FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Wednesday, 26 November 2025 SPORTS WORLD NATION Assam CM tables key reports on 1983 violence Page 8 Pak strikes have killed 10, mostly children, says Afghanistan MANOJ BHADRA Ayodhya, 25 November Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called India the “mother of democracy”, and added that his government’s goal is to free the country from the “mentality of slavery” in the coming 10 years. He was speaking after hoisting the ‘Dharma Dwaja’ (saffron flag) on the ‘shikhar’ (top) of the Ram Temple here along with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat. “… 190 years ago, in 1835, a n E n g l i sh m a n n a m e d Macaulay laid the foundation of mental slavery in India. In the next 10 years, it will be 200 years and we have to remove this mentality,” Mr Modi said at the event. NATION Bihar govt’s first cabinet meet unveils big jobs, tech push Page 5 Page 9 ‘Goal is to free India from mentality of slavery in next 10 yrs’ The PM further stated that we must think about the present as well as future generations. "We must work with a vision. Because, this country existed even when we were not there, and it will exist even when we are gone. To achieve this, we must look to Ram,” he added. The right-angled triangular Dharma Dhwaj, measuring 10 feet in height and 20 feet in length, bears the image of a radiant Sun symbolizing the brilliance and valour of Lord Ram, with an ‘Om’ inscribed on it along with an image of Kovidara tree. The sacred saffron flag will convey a message of dignity, unity, and cultural continuity, embodying the ideals of Ram Rajya. The Ram temple complex features 87 intricately carved stone episodes from the life of Shri Ram based on the Valmiki Ramayana on the outer walls of the main temple, and 79 bronze-cast episodes from Indian culture placed along the enclosure walls. 10-man Everton beat Manchester United Page 12 BJP’s Bengal dream will remain out of reach: CM STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE I will not spare the BJP if they try to engineer attacks against Bengal. If the name of a single genuine voter is dropped, then the ECI will not be spared. Kolkata, 25 November T he BJP’s hopes of winning the 2026 Assembly election will remain a distant dream as the people of Bengal are aware of the “nasty tricks” of the saffron party, Chief Minister and Trinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee said this afternoon. “I joined politics during my student days and have always protested against any form of attack on people. I will not spare the BJP if they try to engineer attacks against Bengal. They have not cleared our dues and have forced everyone, including most of the media, to follow them,” she said. Miss Banerjee was addressing a gathering at Bongaon in North 24-Parganas, the heartland of the Matua community. She took part in a rally from Chandpara Pratpotti More to Dhakuria School More to protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR), which she alleged was intended to pave the way for NRC. Mr Shantanu Thakur, Union CHIEF MINISTER MAMATA BANERJEE Minister of State for Shipping from the BJP, had won the 2024 Lok Sabha election in Bongaon. Miss Banerjee said: “The BJP won the recently concluded Assembly election in Bihar by using the Election Commission of India and money power, and the people could not understand their tricks. But here in Bengal the situation is altogether different. People may take money from the BJP but will vote for the Trinamul Congress, as the BJP will fail to protect them and provide security. People know that once the election is over, the BJP will not give money.” She reiterated that she was not against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls being carried out by the Election Commission of India, but argued that it should not have been conducted in haste. The last SIR was carried out in 2002 and the final list published in 2004. The Block Level Officers (BLOs) have not been properly trained, and three BLOs have died under pressure, she said. “Even literate people find it difficult to fill in the SIR forms, and for the illiterate the task is even harder. Trinamul Congress workers will help them complete the forms,” she said, adding, “If the name of a single genuine voter is dropped, then the ECI will not be spared.” “This is the first step towards NRC, and people are falling into the trap laid by some leaders,” she warned. She assured the gathering that as long as her ‘Maa Mati Manush’ government remained in power, no one could drive them out of India. State ministers Mr Sujit Bose, Rathgin Ghosh, & Mamatabala Thakur were present at the meeting. ECI set to delete 10 lakh names from voter rolls in state after SIR: Kolkata: Three weeks into West Bengal’s Special Intensive Revision (SIR), the Election Commission of India is preparing for one of the state’s largest voter-roll clean-ups in over two decades. Preliminary data indicates that at least 10 lakh