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 LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Space balance US, Iran attacks rage as officials question whether diplomacy can stop march toward war resuming Page 6 Page 9 BRIEFLY Amarnath duty policeman killed in Anantnag terror attack: Jammu: With security tightened across Jammu and Kashmir for the ongoing Amarnath Yatra, terrorists on Wednesday targeted and killed a policeman deployed for the pilgrimage duty in south Kashmir’s Anantnag, the district that serves as the gateway to the traditional Pahalgam pilgrim base camp. The slain policeman, Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi of the IR 3rd Battalion, was reportedly deployed on Amarnath Yatra security duty when he was fired upon at Lal Chowk in Anantnag around 12.30 p.m, reports said. He suffered critical injuries and succumbed on the way to the Government Medical College Hospital, marking the first terror attack in the area since the 22 April 2025, Pahalgam attack. The Resistance Front (TRF), a shadow outfit of Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba (LeT), has reportedly claimed to have carried out the attack through a social media post. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 22 July Chief Minister and Home Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Wednesday launched a blistering attack on Trinamul Congress leaders Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee during his reply to the debate on the home department’s budget in the state Assembly, triggering sharp protests from the Opposition. Referring repeatedly to Abhishek Banerjee without naming him directly, Mr Adhikari mocked the Trinamul's Martyrs' Day programme held on Tuesday and challenged the Diamond Harbour MP to contest the next Lok Sabha election from his constituency. Taking a swipe at Abhishek Banerjee’s remarks made at the Martyrs’ Day rally, Mr Adhikari said the Trinamul leader had warned party workers to “keep their notebooks ready” for a political reckoning at the end of the month. “That account can only be settled if you remain outside,” the chief minister remarked, in an apparent reference to possible legal action. Mr Adhikari also questioned Abhishek’s political presence in Diamond Harbour, asking whether he had visited the constituency after the change of government. He also asserted that the BJP would defeat Abhishek from Diamond Harbour by a margin greater than the Trinamul leader’s previous victory if Mr Banerjee dared to contest there in the next Lok Sabha election. Best left in the drawer? New Delhi, 22 July P The chief minister also ridiculed the turnout at Tuesday’s Martyrs’ Day programme organised by the Trinamul. Citing what he described as a police assessment, he claimed that just over 2,500 people had attended the event at Birla Planetarium. Responding to Mamata Banerjee’s description of Abhishek as a “tiger”, he said the latter was “not a tiger but a cat”. He said all acts of corruption committed by the Trinamul leadership would be exposed. Mr Adhikari said that cases which had been closed during Miss Banerjee’s tenure as chief minister would be reopened. He said complaints that had been disposed of through Final Report True (FRT) would be reinvestigated and added that he was making the announcement “on record” in the Assembly. The chief minister also referred to allegations of postpoll violence following the 2021 Assembly elections, claiming that the incidents were unprecedented. He said the state government would not hesitate to seek a fresh probe by the CBI, if necessary. The remarks drew strong protests from the Trinamul benches. Party MLA Kunal Ghosh accused the BJP government of using the home department budget discussion to target Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee instead of addressing policing and governance. “Is this a police budget or a reflection of the government’s fear of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee?” Mr Ghosh asked. Page 12 Page 11 VIBHA SHARMA CM targets Abhishek, Mamata, says old cases will be reopened Iyer’s India seek fresh start against spirited Zimbabwe in Harare LAW PAGE Parliament deadlocked: Oppn firm on Pradhan’s resignation arliament remained deadlocked for the third consecutive day of the Monsoon Session on Wednesday over the NEET-UG paper leak issue despite the BJP-led government expressing its willingness to hold a discussion in both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. A day after the Congress leadership staged an unprecedented flash protest outside Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence and Cockroach Janata Party-led protests intensified, the government informed the Lok Sabha that it was prepared for a detailed discussion on the NEET paper leak and urged Speaker Om Birla to convene an all-party meeting to decide the rule, date and duration of the debate. However, repeated adjournments disrupted proceedings in both the Houses with the Opposition remaining firm Thursday, 23 July 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | on its demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Earlier in the day, Opposition MPs from the INDIA bloc arrived in black attire to observe a “Black Day”. