning the “audacity” of Mr Reddy to comment on an order of the Supreme Court, Justice Gavai said, “If such is the conduct, let him face the trial outside. if he doesn't have respect for the Supreme Court - the highest court in the country”. Adjourning the hearing to Monday – 2 September, the court made it clear that it was not foreclosing the issue of transfer of trial. The petition seeking the transfer of trial outside Telangana has stated that Mr Reddy – formerly a member of the Telugu Desam Party – in the biennial election held on June 2015 had allegedly offered Rs. 50 lakhs to Elvis Stephenson ~ the complainant in the case ~ either to abstain from casting his vote or to vote in favour of the TDP candidate. Assam Assembly repeals 1935 Muslim Marriage Act Second Arihant class submarine STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE GUWAHATI, 29 AUGUST The Assam Assembly on Thursday passed a Bill to repeal a nearly nine-decade-old law that regulated the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces. The Assam Repealing Bill, 2024, introduced by Revenue and Disaster Management Minister Jogen Mohan on 22 August, seeks to nullify The Assam Moslem Marriages and Divorces Registration Act, 1935, along with the Assam Repealing Ordinance, 2024. Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma emphasised that the objective behind the repeal is to eradicate child marriages and dismantle the Kazi system by integrating the registration of Muslim marriages and divorces into the government’s official framework. Mr Sarma observed that, according to a Supreme Court directive, all marriages must be formally registered and that the state should not endorse private entities like Kazis for this purpose. Mr Mohan pointed out that the 1935 Act permitted the registration of marriages for males below 21 years and females below 18 years, which could be exploited for underage and forced marriages. He also noted that the law lacked effective monitoring mechanisms, resulting in significant legal challenges. The Act’s informal registration process was seen as problematic, leading to its repeal. The Assam government has introduced The Assam Compulsory Registration of Muslim Marriage and Divorce Bill, 2024, as part of its efforts to ensure proper oversight and compliance with national marriage laws. Last month, the state Cabinet approved the Repealing Bill, citing concerns that the 1935 Act enabled underage marriages under specific conditions. However, Opposition parties have criticised the move, labeling it as discriminatory against the Muslim community and a strategy to polarise voters ahead of the upcoming elections. commissioned into Indian Navy STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 29 AUGUST The second Arihant class submarine, INS Arighaat, was commissioned into the Indian Navy on Thursday at Visakhapatnam in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. In his address, the minister said the Arighaat will further strengthen India’s nuclear triad, enhance nuclear deterrence, help in establishing strategic balance and peace in the region, and play a decisive role in the security of the country. He described it as an achievement for the nation and a testament to the Narendra Modi-led government’s unwavering resolve to achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta’ in defence. Mr Singh commended the Indian Navy, DRDO & the Industry for their hard work and synergy in achieving this capability. He termed this self-reliance as the foundation of selfpower. He appreciated the fact that the country’s industrial sector, especially MSMEs, has received a huge boost through this project, and more employment opportunities have been created. Recalling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s political will which put India at par with other nuclear weapon states, he said: “Today, India is surging ahead to become a developed country. It is essential for us to develop rapidly in every field, including defence, especially in today's geopolitical scenario. Along with economic prosperity, we need a strong military. Our government is working on mission mode to ensure that our soldiers possess top-quality weapons and platforms made on Indian soil”. The construction of INS Arighaat involved the use of advanced design and manufacturing technology, detailed research and development, utilisation of special materials, complex engineering and highly skilled workmanship. It has the distinction of having the indigenous systems and equipment which were conceptualised, designed, manufactured & integrated by the Indian scientists, industry and Naval personnel.