FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 BRIEFLY World Bank cuts down India’s growth to 6.6 pc for FY27 due to West Asia crisis: | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE I n a politically charged contest marked by personal attacks and shifting equations, Trinamul Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Thursday adopted a restrained tone while campaigning for party candidate Tirthankar Ghosh in Panihati, even as she sharpened her attack on the BJP and alleged a tacit understanding between the saffron party and the CPI-M. Addressing a rally at Ushumpur Vidyasagar Krirangan in Agarpara, Banerjee refrained from directly naming BJP candidate, mother of the RG Kar rape-and-murder victim — whose entry into the electoral fray has drawn considerable attention. Instead, she underscored the importance of maintaining civility in political discourse. “Everyone has the right to speak when they are a candidate. Elections are part of democracy, and political opponents will criticise each other. But I will not indulge in personal attacks. You too must maintain the limits of decency,” Banerjee said, in what was widely seen as a calibrated response to Debnath’s recent sharp remarks against her that had gone viral. The Trinamul chief used the platform to reiterate her party’s broader political pitch, urging voters to support her government to “protect education, history, food, culture, and rights.” She warned against what she described as attempts to mislead voters through “drama and deception” in the run-up to polling. Banerjee Ceasefire teeters as Israel pounds Beirut, Iran tightens grip on Strait of Hormuz AGENCIES Dubai, 9 April A tentative ceasefire in the Iran war staggered Thursday under the weight of Israel’s intense bombardment of Beirut, Tehran’s continued chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, and uncertainty over whether negotiators can find common ground on a range of other differences. Hours after the ceasefire was announced — amid disagreement over whether it included a pause in fighting between Israel and | BHUBANESWAR Hezbollah — Israel pounded Beirut with airstrikes, resulting in the deadliest day in the country since the war began on Feb. 28. Iran and the U.S which both declared victory in the wake of the ceasefire announcement — appeared to try to pressure each other. Semiofficial news agencies in Iran suggested forces have mined the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial waterway for the world’s oil whose closure has proved Tehran’s greatest strategic advantage in the conflict. President Donald Trump, meanwhile, warned that U.S. forces would hit Iran even harder than before if it did not fulfill the agreement. But what that agreement is remains in deep dispute. Beyond whether Lebanon is included, there are questions over what will happen to Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium, how and when normal traffic will resume through the strait, and what happens to Iran’s ability to launch missile attacks in the future. The U.S. and Iran are due to meet in Pakistan for talks this weekend. also escalated her criticism of the BJP by accusing it of forging an implicit alliance with the CPI-M. “Today, the BJP’s biggest friend is the CPI-M. For years, the CPI-M unleashed atrocities and bloodshed, but the BJP never pursued a single CBI case against them. So, I urge people not to allow either the BJP or the CPI-M to win even a single seat,” she said. The allegation assumes significance in Panihati, where CPI-M candidate Kaltan Dasgupta ~ who emerged as a prominent face during the RG Kar protests ~ is also in the fray, adding a third dimension to an already high-voltage contest. Earlier in her speech, Banerjee issued a stern warning to local Trinamul leaders, including councillors and municipal authorities, against engaging in land encroachment or unauthorised construction. “Let me make it clear at the outset ~ if you want to do Trinamul politics, you cannot destroy greenery, encroach upon playgrounds, or carry out illegal construction. I have received complaints about attempts to capture a field here, and I have intervened immediately,” she said. Referring to a reported attempt to encroach upon a portion of the Amarabati ground in Sodepur ~ a key open space in the densely populated urban belt ~ Banerjee signalled zero tolerance. The ground, often described as the ‘lungs’ of the locality, had witnessed allegations last year of attempted construction with alleged tacit backing from sections of the Panihati municipality. VIBHA SHARMA STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 9 April As the Enforcement Directorate continued its raids on Merlin group chairman Sushil Mohta’s office and home and that of his son Saket Mohta today, officials close to the investigation told The Statesman that documents and digital