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 | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Saturday, 23 August 2025 SPORTS WORLD PERSPECTIVE ‘This is racial profiling’ Famine grips Gaza, food crisis authority says NATION EAM wraps up Russia visit, discusses Ukraine with Putin Page 7 Page 5 Page 9 BRIEFLY Modi opens key Metro routes; slams TMC govt RAJIB CHAKRABORTY CM Mamata nostalgic ahead of metro projects launch Kolkata, 22 August Delayed exam results published: Kolkata: The results of the West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE), which was held on 27 April, were published on Friday, 117 days later, following a Supreme Court order that temporarily stayed a High Court ruling linked to reservations for Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Parliament security breach: New Delhi: A 20-year-old youth allegedly tried to scale the wall of the Parliament building on Friday morning but was caught by security personnel and handed over to police, officials said. Police said the man, identified as Ram Kumar Bind from Uttar Pradesh’s Bhadohi, tried to enter the Parliament complex from the Rail Bhawan side. “On Friday, at around 5:50 a.m, Bind was attempting to scale a boundary wall of Parliament but was promptly intercepted by the CISF and was later handed over to Delhi Police officers,” Devesh Mahla, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) said. AI flight faces operational issue: New Delhi: An Air India bound flight for Jodhpur on Friday discontinued the take-off run after developing an operational issue and returned to the bay. Earlier, the Passengers on board Air India flight from Kochi to New Delhi faced an unexpected delay after a technical snag was detected during the aircraft's take-off roll. Swaraj Paul dies in London, PM Modi condoles death STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 22 August P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched and inaugurated projects worth over Rs 5,200 crore in Kolkata, while launching a sharp political offensive against West Bengal’s ruling Trinamul Congress (TMC). Addressing an administrative event at the Dum Dum Central Jail grounds, followed by the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) “Vijay Sankalp” rally, Mr Modi said his government was determined to bring “vikshit Bengal” (developed Bengal). He announced that a Special Intensive Review (SIR) mechanism of electoral rolls would be enforced in the state and declared that leaders who fail to secure bail after being jailed must “vacate their chair”. Among the projects inaugurated were three key routes of the Kolkata Metro Railway, including the Sealdah-Esplanade stretch on the Green Line, the Noapara-Jai Hind Bimanbandar Metro and Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with students during a metro ride in Kolkata on Friday SNS the Beleghata-Hemanta Mukhopadhyay Metro links. He also laid the foundation for a six-lane elevated Kona Expressway, a 7.2-kilometre stretch to be built at a cost of Rs 1,200 crore. In his rally speech, Mr Modi accused the TMC of corruption and protecting infiltrators. He said: “The biggest hurdle to Bengal’s growth is the politics of appeasement and corruption. The BJP alone can rid Bengal of illegal infiltrators who are snatching jobs from our unemployed youth. Our farmers and land owners properties are being snatched by infiltrators backed by TMC. Once BJP comes to power, such people will be forced to leave the state.” Mr Modi added that the TMC had turned West Bengal into “a state of crime and corruption”, alleging that ministers who had been jailed continued to “run government from behind bars”. CM Mamata Banerjee on Friday waxed nostalgic ahead of the inauguration of several key Metro rail projects by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting that she had planned and sanctioned the Metro corridors in and around Kolkata. Taking to X, Miss Banerjee wrote: "Allow me to be a little nostalgic today. As the Railways Minister of India, I was fortunate in planning and sanctioning series of Metro Railway corridors in metropolitan Kolkata. I had drawn the blueprints, arranged the funds, initiated the works and ensured that the different ends of the city (Joka, Garia, Airport, Sector V, etc.,) were connected by an intra-city Metro grid." “Later, as the Chief Minister of West Bengal, I had the additional privilege of taking part in execution of the projects,” she added. SNS Page 12 Bihar SIR: SC says excluded voters can apply online PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 22 August The Supreme Court on Friday ordered that persons excluded from the draft electoral rolls in Bihar during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) can submit applications for inclusion online, without having to file physical forms, and directed 12 recognised political parties in the state to assist voters in the exercise. A Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said that excluded individuals may apply online either on their own or with the help of booth-level agents (BLAs) of the 12 recognised political parties. The Court formally impleaded all 12 recognised parties, directing them to mobilise their BLAs to facilitate