FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR NDA seat-sharing in TN Ricky Ponting urges Harry Brook to rework his approach in Australia Page 6 ‘Smart for Maduro to step down’: Trump Page 16 NATION NATION Left-wing extremism close to eradication: Prez Murmu Page 11 Page 5 Bishops appeal to Shah for protection of Christians New Delhi: Condemning what it described as an "alarming rise" in attacks on Christians across several states, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure strict enforcement of law and provide proactive protection to Christian communities so that Christmas can be celebrated peacefully. Expressing deep anguish, the CBCI said targeted incidents during the Christmas season, particularly against peaceful carol singers and worshippers gathered in churches, gravely undermine India’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and the right to live and worship without fear. The bishops’ body said it was particularly shocked by a viral video from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, in which a visually challenged woman attending a Christmas programme was allegedly publicly abused and physically harassed by BJP city vice-president Anju Bhargava. Unnao rape case: Delhi HC suspends sentence of Kuldeep Sengar New Delhi: Giving conditional relief to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday suspended the life sentence awarded to him in the 2017 Unnao rape case. A Division Bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar granted bail to Sengar during the pendency of his appeal challenging the conviction. The Justice Prasad-led Bench ordered Sengar’s release on a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh with three sureties of the amount. The court directed that Sengar will not come within a five-kilometre radius of the victim’s residence and shall remain in Delhi for the duration of the bail. Protests rock cities across India over killing in B’desh Dhaka summons Indian envoy over ‘attacks’ on missions UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Dhaka, 23 December New Delhi, 23 December P rotests erupted throughout the country on Tuesday over the killing of a Hindu labourer in Bangladesh, triggering demonstrations in New Delhi, Kolkata, Agartala and other cities, with police baton charging unruly activists in the eastern metropolis. The incident in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh, where a factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was lynched and burnt on Thursday, came on top of attacks on Indian missions in that country. The upshot of the violence in Bangladesh has been the deepening of diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Dhaka. In Kolkata, demonstrations over the killing turned violent near the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in the Beckbagan-Park Circus area in the southern part of the city. Protesters affiliated with the VHP, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM) attempted to march to the mission to submit a memorandum but were stopped by the police. The police declared the gathering "unlawful" and later resorted to lathi-charge as Bangiya Hindu Jagaran members take out a protest march in Kolkata on Tuesday condemning the killing of Bengali Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh. BISWAJIT GHOSHAL Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists as they protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi over attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. SNS clashes broke out. Several protesters were injured, many detained, and traffic was disrupted in parts of central and south Kolkata. In the national capital, activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission, condemning the killing of the 25-year-old Hindu garment worker. Protesters alleged that Das was beaten to death on accusations of blasphemy, after which his body was reportedly tied to a tree and set on fire. Chanting slogans and reciting the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’, demonstrators demanded strong action from The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi had on Monday announced suspension of all visa issuance and consular services, citing security concerns. Similar suspensions were announced at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, where additional police and paramilitary forces were deployed amid protests by local groups and rightleaning organisations. HJM activists, led by Sanjay Singh, also staged protests in north Bengal, forcing the temporary closure of the Bangladesh Visa Application Centre in Siliguri after effigies of Bangladesh’s interim government head Muhammad Bangladeshi authorities and international intervention to protect Hindu minorities. Tensions escalated as protesters attempted to breach police barricades, prompting police intervention and baton-charge. Security around the Bangladesh High Commission was tightened with a three-tier arrangement. VHP president Alok Kumar said the killing was a direct attack on secularism, democracy and freedom of expression, alleging that Das was targeted merely for stating that all religions are equal. He also criticised Bangladesh’s interim leadership over radical elements and warned against threats to India’s sovereignty. India announces $450 million relief package for Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 December External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday announced India’s decision to offer a reconstruction package of USD 450 million to Sri Lanka in the wake of Cyclone Ditwah. At a meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath in Colombo, Mr Jaishankar, who is visiting the island nation as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he had this morning met Sri Lankan NTA to introduce facial biometric checks, live photography across entrance exams from 2026 AGENCIES New