devices including mobile phones had been seized from the company and its officials, and that questionable links to politicians and bureaucrats were under the scanner. The ED’s Kolkata Zonal NORMALLY, HIGH VOTER TURNOUT IS BELIEVED TO BE A SIGN OF ANTI-INCUMBENCY AGAINST THE RULING PARTY—IN OTHER WORDS, A POSITIVE SIGN FOR OPPOSITION PARTIES. SOME POLITICAL PUNDITS BELIEVE THAT ANGER AGAINST THE RULING PARTY ENCOURAGES PEOPLE TO COME OUT AND VOTE IN LARGER NUMBERS. New Delhi, 9 April Despite COVID pandemic-related constraints, voters turned out in large numbers, underlining the resilience of the democratic process and the citizens’ determination and enthusiasm. Normally, high voter turnout is believed to be a sign of anti-incumbency against the ruling party—in other words, a positive sign for opposition parties. Some political pundits believe that anger against the ruling party encourages people to come out and vote in larger numbers. However, there is also a counterview—that high voter turnout may also reflect support for the party in power, and in turn be an expression of approval—something that was demonstrated by Assam and Kerala, which both repeated their respective ruling parties in 2021. The fact is that there is no conclusive evidence either way, especially in a multi-party Westminster-style democracy like India, where many factors come into play—poll promises and freebies, personalities, ideologies, candidates’ individual appeal and, of course, issues like development—all adding multiple dimensions to the issue of voting percentage. In other words, a high turnout signals engagement and intensity, LUCKNOW | MUMBAI | Friday, 10 April 2026 PM Modi vows end to ‘mafia raj’, corruption in Bengal after 4 May DEBAJYOTI CHAKRABORTY Asansol, 9 April Prime Minister Narendra Modi today asserted that practices such as ‘cut money’, coal pilferage and the alleged ‘mafia raj’ would come to an end in West Bengal after 4 May, adding that individual cases would be dealt with separately. The PM was addressing the crowd at the Polo Ground in Asansol. This was Mr Modi’s sixth visit to the town since 2014. Several candidates from West Burdwan, Raghunathpur and Saltora were present. Addressing a rally in Asansol, the Prime Minister said the “game of earning cut money” and the “safe refuge of mafias” would no longer continue. “After 4 May, every issue will be addressed individually,” he said. He claimed that “fresh winds of change” were sweeping across West Bengal, with Asansol “setting the tone” for the rest of the state. “The message from Asansol will reach Durgapur, Raniganj, Saltora and Raghunathpur,” he added, expressing confidence that a “double-engine government” would be formed in the state and the Trinamul Congress (TMC) would be unseated in the Assembly elections. Alleging widespread corruption under the TMC, Mr Modi said the state would enter a “new era of development” after 4 May. “When the entire country is moving forward, the state government is pushing it backwards,” he remarked. Referring to Asansol as a major coal and mineral belt, he alleged that coal, sand, land and scrap mafias had flourished during the TMC regime, placing a burden on one of the country’s oldest industrial regions. “Black marketing of coal is putting the future of industry at stake. The state’s resources are being openly looted,” he said. The Prime Minister said the Asansol-Durgapur belt, once a thriving industrial hub, had witnessed decline, with industries leaving and young people migrating in search of better opportunities. “This region was once the pride of the state and an investment capital of the country, with industries ranging from bicycles to railways, paper to steel, aluminium to glass,” he said. He alleged that while the state’s contribution had declined, “TMC leaders and syndicates” had prospered. He said a BJP government would promote initiatives such as ‘Make in India’ and enhance manufacturing productivity. Describing the election as an opportunity to revive the Asansol-Durgapur industrial region, Mr Modi said it would also bring “relief from the atrocities of the mafia raj” in the coal belt. The Prime Minister also criticised the state government over law and order and women’s safety, alleging that women did not feel secure in West Bengal. He said schemes such as ‘Lakhpati Didi’ were helping women become self-reliant. He further alleged that even CRPF personnel had not been spared and said voters would respond through the ballot box. “The real rule of law will be established after 4 May,” he added. ED raids on Merlin continue, political links under scanner Office, which is conducting the searches at seven locations including other Merlin offices and homes of its officers, is investigating allegations that the Mohtas forged and fabricated documents to unlawfully acquire land which was subsequently developed