filing of applications in their respective booths. Pointing out that Bihar has about 1.6 lakh BLAs belonging to all the political parties, the Bench said: “If each agent helps fill just 10 forms a day, there would be 16 lakh applications for registration of excluded voters each day.” It expressed surprise that despite such a vast network, only two objections had been filed so far, and noted complaints that local officers were not acknowledging objections raised by BLAs of the political parties. The Court in the last hearing on 14 August, directed that booth-wise lists of the nearly 65 lakh voters deleted from the draft rolls be displayed on panchayat bhavans and block offices, in addition to being uploaded on the websites of District Electoral Officers and the Chief Electoral Officer. Public notices in English and vernacular newspapers must inform voters in “layman-friendly” language that Aadhaar cards as well as any of the 11 notified documents can be submitted for inclusion. The Bench directed political parties to issue specific instructions to their booth-level workers to assist excluded voters, except those who are dead or have migrated voluntarily, in filing applications before the 1 September cut-off date. The Court was hearing a batch of petitions challenging the Election Commission of India’s 24 June directive ordering a Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls in Bihar just ahead of assembly elections. Petitioners, including NGOs Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR), Peoples Union for Civil Liberties (PUCL), RJD MP Manoj Jha, TMC MP Mahua Moitra, activist Yogendra Yadav and others, have argued that the directive violates constitutional guarantees and risks disenfranchising large sections of the electorate. The Election Commission of India (ECI), in an affidavit, informed the Court that the list of omitted voters had been uploaded online and physical copies displayed locally ~ at Panchayat Bhavans and block and panchayat offices. It added that advertisements had been issued across newspapers, radio and television. Shah accuses INDIA bloc’s VP nominee of supporting Maoism PM defends 130th Amendment Bill at Bihar rally, says Opposition afraid of political fallout AGENCIES IMRAN MOJIB Kochi, 22 Agencies Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday accused retired Supreme Court Judge B Sudershan Reddy, the INDIA bloc's nominee for the upcoming Vice Presidential election, of having supported Naxalism (Maoism) through his judicial pronouncements. Speaking at a public event here, Mr Shah referred to Justice Reddy's 2011 Salwa Judum judgment, which had declared as "illegal" and "unconstitutional" the state-sponsored arming of young tribal men as special police officers in Chhattisgarh. The ruling ordered that such militias be disbanded, stressing that the state must address the root causes of the insurgency through lawful governance rather than vigilante groups. Revisiting that verdict, the Home Minister alleged the judgment indirectly strengthened Maoist extremists and curtailed the state's ability to counter insurgency. "Sudershan Reddy is the person who helped Naxalism. He gave the Salwa Judum judgment. If that judgment had not been given, Naxal terrorism would have ended by 2020," Mr Shah said. He further claimed the Congress, under pressure from its Left allies, had nominated a candidate "who supported Naxalism with a forum like the Supreme Court". Mr Shah also said that Kerala, which will face Assembly elections next year, has "suffered" from Left-wing extremist activities, and urged voters to recognise the implications of the Opposition's choice. The Vice President election is scheduled for 9 September. Justice Reddy, nominated by the Congress-led INDIA bloc, will face the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance's candidate, Maharashtra Governor C P Radhakrishnan. Justice Reddy, who retired from the Supreme Court in 2011, was part of several significant constitutional benches during his tenure. HE ALSO BLAMED THE CONGRESS AND THE RJD FOR ALL THE SUFFERINGS OF THE PEOPLE OF BIHAR ~ FROM UNEMPLOYMENT AND MIGRATION TO INFILTRATION AND LEFT WING EXTREMISM. Patna, 22 August Batting for the 130th Constitutional Amendment Bill during an election rally in Gaya, Bihar on Friday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the Opposition parties for opposing the legislation, saying those who are out on bail are afraid for their political career. Their anger stems from fear, he said. The Bill aims at removing a Prime Minister, state Chief Minister, Central or state minister whoever is facing allegations of corruption or serious offences and has been detained for at least 30 days consecutively. Mr Modi said: “Those who have committed wrongdoings may hide themselves from others. I have been in public life for so many years, but not a single stain of corruption has been found on my government.” In contrast, he remarked, the Opposition governments that ruled before him have a long list of corruption cases against them. In Bihar, corruption by Opposition parties is known to every child, he said. He said if a government clerk can be automatically suspended on being arrested and remaining in custody for 50 hours, why