vijayawada l thursday l january 16, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION Meta India apologises for Zuck’s remark that NDA lost LS polls Meta India on Wednesday apologised for CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s incorrect claim that the NDA government lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections Inadvertent error, says tech firm’s V-P Company avoids parliamentary summons Meta India’s Vice President Shivnath Thukral took to X on Wednesday to tender an apology on behalf of the company for the “inadvertent error”. “Mark’s observation that many incumbent parties were not re-elected in 2024 holds true for several countries, BUT not India,” Thukral said responding to Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw’s criticism of the remark ■ ■ BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads Parliament’s panel on Communications and Information Technology, said the matter is now closed. He had earlier said the panel will summon Meta India | P7 Zuckerberg triggered a row by claiming in a podcast that the NDA government lost the 2024 election due to its weak Covid response 1 billion users for meta APPs—whatsapp, facebook and instagram—in India CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI BJP to name State president by Jan-end BSN Malleswara Rao @ Vijayawada The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has initiated the process of appointing a new president for its State wing, coinciding with the auspicious days of Uttarayan, which is considered an ideal time for new beginnings. The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) has been entrusted with the task of submitting names for the position, after which the BJP high command will make a decision and announce the new president in the fourth week of January . Over 20 leaders are competing for the coveted post, with several already having met with senior BJP and RSS leaders. A meeting is scheduled for January 19 in Vijayawada to finalise the contenders. Key candidates include Adoni MLA Dr PV Parthasarathi, Vijayawada West MLA Sujana Chowdary, MLC PVN Madhav, and senior leader Purighalla Raghuram. However, Sujana Chowdary has emerged as the front-runner, with many leaders viewing him as a suitable choice to lead the party in the State if they themselves are not selected. The new president will be responsible for strengthening the saffron party in the State, coordinating with NDA allies, and liaising with the BJP national lead- ‘prioritise loyalists for post’ A senior leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, stressed that while MLA and MP tickets are often awarded based on political expediency, the post of president should be reserved for loyalists who have demonstrated a genuine commitment to the party ership. Decision on the new president is likely to be influenced by a combination of factors, including caste considerations, financial backing, and connections with NDA allies. Many leaders argue that, given there are no general elections for the next two years, the post should now be entrusted to a seasoned leader who can enhance the party’s strength. Some also propose that the ideal candidate should have at least six years of service to the party. Interestingly, this sixyear service criterion is already being applied to the selection of presidents at the mandal and district levels.  P4 80 shell firms Man generates `230 cr fake invoices, held E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Visakhapatnam The Directorate General of GST Intelligence (DGGI)-Visakhapatnam Zonal Unit arrested an individual involved in generating fake invoices worth `230 crore, leading to a massive GST (Goods and Services Tax) input tax credit fraud and causing a loss of `35 crore to the government exchequer. The accused, identified as Mohammad Saheem V a native , of Pernambut in Vellore, Tamil Nadu, is believed to have masterminded a complex scheme, involving the creation of shell companies by using stolen identities of unsuspecting individuals and operating his network in Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. According to a statement issued by the DGGI, the fraud was orchestrated by the accused to generate fraudulent input tax credit claims, which were subsequently passed on to other businesses by generating fake invoices without underlying supply of goods or services to illegally reduce GST liabilities. Saheem created more than 80 firms with stolen identities, allowed the receiving firms of these invoices to evade tax payments and divert substantial sums of money by defrauding P4 the public exchequer.  