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav, Trinamul Congress MP Mahua Moitra and several other INDIA bloc leaders assembled at Makar Dwar dressed in black before Parliament convened. As the two Houses assembled for Question Hour, the protests quickly spilled inside Parliament, forcing repeated adjournment of both Houses. When the Lok Sabha reassembled at noon after an earlier adjournment, Speaker Om Birla invited Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju to make a statement. Congress leader KC Venugopal intervened, reiterating the Opposition’s demand for Mr Pradhan’s resignation. He said the minister should take “moral and constitutional responsibility” for the controversy. In the Rajya Sabha, the Opposition sought to invoke Rule 267 to suspend scheduled business and take up an immediate discussion on the NEET controversy and the police action against student protesters. The notice also called for a debate on the detention of Opposition leaders during protests in the national capital. Leader of Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge also said that Mr Pradhan must resign. According to sources, Mr Pradhan had met the Speaker in Parliament soon after the government reiterated its readiness for a detailed discussion and requested an all-party meeting to resolve procedural issues. Home Minister Amit Shah convened a meeting of ministers to discuss the way forward today but the government gave no indications of Mr Pradhan resigning. ‘Paper leaks should not be politicised,’ Nadda challenges Rahul’s ‘selective’ criticism STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 22 July Union Health Minister J P Nadda on Tuesday said the Narendra Modi government is “responsible and responsive” and is ready for an in-depth discussion in Parliament on the serious issue of paper leaks. Addressing media persons amid the Opposition’s demand for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation, Mr Nadda also targeted Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, questioning why he was selective in his criticism when similar incidents had occurred in states governed by INDIA bloc parties. Mr Nadda said students’ concerns over paper leaks should not be politicised and it was inappropriate to seek political mileage from the issue. “It is an important and serious issue. The Narendra Modi government is serious about it, which is why we proposed a discussion in Parliament. We should focus on finding solutions to this problem, and Parliament is the best forum for such a discussion,” he said. Urging the Opposition to move beyond allegations and counter-allegations, Mr Nadda said the discussion should focus on identifying the reasons behind paper leaks and ways to strengthen the system. “We should move beyond blame and counter-allegations and discuss this issue in depth. Parliament is the best medium for such a discussion, and we are ready for it. What are the factors leading to paper leaks? Who are the people involved, and how has the Central Government responded? How should governments address such incidents? We need to find solutions so that injustice is not done to millions of students,” he said while speaking to reporters after Rahul Gandhi’s press conference. The decision to field Mr Nadda, who has emerged as the Narendra Modi government’s face in reaching out to CJP and activist Sonam Wangchuk, came after Rahul Gandhi’s press conference in which he claimed more than 150 instances of paper leaks under NDA rule and alleged that India’s education system was “in tatters.” • Related reports: Page 5 Wangchuk sets conditions to end fast, seeks assurance of no legal action against student protesters; CJP says will continue protest STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 22 July Activist Sonam Wangchuk has said he will end his indefinite fast only if the Centre gives an “unequivocal assurance” that no punitive or retaliatory legal action will be taken against students who participated in the recent protests over the alleged examination paper leak. In a letter posted on X on Wednesday, addressed to Union Ministers J P Nadda and Jitendra Singh, Mr Wangchuk thanked the ministers for visiting him in hospital and appealing to him to end his fast. He said the ministers had assured him that the government would positively consider two key demands: adequate compensation for the families of students who died by suicide following the alleged examination paper leak, and a meaningful discussion in Parliament to ensure accountability, including consideration of the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. However, Mr Wangchuk said another assurance was essential before he could call off his hunger strike. “I respectfully request an unequivocal assurance from the Government that none of the young protesters will face any punitive or retaliatory legal action for participating in this movement,” he wrote, adding that the students’ only “offence” was raising their voices for “a fair and accountable education system.” The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), meanwhile, separately said it would continue its protests until the government accepted its four demands, including the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan, Rs 1 crore compensation for families of children who died by suicide, no prosecution of peaceful protesters and the prosecution of all police officials involved in committing atrocities. Don’t waste our time: Supreme Court New Delhi: Refusing to grant an urgent listing of a petition over the police action against students in the national capital on Monday, while they were participating in a protest called by the Cockroach Janta Party seeking the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET paper leak and other alleged irregularities, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said: “Don’t waste our time”. Refusing the request for an urgent listing, Chief Justice Surya