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 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW US, Iran prepare for ceasefire talks; Lebanon-Israel talks likely in Washington Nitish Kumar in Rajya Sabha: What next for Bihar and JD(U) politics? PERSPECTIVE Light that shows India the way Page 6 Page 9 Page 11 CM Mamata alleges ‘false promises’ in BJP manifesto STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 10 April C hief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday launched a sharp counterattack on Union Home Minister Amit Shah, accusing the BJP of “peddling falsehoods” in its election manifesto and misleading voters with unfulfilled promises. Addressing a public meeting at Barasat’s Kachari Maidan, the TMC chairperson questioned the BJP’s credibility, recalling past assurances made during the 2014 general elections. “They had promised Rs 15 lakh in every bank account. Has anyone received it? Now they are back with another bundle of lies,” she said. Using a sharp metaphor, she added: “They come like cuckoos during elections, make false promises and then disappear.” The Chief Minister also raised concerns over deletions in electoral rolls, claiming that reports suggested nearly 90 lakh names had been struck off, including 60 lakh Hindus and 30 lakh Muslims. Speaking at another rally in Swarupnagar’s Tetulia High School ground, she said her party would conduct a block-level assessment before issuing a formal response. She criticised both the BJP and the Election Commission, alleging bias and inaction. “The Supreme Court had allowed appeals through tribunals, but those tribunals have not even started functioning,” she said. Drawing parallels with Assam’s NRC exercise, Miss Banerjee claimed that 19 lakh people had been excluded there, including a large number of Hindus, and warned voters to remain vigilant. She urged affected citizens to seek legal recourse and ensure that their votes were not diverted. Stepping up her attack, Miss Banerjee accused the BJP of failing to deliver on key economic promises. She alleged that instead of creating two crore jobs annually, as promised in 2014, the government had presided over large-scale job losses. She also criticised the Centre over issues such as demonetisation, rising fuel prices, and the failure to double farmers’ incomes by 2022. The Trinamul chief cited Tripura as an example of what she termed “BJP’s model of governance,” alleging that promises on jobs, wages, pensions and education remained unfulfilled there. She claimed that contractual workers had not been regularised and that unemployment remained a major concern. Banerjee further accused the BJP of fostering communal divisions and warned that its entry into West Bengal would be detrimental to the state’s social fabric. Photo by Biswajit Ghoshal ‘Police tried to shield Mohta’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 10 April The Enforcement Directorate’s actions targeting Sushil Mohta, Saket Mohta and others of the Merlin Group continued for a third day today with several papers and files reportedly seized. It is learnt reliably that the complainant, Mohan Chandra Mondal, has been asked by ED to present himself on 15 April to assist the investigation. Meanwhile, The Statesman has learnt that Mondal had alleged in his writ petition filed with Calcutta High Court that officials of Kolkata Police had made strenuous efforts over the past two months to protect the controversial builder, who is said to be very close to Mayor Firhad Hakim and Justice Varma steps down as impeachment heat peaks: New Delhi: Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court, against whom the Lok Sabha had initiated an impeachment process, has sent in his resignation to President Droupadi Murmu. The judge was mired in a controversy after bundles of currency notes were found burnt in a fire at his Delhi residence on 14 March 2025. Following the discovery, he was transferred from the Delhi High Court to the Allahabad High Court. He was sworn in at the Allahabad High Court on 5 April 2025. However, he was not given any responsibility and kept away from judicial work while the investigation against him was pending. "It is with deep anguish that I tender my resignation from the office of Judge of the Hon'ble High Court of Judicature at Allahabad with immediate effect," he said in the letter dated 9 April addressed to the President of India. A copy of the resignation letter has been sent to the Chief Justice of India, Surya Kant. several senior officers of the state government. In his petition seeking a direction of mandamus, Mondal, who alleges that Mohta and others had deprived him of his 3.65 acre plot in Anandapur through fraud and forgery, stated that officers of the Anti-Fraud Section of