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 Kharge accuses Modi govt of ravaging youth’s pathway Jaishankar meets Putin, reaffirms India-Russia ties New Delhi, 24 August R ussian President Vladimir Putin on Monday told External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar that Moscow is working to increase fertilizer supplies to India, even as he expressed happiness over the increase in trade between the two countries this year. At a meeting between them at the Kremlin in Moscow, Putin particularly spoke about fertilizer supplies to India. ‘’We are doing everything to address this issue for Indian farmers, for agriculture; we are increasing these supplies and are ready to do so further. And all other issues related to nuclear energy, cooperation in high-tech sectors, and other areas – they are all on the agenda, and progress is being made quite steadily," he said. Putin said Jaishankar’s visit to Moscow underscores the level of relations between India and Russia built over decades. ‘’We continue to work together in virtually all areas. This includes governmental ties, inter-parliamentary ties, and economic cooperation. I'm pleased to note that our trade turnover has increased this year. While it declined slightly last year, it's growing this year,’’ he added. He said the increase in bilateral trade is primarily due to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s personal attention to developing bilateral ties. The Russian leader asked Jaishankar to convey his best wishes to PM Modi. ‘’I hope to see him (Modi) soon, as we planned, within the framework of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, very soon. Our schedule is such that we will probably be able to meet again this year,’’ Putin said. Jaishankar was accompanied to the meeting by Indian Ambassador to Russia Vinay Kumar, while President Putin was assisted by Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and other leaders. Conveying PM Modi’s good wishes to President Putin, Jaishankar also handed over a personal communication from the Indian leader. He informed President Putin about the outcomes of the 27th Session of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific, Technological and Cultural Cooperation (IRIGC-TEC) held earlier in the day. The meeting was co-chaired by Jaishankar and Russia’s First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov. Jaishankar told Putin that economic cooperation between the two countries has grown very significantly. The two nations have enhanced cooperation in areas like trade, energy, nuclear, and fertilizers. He said PM Modi is keenly looking forward to meeting President Putin at the SCO Summit in Bishkek towards the end of this month and welcoming him in India for the BRICS Summit on September 12-13. He said the two top leaders will also meet for their annual summit later this year as per their mutual convenience. ‘’So we have a very strong picture of cooperation to present,’’ he added. Rahul’s ‘smash the patriarchy’, Manusmriti remarks spark Congress-BJP slugfest VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 24 August Rahul Gandhi’s call to women to “smash the patriarchy” and statement on Manusmriti at an event in Pune has triggered a political slugfest between the Congress and BJP, with leaders of the saffron party sharply reacting to his remarks. “You comment on Manu, Ram or India's heritage. If you want to know about Manu, read the Atharvaveda, Shatapatha Brahmana and Matsya Purana, you will get all the information,” Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said Gandhi, during an interaction with girl students in Maharashtra on Saturday, criticised the “Manusmriti mindset”, urged students to “smash patriarchy” and said women belonged to themselves, not to their fathers, husbands or sons. The Congress leader said women were often put into three boxes—as a daughter, wife or mother—identities he said were linked to their relationship with a man. Quoting from the Manusmriti, he criticised its prescription that a woman should remain subject to her father in childhood, her husband in youth and her sons after her husband’s death. “These words are a shame because these words should never ever have been spoken. The biggest strength of this country is the fact that our women should be independent... You belong to nobody. You do not belong to anybody, except yourself,” Gandhi said. Gandhi’s attempt to frame the BJP and its ideological fountainhead RSS as representing a patriarchal, traditional “Manusmriti mindset,” drew sharp reactions with the BJP framing the attack as an assault on Hindu/Indian traditions, accusing him of hypocrisy on women's NSA Doval in Beijing for talks on boundary issue STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 24 August National Security Advisor Ajit Doval arrived in Beijing on Monday for a two-day visit to hold the 25th round of Special Representatives' (SRs) talks