for large-scale real estate projects. According to a senior ED official, who requested anonymity, the investigation indicates that Sushil Mohta (photo), Saket Mohta and others created false documentation to secure ownership of multiple land parcels. These properties were allegedly commercially exploited Assembly elections: Assam, Kerala, Puducherry record high voting - who should celebrate? Till late afternoon on Thursday, Assam, Kerala and Puducherry continued their robust turnout trend, with political pundits beginning to debate who would benefit from high voting percentages in the two states and one Union Territory—the ruling side or its challengers. By around 5 pm, Assam had reportedly recorded 85.64 per cent turnout, Puducherry 89.87 per cent, and Kerala 78.23 per cent. A turnout above about 65–70 per cent is generally considered high, while voting figures in the 55–60 per cent range are seen as average; turnouts below 50 per cent are described as low. The three regions also recorded a higher-than-average turnout in the last assembly elections in 2021, underlining strong democratic participation by their people. In both Assam and Puducherry the turnout was more than 82 per cent and in Kerala around 75 per cent, reflecting robust voter engagement in the last elections. | CM slams Oppn, alleges BJP, CPI-M nexus in polls Kolkata, 9 April New Delhi: The World Bank has projected India to grow at 6.6 per cent for the Financial Year 2026-27. India's growth skewed to the downside even as ample foreign exchange buffers and a well-capitalised banking system helped manage risks, the World Bank said.It noted that growth is estimated to have accelerated from 7.1 per cent in FY25 to 7.6 per cent in FY26, owing to strong domestic demand and export resilience. It said the retail inflation in India is projected at 4.9 per cent for the current fiscal year reflecting higher food and energy prices and exchange depreciation pressure. (See Page 12) SILIGURI not direction. It tells you people care, but not necessarily who they are voting for. Some analysts also believe that the definition of anti-incumbency is also debatable. For example, several parties tend to change candidates to counter anti-incumbency, so are votes in favour of a party with a sitting MLA but a new candidate votes for or against anti-incumbency? And what if the MLA is from the opposition side-will the definition still hold? In the Indian political scenario, of late there is an additional driving factor-Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Observers say it is hard to establish a clear relationship between turnout and anti-incumbency at the national level, where multiple factors are at play. Some relationship may exist between the two at the state level, but mostly speculative. The belief that increased voter turnout hurts incumbents has beenacentralpartoftheargument by a majority of analysts. But an increase in turnout, relative to the previous election, also has no statistically meaningful relationship with an incumbent government’s electoral performance. “The bottom line is that higher turnouts are not necessarily associated with anti-incumbency. But again, things can change depending on the situation. When elections are stretched over a long period, people lose interest, so typically turnout is higher when elections are held in one or two phases. When elections are spread over a long time, it is expected that those with greater economic and power resources can gain,” they add. • More reports on Page 13 through major real estate developments, with investors persuaded to contribute funds on the strength of documents presented as legitimate proof of title. The official said that the investigation so far has indicated links between the Merlin Group and senior political leaders as well as officials of the state government. “Their role and financial transactions with the group and its promoters are currently under scrutiny,” he added. While the investigation was taken up on the complaint of Mohan Chandra Mondal, a resident of Anandapur, in respect of a 3.63-acre land parcel in Anandapur where the Merlin Niyasa project is being promoted, the searches, it is learnt, have disclosed details of other suspicious transactions by the group, which are now being probed. Mondal, who had moved an Alipore court for registration of an FIR and obtained an order for institution of a criminal case against the Mohtas and others, had because of subsequent police inaction also moved the Calcutta High Court, and impleaded the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Enforcement Directorate in his writ. The matter came up before Justice Saugata Bhattacharya last month and is pending adjudication. Senior ED officials said the pendency of the case, and a prayer for a writ of mandamus, was also a factor behind the raids conducted on the Mohtas.