names, reflecting years of accumulated irregularities, are likely to be deleted once the exercise is completed. Sources within the Commission reveal that around 6.5 lakh deletions involve voters confirmed dead, while the remaining 3.5 lakh names fall under categories of duplicates, shifted voters, and those who could not be traced despite repeated verification. A significant portion of these questionable entries is concentrated in the border districts of North and South Dinajpur, long identified as zones with disproportionately high voter growth. Page 3 2026 T20 World Cup: India to open title SC upholds dismissal of Army officer who declined to enter temple, gurudwara defence against USA on 7 February STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 25 November The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced the groups for the upcoming T20 World Cup, with co-hosts and defending champions India grouped alongside Pakistan. The global cricket body also named former India captain Roh it Sharma as the tournament’s brand ambassador. India will open their title defence with a marquee night fixture against the United States at Mumbai’s iconic Wankhede Stadium on 7 February, setting the tone for what promises to be a spectacular opening day of cricket across the subcontinent. Former champions Pakistan and the West Indies will also feature on day one, playing at the historic Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) in Colombo and the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, respectively. The world’s largest cricket venue, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, has been earmarked to host the final on 8 March, in a tournament that will span eight electrifying venues across India and Sri Lanka. The MA Chidambaram Stadium (Chennai), Arun Jaitley Stadium (New Delhi), Wankhede Stadium (Mumbai), Eden Gardens (Kolkata) R. Premadasa Stadium (Colombo), Sinhalese Sports Club Cricket Ground (Colombo) and Pallekele International Cricket Stadium (Kandy) round out the full list of host venues. The complete schedule was unveiled at a glittering ceremony in Mumbai on Tuesday. If Pakistan qualifies for the semi-finals, Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium will replace Kolkata as the host of Semi-Final 1. Should Pakistan reach the final, that venue will also shift from Ahmedabad to Colombo. If India and Pakistan meet in the semi-finals, that match will be staged in Colombo, while Mumbai will host Semi-Final 2 involving India if they face any team other than Pakistan. The tournament will follow the same successful format used in 2024, when India lifted the trophy in Barbados. Twenty teams have been divided into four groups of five, with the top two from each progressing to the Super Eights, where teams will be placed according to pre-determined seedings. Commenting on the event, Jay Shah, ICC Chairman, said, “The passion for cricket in this region is unmatched, and fans have been waiting eagerly for another global spectacle.” Groups: Group A: India, USA, Namibia, Netherlands, Pakistan Group B: Australia, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Oman Group C: England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Italy, Nepal Group D: South Africa, New Zealand, Afghanistan, Canada, UAE. PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 25 November The Supreme Court on Tuesday affirmed the removal of Lieutenant Samuel Kamalesan from service, holding that his refusal to enter the regiment’s Mandir and Gurudwara during mandatory religious parades amounted to serious indiscipline incompatible with Army life. A Bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s order upholding the Army’s action. The High Court had earlier held that military discipline and unit cohesion must prevail in such settings, and that personal religious freedoms can be reasonably restricted under Article 33 of the Constitution. The Supreme Court echoed these principles. During the hearing, the Bench came down strongly on the officer’s conduct. Telling his counsel, “This is nothing but gross indiscipline… he is a cantankerous man and a misfit to be in Army… what kind of message is he sending?” The Court also noted that even his pastor had counselled him to comply. Lt Kamalesan, a Protestant Christian, argued that idol worship is prohibited in his faith and that while he always attended the mandatory parades, he stood respectfully in the courtyard and could not be compelled to enter the sanctum or perform rituals such as puja, havan or aarti. His counsel, senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, submitted that his client removed his shoes, wore a turban when required, and maintained complete decorum, adding that “Entry not a problem... conducting ceremonies? that cannot be forced on me… commandant said I have to hold thali etc.” The Army, however, viewed his stance as a refusal to follow long-standingregimentaltradition, especially in a combat unit comprising Rajput, Sikh and