with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the India-China boundary question. Wang is also his country's Special Representative on the boundary question with India. The visit is considered significant as it comes at a time when the two countries are trying to put their bilateral relationship back on track after the military stand-off in Eastern Ladakh in 2020, which brought the two countries to the brink of a full-scale war. New Delhi has repeatedly THE VISIT IS CONSIDERED SIGNIFICANT AS IT COMES AT A TIME WHEN THE TWO COUNTRIES ARE TRYING TO PUT THEIR BILATERAL RELATIONSHIP BACK ON TRACK AFTER THE MILITARY STAND-OFF IN EASTERN LADAKH IN 2020, WHICH BROUGHT THE TWO COUNTRIES TO THE BRINK OF A FULL-SCALE WAR. made it clear to Beijing that peace and tranquillity in the border areas are a prerequisite for normalising bilateral ties. In a press release issued on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs said, "At the invitation of Wang Yi, Foreign Minister and Member of the Politburo of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, India's Special Representative (SR) on the India-China Boundary Question, arrived in Beijing on a two-day visit earlier this afternoon." The release further said that Doval would also call on China's Vice President during his two-day visit. The meeting between Doval and Wang comes close on the heels of their talks in June in India on the sidelines of the BRICS National Security Advisers' meeting. Doval is also expected to brief the Chinese leadership on the arrangements being put in place for Chinese President Xi Jinping's expected visit to India in mid-September for the BRICS Summit. Page 12 NATION Page 9 ASHOK TUTEJA India declares first innings at 503/9 after Dhruv Jurel hits unbeaten 115 Page 5 US Treasury to unveil new Iran sanctions Stock markets begin week on negative note Page 10 Tuesday, 25 August 2026 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | empowerment. Adityanath accused him of treating it as his “birthright” to denounce India’s traditions and heritage and said that a society that forgets its ancestors has no future. He accused Gandhi of forsaking India’s traditions and values and conspiring against the country. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis accused Gandhi of hypocrisy over women’s empowerment, saying he opposed the Women’s Reservation Bill while advocating women’s rights and called the Congress a “directionless party” of “showoffs and loudmouths”. Senior Congress leader P Chidambaram hit back, attributing Fadnavis’ remarks to “cognitive fatigue” and saying the Congress had supported the bill in both Houses of Parliament. CJP announces 5 Sept march over govt’s alleged ‘vishwasghaat’ with Gen-Z STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 24 August The Cockroach Janta Party on Monday announced a peaceful march from India Gate to Delhi Police Headquarters, led by families of deceased NEET victims and victims of police brutality, on September 5 over alleged failure of the government to honour its July 25 commitments. The announcement followed a meeting of the National Working Committee, which reviewed the compliance of the Government of India and BJP/NDA-ruled states with the solemn commitments made to the country's young people. These commitments had prompted them to call off the nationwide protests over the NEET issue. In a press statement posted on X, the C JP said, “Government has played delay games, hidden behind technicalities, and avoided giving clear commitments even before the Supreme Court of India.” The party stated that on 18 August, the Supreme Court repeatedly asked the Union government to provide a list of FIRs registered across the country so that the Court could consider quashing them together, at one go. Yet, the government refused to give a commitment to do so, the statement added. “We have been forced to return to the streets because the government appears determined to commit a 'vishwasghaat' with Gen-Z, the young generation of this country, and the families who have already lost their children,” the party stated. Posting their disappointment over the government’s inaction last month, the party said, “A government cannot take the trust of an entire generation, use it to send them home, and then quietly retreat from its own word. We will not accept this attempted betrayal.” Calling for youth mobilisation, the CJP urged all young Indians, students, youth organisations and student organisations to gather in large numbers at India Gate on 5 September and peacefully march with them. Air India flight hits bird during landing at Patna airport: Patna: An Air India flight carrying 164 passengers from Delhi to Patna hit a bird while landing at Jayaprakash Narayan Airport on Monday morning. All passengers were safe, but the incident caused a delay to the flight. It was the second bird-strike incident involving an Air India flight at Patna