Sonia Gandhi inaugurates the new All India Congress Committee HQ at 9A, Kotla Road, in New Delhi on Wednesday | PTI Rahul’s claim of fighting Indian state draws BJP ire Pa r v e z S u lta n a n d RA J E S H K U M AR T H A K U R @ New Delhi A rather sharp attack by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday against RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat’s recent remarks, drew heavy retaliatory fire from BJP’s biggies. At the inaugural event of the party’s headquarters here, Rahul criticised Bhagwat’s claim that India achieved “true independence” only after the Ram temple consecration, saying it amounts to treason. “Bhagwat has the audacity to say to the country what he thinks about the independ- ence movement and the Constitution. What he said yesterday is treason… Because he is stating that the Constitution is invalid and the fight against the British was invalid... In any other country, he would have been arrested and tried,” Rahul claimed. Rahul went on to say that the BJP and RSS have captured almost every institution in our country, adding the Congress is now fighting not just both of them but the Indian state itself. In its pushback, the BJP launched a bazooka against Rahul for claiming the Congress was fighting the Indian state. Party president J P Nadda, finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, IT cell head Amit Malviya and others castigated Rahul for his ‘objectionable’ remark. “I compliment Mr Rahul Gandhi for saying clearly what nation knows that he is fighting the Indian state. It is not a secret that Mr Gandhi and his ecosystem have close links with Urban Naxal and the deep state who want to defame, demean and discredit India,” Nadda alleged. Sitharaman wondered why Rahul carried a copy of the Constitution when he was using such language. Deal reached to pause Gaza war, free hostages Will kick in on Sunday, says Qatar premier; Trump takes credit for the ceasefire pact agencies The deal is expected to deliver an initial six-week halt to After more than 15 months of fighting that is to be accompagrueling war, Israel and Hamas nied by the opening of negotiaagreed to a ceasefire deal and tions on ending the war altothe release dozens of hostages, gether. Egypt is exploring the multiple officials confirmed on possibility of opening the RaWednesday . fah crossing to sent aid. Trump, who had warned HaThe deal promises the release mas of hell to pay if it did not of dozens of hostages held by free the remaining capHamas in phases in extives before he took ofchange for the release fice, said, “We have a of hundreds of Palesdeal for the hostages in tinian prisoners in Isthe Middle East. They rael. It would also alwill be released shortly. low hundreds of Thank you!” thousands of people The deal comes after displaced in Gaza to mediators Qatar, Egypt retur n to what reand the United States inmains of their homes. tensified their efforts in Soon after the news recent days to cement an We have a deal broke, thousands of for the hostages agreement. Qatari Prime Gazans gathered in in the Middle Minister Mohammed groups, hugging and East. They will bin Abdulrahman Al taking photos with be released Thani said the deal their mobile phones to shortly. would come into effect Thank you mark the announceon Sunday . ment in central Gaza’s Donald Trump Three officials from Deir el-Balah and oththe US and one from Haer area. Earlier, over mas confirmed that a deal had 100 hostages were freed from been reached, while Netanya- Gaza in 2023. hu’s office said that final details Trump said his Mideast enwere still unresolved, but that it voy, Steve Witkoff, would conhoped “details will be finalised tinue “to work closely with Istonight”. The pact is expected rael and our Allies to make sure to discussed by the Israeli cabi- Gaza NEVER again becomes a net on Thursday . terrorist safe haven”. US President Joe Biden Hamas triggered the war hailed the breakthrough agree- with its October 7, 2023, attack, ment, asserting it is the result which killed some 1,200 Israeof the pressure and isolation lis. Israel responded with a placed on Hamas along with de- fierce offensive that has killed termined US diplomacy . 46,000 Palestinians. A high-powered committee set up by the government in the wake of a botched operation to bump off Khalistani radical Gurupatwant Singh Pannun on US soil, recommended legal action against ‘an individual’ who masterminded the plot. While the report did not name the individual, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) identified him as Vikash Yadav. In its lookout notice, the FBI said Yadav was wanted in a “murder-for-hire case; conspiracy to commit murder-forhire; and money laundering”. The US District Court, Southern District of New York, issued an arrest warrant against him on October 10, 2024. The home ministry said in a statement that the panel was formed in 2023 to probe the individual’s links with the drug mafia and criminal gangs after allegations that a plot was hatched to disturb American security interest in 2023. “After a long enquiry, the Committee has recommended legal action against