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 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI ‘UP offers health model to nation’ Iran prepares for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s funeral Page 7 Page 6 Ritabrata faction takes control of TMC’s old office: Kolkata: Escalating the battle over the identity and organisational control of the Trinamul Congress, the faction led by Leader of Opposition in the Bengal Assembly, Ritabrata Banerjee, on Friday took possession of the party’s erstwhile Metropolitan office along the EM Bypass, declaring it as the “official” party headquarters and announcing that all organisational activities would be conducted from there from Saturday. Ritabrata was accompanied by senior leaders including Firhad Hakim, Sandipan Saha, Javed Khan, Akhruzzaman and several MLAs when he arrived at the office in the evening. The move came barely a day after the dissident leaders met the full bench of the Election Commission in New Delhi over the dispute concerning the party’s name, symbol and organisational legitimacy. Page 2 Ramos, Ronaldo lift Portugal past Croatia WORLD EDITORIAL BRIEFLY Saturday, 04 July 2026 SPORTS SATURDAY INTERVIEW Monsoon reckoning | Page 12 Page 9 ‘Never since Independence has Bengal fared worse under any CM’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 3 July W est Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Friday launched a scathing attack on the erstwhile Trinamul Congress (TMC) government, claiming that Bengal had “never since Independence fared so poorly under any Chief Minister”, without naming former chief minister Mamata Banerjee directly. Mr Adhikari was speaking at the inaugural session of an orientation programme for newly elected members of the West Bengal Legislative Assembly at a convention centre in New Town. He said his intention was not to make political attacks but to place before first- time legislators what he described as the state’s condition under the previous government. “I will not say negative things, but I want to place the situation before you. Never since Independence has Bengal fared so poorly under any Chief Minister,” he said. The Chief Minister also criticised the erstwhile Left Front government, alleging that during its 34-year rule, key decisions were taken outside the Assembly. “For 34 years, everything happened according to the party office’s directives. Nothing happened from the Assembly,” he said. He claimed that the situation deteriorated further during the subsequent 15 years, but added that he did not wish to dwell on political criticism in the presence of Leader of the Opposition Ritabrata Banerjee. “We are moving together. We want to make Bengal stand on its feet now,” Mr Adhikari said. Recalling the Assembly’s historic role during the Partition of India in 1947, he said the House had voted in favour of West Bengal remaining with India after Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee argued the case before legislators. “Bengal’s future was decided in this very Assembly. We must acknowledge that history and uphold its legacy,” he said. Addressing the newly elected MLAs, Mr Adhikari urged them to make full use of the orientation programme. “Many of you have been elected for the first time. You have to learn, and these two days are meant for that learning,” he said. Drawing on his own experience as an MLA since 2006 and as Leader of the Opposition, Me Adhikari alleged that opposition legislators had been denied due respect under the previous administration. “I was Leader of the Opposition for five years and was suspended from the Assembly five times, before almost every Budget and important session,” he said. Contrasting the present administration with the past, Mr Adhikari said MLAs from all parties were now invited to administrative meetings and Budget discussions. PM Modi to leave Monday on three-nation Indo-Pacific tour STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 July Cooperation in key areas such as defence, maritime issues, trade, and supply chain resilience will be high on the agenda during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s week-long visit to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand starting 6 July. Senior Indian officials said on Friday that the visit aims to deepen India’s ties with the three Indo-Pacific nations. Briefing reporters on the visit, Rudrendra Tandon, Secretary (East) in the Ministry of External Affairs, said the PM will be in Indonesia from 6-8 July and Australia from 8-10 July before travelling to New Zealand for the last leg of his tour. In Indonesia, PM Modi will hold bilateral talks with President Prabowo Subianto to build on maritime security, connectivity, and ongoing defence acquisition talks. The itinerary in Australia includes meetings with Prime Govt approves defence acquisition ED alleges `92.55 crore foreign funding network linked to US-based TTI; FIRs proposals worth `52,000 crore STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 July The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), under the chairmanship of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, on Friday accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) i.e., inprinciple administrative approval to various acquisition proposals for the defence forces at an estimated cost of about Rs 52,000 crore. For the Indian Army, approval was granted for procuring the Anti-Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) Electronic Warfare System ‘Akash Tarang’, Man Portable Anti-Tank