Kant, heading a Bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana, told the mentioning counsel, “Don’t waste our time, and don’t waste your time.” As advocate Narendra Mishra persisted with his plea, the Chief Justice, cutting him short, said: “Thank you very much”. When the lawyer referred to videos purportedly showing the police crackdown and sought to place them before the Court, the CJI said: “We are not interested in the videos, we don’t have time to watch”. Delhi High Court, meanwhile, issued notice to the Centre and Delhi Police on three public interest litigations alleging excessive use of force by police during the 20 July protest march organised by the CJP and directed the authorities to preserve CCTV footage and all other relevant electronic records relating to the incident. The Bench also questioned the Centre’s objection to the maintainability of the petitions and observed that even if the gathering was an unlawful assembly, there was a prescribed legal procedure for dealing with such situations. Jaishankar conveys to Lavrov India’s concern over safety of Indian seafarers STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 22 July External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday met Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Manila on the margins of ASEAN engagements and conveyed to him India’s strong concern regarding the safety of Indian seafarers in the region. The meeting came a day after the Ministry of External Affairs in New Delhi summoned Russian Chargé d’Affaires Vladimir Ladanov and conveyed India's strong concern over the missile attack on commercial vessel MV Golden Leo when it was departing the port of Odisa in Ukraine in which at least four Indian nationals were killed. Mr Jaishankar said he also discussed with Lavrov various aspects of the partnership, including trade and investment, energy and connectivity, science and technology, and mobility. The two leaders also exchanged views With China in mind, Quad nations call for free and open Indo-Pacific: New Delhi: With an eye on China’s aggressive posturing on maritime issues, the four Quad countries, at their meeting in Manila on the sidelines of ASEAN engagements, on Wednesday reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening a free and open Indo-Pacific and their unwavering support for ASEAN unity and centrality. The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister of India S Jaishankar, Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong, Japan Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. In a joint statement, the Quad nations said they are deeply invested in the region’s success and in cooperating with ASEAN and its member states. “We discussed regional challenges and opportunities to strengthen our support for the practical implementation of the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP) through our shared priorities of maritime and transnational security, economic prosperity and security, critical and emerging technologies and humanitarian assistance and emergency response,” the statement said. on the Ukraine conflict and the Gulf situation. Mr Jaishankar also met US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and later wrote on X: ‘’ Pleased to meet @SecRubio of the USA here in Manila. Our meeting focused on TMC’s Kalyan Banerjee suspended from LS for remainder of session STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 22 July areas which are priority for the Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership, including trade & tariffs, energy, defence & security, critical minerals & artificial intelligence. We also exchanged quick perspectives on regional, global and multilateral issues of mutual interest.’’ The Indian minister also had a bilateral meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, during which he told him that a stable and cooperative bilateral relationship can best be developed on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and sensitivity. Trinamul Congress MP Kalyan Banerjee was suspended from the Lok Sabha on Wednesday for the remainder of the Monsoon Session after the House adopted a resolution accusing him of using unparliamentary language against a woman member during a confrontation inside the chamber. The suspension followed an altercation involving Mr Banerjee and rebel Trinamul Congress MPs who have merged into the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), including Mitali Bagh, Shatabdi Roy and Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar. The resolution to suspend Mr Banerjee was adopted amid noisy scenes in the House. The incident occurred after the Lower House adjourned due to disruptions by Opposition members. According to parliamentary sources, Mr Banerjee engaged in a sharp verbal exchange with the rebel TMC MPs inside the House chamber. While the exact trigger for the confrontation was not immediately clear, the exchange escalated to the point where allegations were made that Mr Banerjee had used unparliamentary language against a woman member. Several Opposition MPs intervened in an attempt to calm the situation before Mr Banerjee left the chamber. Subsequently, Mitali Bagh, Kakoli Ghosh Dastidar and other members met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla in his chamber to complain about the incident and seek action. Acting on the matter, the Lok Sabha later passed a resolution suspending Mr Banerjee for the remainder of the ongoing Monsoon Session. The resolution was adopted by a voice vote amid continued sloganeering and disruptions in the House.