Kolkata Police had tried their best to persuade him to withdraw the case. Mondal has alleged in his writ petition, which is pending adjudication before the Calcutta High Court, that the criminal case registered with Anandapur police station against the Mohtas and their associates on directions of the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate, Alipore on 9 January 2026, was abruptly taken over by the Anti-Fraud section four SILIGURI | Saturday, 11 April 2026 SPORTS NATION WORLD | days later. Mondal said he was summoned by the Anti-Fraud Section on 24 and 28 January 2026. On the first day, he alleges that officers made inquiries from him about the legal strategy he proposed to adopt in case the Mohtas and their co-accused filed quashing proceedings, or sought bail, and the legal precedents he would cite. “Such conduct is highly suspicious and wholly inconsistent with the role of an impartial investigative agency,” Mondal stated in his writ. On 28 January, Mondal has alleged that officers of the Anti-Fraud section “tried their level best to dissuade” him and his advocate from pursuing the case. Mondal submitted to the High Court that various state agencies were themselves involved in the commission of the office and that Kolkata Police could not be “expected to conduct a fair, impartial and effective investigation”. He further submitted: “The allegations in the present case involve influential persons, public servants, politically connected individuals, due to which the police authorities, being under the administrative control of the State, cannot be expected to conduct an independent and fearless investigation.” IPL 2026: Delhi look to ‘Capitalise’ on struggling CSK’s vulnerabilities Page 16 BJP’s ‘Sankalp Patra’ for Bengal promises `3,000 aid, jobs push and tough anti- infiltration policy STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 10 April The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday unveiled its ‘Sankalp Patra’ for the forthcoming West Bengal Assembly elections, promising a mix of welfare measures, administrative reforms and a tough stance on infiltration, as Union Home Minister Amit Shah launched a sharp attack on the incumbent government led by Mamata Banerjee. Describing the manifesto as a roadmap for building a “Sonar Bangla”, Mr Shah alleged that the past 15 years under the All India Trinamul Congress (TMC) had been a “nightmare” for the people of the state, marked by corruption, deteriorating law and order, and lack of development. The BJP’s poll document places significant emphasis on national security and border management, with Mr Shah asserting that a BJP government in the state would adopt a policy of “detect, delete and deport” to tackle infiltration. “There will be zero tolerance towards infiltration in Bengal,” he said, adding that a uniform legal framework would be ensured for all citizens, alongside safeguards for freedom of religion. In a bid to consolidate support among women voters, the party has promised a monthly financial assistance of Rs 3,000 for women across the state. It has also pledged 33 per cent reservation for women in all government jobs, including the police force, and announced the formation of a dedicated women’s security unit named ‘Durga Suraksha Squad’. The manifesto also seeks to address unemployment, with a promise of Rs 3,000 monthly allowance for jobless youth until employment is secured. Additionally, the BJP has committed to generating employment opportunities for up to one crore people over the next five years through a mix of industrial growth and self-employment initiatives. For state government employees, the party has assured implementation of the Seventh Pay Commission within 45 days of assuming office, along with central rates of dearness allowance for employees and pensioners. Targeting what it termed as entrenched corruption, the BJP promised to dismantle the “cut money” culture and syndicate system. It also proposed the publication of a “white paper” to highlight alleged irregularities and governance failures during the TMC’s tenure. On the agricultural front, the manifesto promises enhanced support for farmers, including fair pricing for crops and special assistance for paddy, potato and mango cultivation. It also outlines plans to boost the fisheries sector by enrolling all fisher-men under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana and positioning West Bengal as a leading fish export hub. The BJP has further pledged to take stringent action against cattle smuggling and pursue legislation for the implementation of a Uniform Civil Code. In the tea and jute sectors, the party has proposed modernisation initiatives, global branding for Darjeeling tea, and revival of ageing tea gardens. • Another report: Page 3