Airport within a week. Air India flight AI 1741, carrying 164 passengers from Delhi, hit a bird while approaching the runway for landing. Following the incident, the emergency landing protocol was activated as a precaution, and fire and other emergency services were deployed at the airport. The aircraft, however, landed safely at 7:43 am. According to airport officials, the pilot suspected that a bird had struck the aircraft near the right engine while it was approaching the runway. The aircraft was inspected after landing, and the bird strike was confirmed. However, no damage to the engine was found. CM Suvendu hits back at Mamata over Annapurna Yojana criticism STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 24 August Hours after former chief minister Mamata Banerjee criticised the state government regarding the distribution of financial assistance to the women in Annapurna Yojna, West Bengal chief minister Suvendu Adhikari accused her of practising appeasement politics and asserting that all eligible beneficiaries would receive financial assistance irrespective of their religion or political affiliation. Banerjee, in a Facebook live session on Monday, accused the BJP government of failing to fulfil its pre-poll promises and alleged irregularities in the implementation of the Annapurna Yojana. She also demanded the restoration of her government’s Lakshmir Bhandar scheme for providing financial assistance to women. Responding to her remarks at a press conference at Nabanna, Adhikari said Banerjee should remain confined to social media and warned that he would ensure that she could not return to the streets. “Stay on Facebook in the afternoon. You do not need to come out on the streets anymore. I will make arrangements so that you cannot come out on the streets,” Adhikari said. The chief minister also accused the former chief minister of practising appeasement politics by selecting beneficiaries on the basis of religion. Referring to his Nandigram Assembly constituency, he alleged that only two Hindu families had received houses under the housing scheme in Haripur gram panchayat, where around 86 per cent of the population is Hindu. “You used to discriminate. I do not. You used to select people based on religion. I do not,” Adhikari said, claiming that he had records of alleged appeasement under the previous government. Adhikari also took a swipe at Banerjee over the recent rape-murder case in Baruipur and the death in custody of the husband of a former Trinamool Congress councillor in Halisahar. Referring to Banerjee facing protests during her visit to Halisahar, he said she had “conceded double goals” in both instances. “Speak less and take rest. You have grown old,” Adhikari said. On the Annapurna Yojana, the chief minister said the government was not discriminating among beneficiaries on the basis of religion or political affiliation. He said 1,45,64,472 beneficiaries had already received money directly in their bank accounts, including 19.20 lakh beneficiaries from the Muslim community. PM asks young diplomats to work toward deepening India’s economic engagement with the world STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 24 August Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday called upon young Indian diplomats to serve as catalytic agents for the country’s economic engagement with the world. He was addressing Officer Trainees of the 2025 Batch of Indian Foreign Service (IFS) who called on him at Seva Teerth. The group comprised 50 IFS Officer Trainees who come from different States and UTs across the country. The PM asked the young diplomats to build strong grassroots-level engagement in their countries of posting and deepen India’s connection with local communities. He emphasised that Indian Missions should foster meaningful relationships not only with governments and institutions but also with people at the community level. He encouraged the Officer Trainees to expand their networks beyond traditional diplomatic circles and deepen engagement with people. The PM encouraged them to combine India’s civilisational strengths with technology, innovation and effective communication to further strengthen India’s global engagement. He also emphasised the importance of strengthening the digital presence of Indian Missions. He said that a website is often the first gateway through which people interact with an institution and called for greater use of technology to make the delivery of consular and other services more seamless, responsive and citizen-centric. The PM urged the Officer Trainees to work towards making India a more attractive global tourism destination by showcasing its civilisational, cultural and geographical strengths. He suggested leveraging the “Bharat ko Janiye” (Know India) Quiz to generate greater interest in India among young people across the world and encouraged the use of AI and gaming to make such initiatives more engaging.