should a chief minister or minister enjoy the privilege of power even while in jail. He cited recent instances where files were being signed and official orders issued directly from jail. “The resolve to free India from corruption is a collective commitment of crores of citizens ~ and this resolve will be fulfilled,” he added. He also blamed the Congress and the RJD for all the sufferings of the people of Bihar ~ from unemployment and migration to infiltration and Left Wing Extremism. Recalling the RJD rule of 15 years, he said the region was gripped by Maoist terror. The RJD government pushed Bihar’s future into darkness, he said, contending that there was neither education nor employment, and generations of Biharis were forced to migrate due to these conditions. He attacked the Opposition parties for attempting to deprive people of Bihar of their rights even today and to hand them over to infiltrators. He stated that for appeasement and vote-bank politics, those parties were willing to go to any extent. The PM said that he has launched the Demography Mission to expel every infiltrator from the country. He said that the rapid development of Bihar is a major priority for the NDA government at the Centre and it is working shoulder to shoulder with Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar for this purpose. Stray dogs to be released after vaccination, dedicated feeding places; formulate national policy, says SC PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 22 August Lord Swaraj Paul, the celebrated NRI industrialist and philanthropist, has died in London at the age of 94. He passed away on 21 August, after a period of illness that led to his hospitalisation. Condoling his death Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed anguish and said his support for the UK's close ties with India will always be remembered. In a post on X, Mr Modi said: "Deeply saddened by the passing of Shri Swaraj Paul Ji. His contributions to industry, philanthropy and public service in the UK, and his unwavering support for closer ties with India will always be remembered." Kolkata, 22 August Durand Cup: NEUFC face tough test against Diamond Harbour FC The Supreme Court on Friday modified its 11 August directions on stray dogs in Delhi-NCR, clarifying that captured dogs must be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated and then released back to the same localities from where they were picked up ~ except those suffering from rabies, suspected to be rabid, or showing aggressive behaviour. At the same time, the Court prohibited public feeding of stray dogs in streets and mandated the creation of dedicated feeding points, while signalling the need for a uniform national policy on stray dog management. A three-judge Bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sandeep Mehta and Justice N.V. Anjaria said that while public safety is paramount, the issue requires a “holistic approach” that balances human concerns with animal welfare. It stayed the 11 August order of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice R. Mahadevan, which had required all stray dogs picked up in Delhi-NCR to be permanently housed in shelters and not returned to the streets. Expanding the scope of the issue to make it pan-India, the Court said municipal bodies across the country must ensure that only sterilised and immunised dogs are returned to their original areas. Rabid or dangerously aggressive animals may be quarantined or kept in shelters. “Dogs that are picked up shall be sterilised, dewormed, vaccinated and released back to the same area,” the Bench directed. This marks a significant departure from the 11 August ruling, which had barred the release of stray dogs under any circumstance. The Court stressed that modifying the earlier order was necessary to align with the Animal Birth Control (Dogs) Rules and to adopt a practical framework for coexistence. Animal activists hail apex court decision MUSKAN BHATIA New Delhi, 22 August Stray dogs eat food on a footpath amid drizzle, in New Delhi on Friday. ANI The Bench also ordered that each municipal authority must create dedicated feeding spaces for stray dogs in every ward, taking into account the dog population. Notice boards must clearly state that feeding is allowed only in such areas. Feeding on public roads and streets will not be permitted. Maneka Gandhi, animal rights activist & former Union Minister, on Friday appreciated the Supreme Court’s decision that called off sending the stray dogs in the Delhi-NCR region to be captured and relocated to shelter homes within eight weeks from the announcement of the verdict. She called the new order a “practical step” that directs civic agencies to capture, neuter, and release the strays back to the same location. Speaking with a news agency, Mrs Gandhi said: “I am very happy with the Supreme Court’s new decision because the earlier order was not feasible to implement.” A wave of jubilation spread among animal rights activists across the national capital. Gauri Maulekhi, associated with animal welfare group People For Animals (PFA), hailed the decision, calling it a ‘balanced order’ that will benefit people, improve public health, & offer relief to the animals.