Guided Missile (MPATGM) Systems, Medium Range Surface-to-Air Missile (MRSAM) Weapon System, Very Short Range Air Defence System (V-SHORADS), Active Protection System for Tanks and Jet Based Kamikaze Drone System. Akash Tarang will provide effective anti-UAV protection to the Army formations. The MPATGM will enhance the infantry’s potential to counter the adversary’s mechanised threats. The MRSAM system provides medium-range air defence against various standoff aerial threats. For the Indian Navy, approval was given for procuring the Multi Influence Ground Mine (MIGM), Naval Shipborne Unmanned Aerial System (NSUAS) and setting up the Land Based Testing Facility (LBTF) for the Electric Propulsion System. The MIGM will deny freedom of manoeuvre to the adversary. The NSUAS, equipped with advanced sensors, will enhance the Navy’s situational awareness. The LBTF will meet the testing requirements for Motors and registered in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 July associated Propulsion Systems of the Indian Naval assets. For the Indian Air Force, approval was accorded for procuring the Fixed-Wing Based High Altitude Pseudo Satellite (FW-HAPS) and other proposals. The FW-HAPS will carry out persistent Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance, telecommunication and remote sensing for the Air Force. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has alleged that US-based Christian organisation The Timothy Initiative (TTI) and its India-based network operated a large-scale foreign funding mechanism that brought approximately Rs 92.55 crore into India by using foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank, USA, allegedly bypassing provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), 1999 and the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), 2010. According to the ED, the investigation was initiated after the Financial Intelligence Unit–India (FIU-IND) flagged suspicious transactions involving repeated ATM cash with- Minister Anthony Albanese in Sydney alongside a community outreach event in Melbourne. The PM will participate in the third India-Australia Annual Summit process. The conversations will cover emerging areas of bilateral relations, particularly critical minerals, cyber security, supply chain resilience, emerging technologies and so on, the official said. On the visit to New Zealand, Mr Tandon said this will be the first visit by an Indian PM in 40 years. The last Indian PM to visit New Zealand was ‘Water treaty will remain in abeyance until Pakistan stops support to cross-border terror’ ACCORDING TO THE ED, THE INVESTIGATION WAS INITIATED AFTER THE FINANCIAL INTELLIGENCE UNIT–INDIA FLAGGED SUSPICIOUS TRANSACTIONS INVOLVING REPEATED ATM CASH WITHDRAWALS OF RS 70,000-80,000 EVERY TWO TO THREE DAYS ACROSS MULTIPLE STATES USING FOREIGN DEBIT CARDS. drawals of Rs 70,000-80,000 every two to three days across multiple states using foreign debit cards. The agency conducted search and seizure operations on 18 and 19 April 2026, at multiple locations in Karnataka, Chhattisgarh and Assam. Searches targeted seven individuals and entities, including TTI, its alleged India Operations Head Jonathan S. Rajan, Finance Head Ajit Verghese Mathai, financial operative Micah Mark, and other field functionaries. The ED has alleged that nearly Rs 92.55 crore was utilised in India between November 2025 and April 2026, while approximately Rs 44 crore was withdrawn from ATMs across India between January 2024 and March 2026. Micah Mark was intercepted at Kempegowda International Airport, Bengaluru, where officials recovered 24 foreign debit cards issued by Truist Bank. The ED alleges that 23 of these cards were printed in the name “Santosh Kumar” on the instructions of Ajit Verghese Mathai to avoid detection and circumvent Know Your Customer (KYC) norms. Rajiv Gandhi. PM Modi will hold discussions with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to build on the recently signed Free Trade Agreement to boost bilateral trade. The visit comes as New Delhi increases its strategic footprint across the Indo-Pacific amid evolving geopolitical dynamics. The visit to Australia is especially important since both India and Australia are Quad members along with the United States and Japan and also cooperate in forums such as G20, East Asia Summit, Commonwealth and the Indian Ocean Rim Association. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 July India on Friday made it clear that the IndusWater Treaty (IWT) will remain in abeyance until Pakistan stops its support to cross-border terrorism. Asked about an “international conference” on IWT hosted by Islamabad earlier this week, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India’s stand on the treaty has been consistent. India put the IWT in abeyance because of Pakistan’s continued support to cross-border terrorism, he added. “Pakistan must credibly and irrevocably abjure its support to cross-border terrorism,” he said. India had put the IWT on hold in the wake of the Pahalgam terrorist attack in April last year. A desperate Pakistan on Tuesday hosted what it called an international conference and said no world order that is on paper would remain secure if the IWT failed. The suspension of the treaty, signed in 1960, by India has created a major problem for Pakistan in assessing the volume of water in its rivers as it does not have hydrological information for timely action. Pakistan leaders have charged India with weaponising water and warned that depriving the country of its rights under the treaty