Jat troops. CJI Kant questioned the officer’s approach, observing: “As per records it’s a sarva dharma sthal… by refusing to enter are you not hurting the religious sentiments of your soldiers… you should have led by example.” According to the Army, Lt Kamalesan’s refusal, despite repeated counselling, amounted to non-compliance with military customs, particularly in a regiment where such rituals are seen as part of unit bonding and morale. It was argued that his refusal to participate could negatively affect cohesion within the regiment. Volcanic ash: DGCA issues advisory, China denies harassment of Arunachal woman Civil Aviation Ministry says flight ops AGENCIES PREMA WANGJOM THONGDOK, WHO HAILS FROM ARUNACHAL PRADESH, ALSO ALLEGED across India remain smooth ‘HUMILIATING, QUESTIONABLE New Delhi, 25 November STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 25 November Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued an advisory to all airlines and airports after volcanic ash from Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi eruption drifted across parts of the Middle East, affecting routes that pass through the Muscat Flight Information Region. Ethiopia's Hayli Gubbi volcano erupted for the first time in nearly 10,000 years, prompting India to issue aviation alerts as ash clouds drifted across several northern states. Major carriers, including IndiGo and Akasa Air, adjusted their operations in response to the shifting plume as the impact on airspace became clearer. Authorities instructed airports to maintain heightened readiness as the ash cloud, travelling rapidly at high altitudes, entered Gujarat before moving over Rajasthan, Delhi, Haryana and Punjab. At Delhi airport, several international flights bound for destinations such as Hong Kong, Dubai, Jeddah, Helsinki were delayed, reflecting the wider operational disruption. Meanwhile, the Ministry of Civil Aviation on Tuesday said flight operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution. In a post on X, the Ministry said: "Following the 23 Nov volcanic eruption in Ethiopia and the eastward movement of the ash cloud, MoCA—along with ATC, IMD, airlines and international aviation agencies—is ensuring seamless coordination." "AAI has issued the necessary NOTAM and all affected flights have been kept informed. Operations across India remain smooth, with only a few flights rerouted or descended as a precaution. There is no cause for concern at this moment. We continue to monitor the situation closely and will provide timely updates to ensure passenger safety," the Ministry further said. China on Tuesday rejected allegations of harassment levelled by Indian national Prema Wangjom Thongdok, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, and stated that "the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected and no compulsory measures were taken on her". Wangjom Thongdok had narrated her "long ordeal" and stated that she faced harassment from Chinese immigration officials at Shanghai Pudong Airport, who "mocked and raised questions" over her Indian citizenship and noted that her 18-hour ordeal came to an end with the help of officials from India's missions in Shanghai and Beijing. BEHAVIOUR’ FROM THE STAFF OF CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES India issued a strong demarche to the Chinese side, both at the Embassy in New Delhi and the Foreign Ministry in Beijing, over the incident. Responding to queries on the incident during a media briefing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning again repeated Beijing's stance, which has always been categorically rejected by India. She also said there was no so-called "detaining" or "harassing" by the Chinese authorities. "Zangnan is China's territory. The Chinese side has never recognised the so-called 'Arunachal Pradesh' illegally set up by India. On the individual case you mentioned, according to what we've learned, during the entire time, China's border inspection authorities carried out checks procedures in accordance with laws and regulations, the law enforcement was impartial and non-abusive, the lawful rights and interests of the person concerned were fully protected, no compulsory measures were taken on her, and there was no so-called 'detaining' or 'harassing'," Mao Ning said. "The airline provided her with resting facilities and meals. For anything more specific, I'd refer you to competent authorities," she added. Sources said that India had issued a strong demarche over the incident and the Consulate in Shanghai also took up the matter locally and extended assistance to the stranded passenger. It was stressed that the passenger had been detained on ludicrous grounds. Arunachal Pradesh is indisputably Indian territory and its residents are perfectly entitled to hold and travel with Indian passports. It was also highlighted that the actions of the Chinese authorities are in contravention of the Chicago and Montreal Conventions relating to civil aviation.