an individual, whose earlier criminal links and antecedents also came to notice during the enquiry the ministry said. ,” Yadav was with the Research and Analysis Wing (R&AW) when the alleged plot to bump off Pannun went sideways. He was later sacked. The ministry said the panel recommended legal action against him. “The Enquiry Committee conducted its own investigations and also pursued leads provided by the US side. It received full cooperation from US authorities and the two sides also exchanged visits. The Committee further examined a number of officials from different agencies and also scrutinised relevant documents in this connection.” It added that the panel recommended “functional improvements in systems and procedures as also initiation of steps that could strengthen India’s response capability and coordinated action in dealing with matters like this”. Godavari-Banakacherla proj: TG raises concern Reliance NU to invest `10,000 cr in Kurnool Hyderabad: Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy directed officials to write letters to Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil and AP Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressing Telangana’s objections to the AP government’s proposed Godavari-Banakacherla interlinking project | P5 Vijayawada: Reliance NU Suntech Private Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anil Ambani’s Reliance Power Limited, has announced plans to invest `10,000 crore on setting up of a solar power project in Kurnool district on a build-own-operate basis | P4 Yadav & his aide arranged for an associate to deliver $15,000 in cash in New York as advance payment for the murder FBI notice blood sport unabated Bets on rooster fights exceed `2,000 cr E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Vijayawada Prasant Madugula Contrary to the High Court’s directive instructing police personnel to ensure that rooster fights are not held in the State under the guise of tradition and customs, the blood sport was widely observed during the three-day festivities.   According to estimates, the total bets this year exceeded `2,000 crore. Numerous people, including youngsters and women, thronged the arenas to witness cockfights in Edupugallu, Ramavarappadu, Ibrahimpatnam, Mangalagiri, Gannavaram, Nunna, Thiruvuru, Chinchinada, Pulapalli, and other villages in Krishna and NTR districts. During the Sankranti festival, cockfights are a major spectacle in Andhra Pradesh, particularly in the Godavari districts, where locals consider this blood sport a cherished tradition. A large number of people from other States visit the Godavari districts specifically to witness rooster fights. Sources reveal that over 1,000 cockfighting rings were set up in and around Bhimavaram and Narsapuram in West Godavari district, Kaikaluru in Eluru district, and various parts of the erstwhile Krishna disP4 trict.  Express news servi ce @ New Delhi INDIA’s merchandise exports contracted 1% year-on-year even as imports rose 4.9% in December 2024, government data released on Wednesday showed. The trade deficit narrowed to $21.94 in December month-on-month compared to $32 billion in November as gold imports halved to $4.7 billion. In November 2024, gold imports had surged 186% year-on-year to $9.9 billion. In December 2023, the merchandise trade deficit was $18.76 billion. Services exports during the month rose by 3.25% year-onyear, while imports grew 12%. Total trade deficit (merchandise plus services) widened to $6.78 billion in December 2024 compared to $2.76 billion in the year-ago period. Merchandise exports during April-December 2024 were $321.71 billion compared to $316.65 billion during April-December 2023. Merchandise imports during the period were $532.48 billion compared to $506.39 billion a year ago. Merchandise trade deficit during the nine-month period of the current financial year widened to $210.77 billion from $189.74 billion a year ago. Total exports during AprilDecember 2024 is estimated at $602.64 billion, registering 6.03% growth. According to Deepali Agrawal, deputy MD of India Exim Bank, the trade data highlights India’s sustained growth momentum in non-oil, non-gems and jewellery exports, aided by robust contribution from labour, tech-intensive manufacturing sectors. Express read Sue mastermind of Pannun plot, says top committee M U K E S H RA N J A N @ New Delhi Exports down for the second month in a row in Dec ’24 `1 cr bet It has been learnt that a cockfight between a business owner and renowned breeder attracted the highest single bet of `1 crore WhatsApp governance launch on Jan 18 Tirupati: Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has said WhatsApp Governance will be launched in the State on January 18 to enable people to access 150 essential services, including Aadhaar, caste and birth certificates and other important documents | P4