would have consequences. RSS calls Ram Mandir donation theft ‘highly condemnable,’ says ‘essential to ensure guilty receive strict punishment’ Centre to summon Meta officials over alleged child sexual abuse ads on Instagram VIBHA SHARMA STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 July Breaking its silence on the alleged donation theft at the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya that has shocked the country, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Friday asked the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust to treat the “highly condemnable incident” as an exceptional matter and take effective corrective measures to address shortcomings in the temple’s administration and management “to ensure that the faith and devotion of millions of Ram devotees towards the Ayodhya temple remain unshaken.” Expressing deep distress, Sangh Sarkaryavah Dattatreya Hosabale said it was essential to ensure that anyone found guilty during the investigation receives strict punishment. He also appealed to Hindu society to exercise patience and restraint, and not allow “anti-Hindu and anti-national forces” to exploit the incident to malign Hinduism and Hindu society. “The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, along with the entire Hindu society, naturally expects the Trust to treat this highly condemnable incident as an exceptional matter and take effective corrective measures to eliminate all shortcomings in the temple’s administration and management. “This is necessary to ensure that the faith and devotion of millions of Ram devotees towards the Ayodhya temple remain unshaken. The prevailing confusion and uncertainty surrounding this matter must come to an end. We expect all necessary steps to be taken by both the temple administration and the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted by the government,” Hosabale said in the first official statement issued by the RSS on the controversy. Coming ahead of the Sangh’s annual Akhil Bharatiya Prant Pracharak Baithak in Belagavi next week, the statement assumes significance as the alleged financial misappropriations has emerged as a huge embarrassment for the RSS in its centenary year. “The unfortunate incident involving the theft of money collected in the donation boxes at the Shri Ramlalla Temple in Ayodhya has deeply hurt the sentiments, faith and devotion of the entire society and millions of Ram devotees. We are all deeply distressed by this incident,” Mr Hosabale said. Describing the Ram temple as a symbol of reverence and faith for the Hindu community, he said it had become a reality through generations of New Delhi, 3 July struggle and the dedication, sacrifice and contributions of millions of devotees. “At the request of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust, the Uttar Pradesh government has constituted a Special Investigation Team, and legal proceedings have been initiated. It is essential to ensure that whoever is found guilty during the investigation is awarded strict punishment,” he said. Mr Hosabale expressed confidence that through sound financial management, efficient administration, transparency, accountability and an atmosphere of religious sanctity and integrity, the Trust would continue to strengthen the faith of devotees. The Centre will summon officials from Meta over advertisements hosted on Instagram that allegedly promoted child sexual abuse, sources said on Friday. This development comes days after the Union government halted the WhatsApp username rollout in India. According to the sources, the directives were issued by Union Minister for Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw after reports claimed that Instagram, the social media platform run by Meta, was running advertisements allegedly promoting child sexual abuse. The sources said the minister has taken cognisance of reports that Instagram showcased certain objectionable material that promoted child sexual abuse and has issued directions to officials to seek a response from Meta. The ministry will seek an explanation from the US-based technology company over how such advertisements appeared on Instagram, one of its social media platforms, and the safeguards in place to prevent the circulation of such content, they said. Meta, which owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, is expected to be asked to explain how the advertisements were allowed to run on its platform and what measures the company has taken to detect, remove and prevent content related to child sexual abuse. The ministry is also likely to seek details of Meta’s content moderation mechanisms, advertisement review processes and the steps being taken to strengthen enforcement against illegal and harmful content on its platforms, sources added. However, Meta hadn’t issued an official statement on the matter at the time of writing this news article. Meanwhile, representatives of Meta met officials of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on Friday following the government’s notice over the proposed rollout of the “usernames” feature on WhatsApp in India, sources said. According to the sources, ministry officials apprised Meta of the government’s concerns regarding the feature during the meeting. As the company has been given three days to furnish a detailed explanation, Meta will submit its final response within the stipulated timeline. Earlier this week, the Centre issued a notice to Meta directing it to provide a detailed explanation on the proposed “usernames” feature within three days.