Delhi, 23 December The National Testing Agency (NTA) would implement facial biometric authentication during examinations and live photography at the application stage to strengthen exam security across all entrance examinations, beginning with JEE (Mains) in January 2026. The move is aimed at curbing impersonation and other malpractices by ensuring real-time identity verification of candidates at multiple stages of the examination process, Wednesday, 24 December 2025 SPORTS WORLD BRIEFLY | officials said. "They will be implementing a facial recognition system during the examination and live photography during the filing of the application," Secretary of Higher Education Vineet Joshi said during a media interaction. "This will be implemented from January, from JEE (Mains)," he added. Facial biometric verification confirms a person's identity by analysing unique facial features, such as the distance between the eyes or the shape of the nose, to create a digital template for comparison with stored data, often using AI for analysis. Meanwhile, a real-time photo capture via webcam or phone is used during online application or exam processes to prevent impersonation. The Joint Entrance Examination (Main) 2026, conducted by NTA, is scheduled from 21 to 30 January 2026. President Anura Kumara Disanayaka to personally deliver a letter from the Indian leader. “We had a detailed discussion on the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The letter from Prime Minister Modi that I handed over builds on our First Responder role and commits a reconstruction package of $450 million to Sri Lanka. Our talks centred on how expeditiously this commitment can be delivered,’’ he added. Mr Jaishankar said the assistance package that India has proposed will include USD 350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and USD 100 million in grants. This package is being finalised in close consultations with the Government of Sri Lanka. “Our assistance will cover sectors worst affected by the cyclone, including: rehabilitation and restoration of road, railway and bridge connectivity; support for construction of houses fully destroyed and partially damaged; support for health and education systems, in particular, those that have been damaged by the cyclone; agriculture, including to address possible shortages in the short and medium term and working towards better disaster response and preparedness,’’ he added. BJP slams Rahul for ‘India bashing’ comments in Germany AGENCIES New Delhi, 23 December The BJP lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks about the future of India and vote theft, in a press conference on Tuesday, calling his statements “an example of India-bashing” for levelling allegations on the Indian democratic system on foreign soil. The saffron party’s spokesperson, Shehzaad Poonawalla, said: “The same Rahul Gandhi, who is sometimes seen with people associated with organisations having anti-India thinking, sometimes secretly meets those spewing poison against the country regarding Kashmir, and sometimes goes and stands on platforms that defame India,” he said. The BJP spokesperson's remarks come after Rahul Gandhi, at a gathering in the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany, reiterated his allegation that the BJP is “capturing” the country’s institutional framework, terming it an “attack” on the democratic system. Yunus were burned. The groups demanded an end to alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and called for a boycott of Bangladeshi goods. The protests come amid a broader diplomatic strain. India had briefly suspended visa services in Dhaka last week following protests targeting the Indian High Commission over the death of Bangladeshi activist Sharif Osman Hadi. While most Indian Visa Application Centres in Bangladesh remain operational for humanitarian reasons, the centre in Chittagong remains shut following a mob attack on the Indian mission premises. • Kolkata report: Page 3 AGENCIES Bangladesh on Tuesday expressed grave concern over what it called attacks on its diplomatic missions in India, summoning the Indian High Commissioner to protest incidents in New Delhi and Siliguri. “Bangladesh condemns such acts of premeditated violence or intimidation against diplomatic establishments, which not only endanger the safety of diplomatic personnel but also undermine the principles of mutual respect and values of peace and tolerance,” a statement issued by Bangladesh’s foreign ministry said. The ministry, citing threats to diplomatic personnel and establishments, urged India to ensure their safety and security. “The Government of Bangladesh called upon the Government of India to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents, to take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such acts and to ensure safety and security of Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions and related facilities in India,” the statement said. The incidents cited include vandalism at the Bangladesh Visa Centre in Siliguri on 22 December and a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December. Advisor CR Abrar meets Dipu Das' family UNI adds: The office of the Bangladesh Chief Advisor has expressed profound sorrow over the killing of Dipu Chandra Das, a Hindu factory worker in Mymensingh by Islamists. Prof CR Abrar, Education Advisor in the interim government, visited Das' family and extended deepest condolences and assured all support of the government to the family. During the visit, he spoke with Rabilal Das, father of Dipu Chandra Das, among others, and reiterated that Das' killing was a heinous criminal act, which had no justification and no place in Bangladeshi society. Prof Abrar said that allegations, rumours, or differences in beliefs can never be used as a pretext for engaging in violence, and no individual had the right to take the law into their own hands.