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 US–Russia Ukraine talks ‘constructive’, says Putin aide PERSPECTIVE BRIEFLY 12 Maoists, 3 DRG personnel killed in Chhattisgarh: Raipur: Three personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were killed and another injured on Wednesday during a major anti-Maoist operation along the Bijapur–Dantewada border, as security forces continued an aggressive push inside the Bastar Division in South Chhattisgarh. The exchange of fire that began at around 9 a.m, has so far resulted in the recovery of 12 Maoist bodies from the encounter site. Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav said teams from DRG Dantewada and Bijapur, along with STF, CRPF and CoBRA units, had launched a coordinated search operation early in the morning. Intermittent firing continued for several hours as forces advanced through thick forest terrain. Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P, confirmed the recovery of SLR rifles, .303 rifles and other arms and ammunition from the spot. Page 5 Calcutta HC restores 32,000 teacher jobs: Kolkata: The division bench of the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday set aside a single bench order of the court, which cancelled the appointment of about 32,000 primary teachers in the cash-for-jobs TET recruitment scam case and ordered continuation of services. The Division bench of Justices Tapabrata Chakraborty and Reetobroto Kumar Mitra passed the order setting aside the 12 May 2023, single-judge bench order of then judge of Calcutta High Court, and current BJP Lok Sabha member Abhijit Gangopadhyay for the cancellation of 32,000 primary teacher jobs in the state. Justice Gangopadh -yay had passed the order acting on petitions filed by some candidates. Virat’s second successive ton End of the road for street dogs? Finding his voice Page 12 Page 7 Page 9 Page 6 Govt rescinds Sanchar Saathi BJP wins 7 wards, AAP 3, Cong one in MCD bypolls pre-installation mandate STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 December F ollowing widespread protests, including by the Opposition parties, the government has decided not to make preinstallation of the Sanchar Saathi app mandatory for mobile manufacturers. The Ministry of Communications made this announcement on Wednesday, hours after Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia rejected in Parliament the Opposition’s charge that the app could be used for snooping on citizens. The Ministry, however, claimed that the app is secure and purely meant to protect citizens from bad actors in the cyber world. It said the government, with an intent to provide access to cyber security to all citizens, had mandated pre-installation of the Sanchar Saathi app on all smartphones. “It helps in ‘Jan bhagidari’ by all citizens in reporting on such bad actors and actions while protecting users STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 December Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app. JYOTIRADITYA SCINDIA, MINISTER OF COMMUNICATIONS themselves. There is no other function other than protecting the users in the app and they can remove the app whenever they want. This has been clarified by the Government,’’ an official statement added. It said that so far 1.4 crore users have downloaded this app and are contributing to information on 2000 fraud incidents per day. The number of users has been increasing rapidly and the mandate to install the app was meant to accelerate this process and make the app available to less aware citizens easily. Just in the last one day, 6 lakh citizens have registered for downloading the app which is a 10x increase in its uptake. This is affirmation of faith by citizens on this App for protecting themselves provided to them by the government, the statement claimed. Earlier, speaking in the Lok Sabha, Union Communications Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia dismissed the Opposition charge that the Sanchar Saathi app could be used for snooping on citizens. Responding to queries, he said the app has no surveill- ance capability and will not be activated unless a user decides to register. “Snooping is neither possible nor will it happen with the Sanchar Saathi safety app,” he said. The minister stressed that the app has been designed only to protect users, not monitor them. His remarks came in the wake of a storm raised by the Opposition after the government directed smartphone manufacturers to pre-install Sanchar Saathi on all new devices. Nine months after it swept the assembly elections, the BJP on Wednesday bagged seven out of 12 wards of the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) where by-elections were held on 30 November. The AAP managed to bag three seats, while the Congress and the All India Forward Bloc won one seat apiece. AAP's Anil won from Mundka with a margin of 1,577 votes, while Shalimar Bagh B was secured by BJP candidate Anita Jain with a margin of over 10,101 votes. BJP’s Veena Asija won from Ashok Vihar, while the party’s Suman Kumar Gupta won Chandni Chowk. All India Forward Bloc’s Imran won from the Chandni Mahal ward, while Dwarka B was bagged by BJP’s Manisha Devi. BJP candidate Rekha Rani registered a win from Dichaon Kalan with a margin of 5,637 votes, leaving behind AAP's Neetu. With a thin margin of just 148 votes, AAP’s Rajan Arora won from Naraina ward, with BJP candidate Rekha Rani from Dichaon Kalan celebrates her victory after winning in the MCD bypolls. AGENCIES BJP’s Chandrakanta Shivani being the runner up. The Indian National Congress secured Sangam Vihar A, with its candidate Suresh Choudhary registering a win with a margin of 3,628 votes, leaving behind BJP’s Shubhrajeet Gautam. The AAP also won from Dakshinpuri, while Greater Kailash and Vinod Nagar were bagged by the BJP. The biggest victory margin was from Shalimar Bagh-B, with the BJP candidate Anita Jain defeating AAP’s Babita Rana by a margin of 10,101 votes. The result is a decisive victory for the BJP. The by-elections were the first major electoral face-off between the political parties after the Assembly elections held earlier this year. These 12 seats had been vacant mostly since the assembly polls, while one of them was awaiting election after the councillor was elected to Parliament. However, if one looks at the total votes polled in these bye elections, the voting percentage was not very high, at just 38.51 per cent. Chandni Mahal registered the highest voter turnout at 55.93 per cent, followed by Mundka at 44.5 per cent, Sangam Vihar A 44.4 per cent and Naraina 42.76 per cent. Regarding the vote percentage, BJP’s numbers are said to be higher than other parties. Major defence, trade deals high PM reviews Bengal political situation, seeks on agenda during Putin's visit details on attack on BJP MP Khagen Murmu STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 December The much-anticipated twoday visit of Russian President Vladimir Putin to India that will commence from Thursday will provide an opportunity for the leadership of the two countries to review progress in bilateral relations, set the vision for strengthening the ‘Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership’ and exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. According to Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov, PresidentPutin’s visit will deliver “significant outcomes” across strategic, defence, energy, and trade sectors. Mr Putin will start his visit to India on Thursday with an informal meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence, Presidential Aide Yuri Ushakov said in Moscow on Wednesday, calling the upcoming meeting during a private dinner between the two leaders as “one of the key points of the Russian leader's visit.” According to Mr Ushakov, Putin will discuss important issues of bilateral ties and the international situation with PM Modi. He stated that Putin will also hold talks with PM Modi in a narrow and expanded format. Key aspects of trade and economic cooperation will be discussed and several agreements will be signed during Mr Putin's visit to India, Russian state -run news agency TASS reported. According to Ushakov, India and Russia plan to sign a programme for the development of strategic areas of economic cooperation until 2030. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 3 December Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held a crucial meeting with BJP MPs from West Bengal in New Delhi, during which he sought a detailed account of the recent attack on party MP Khagen Murmu. The meeting, convened at the Prime Minister’s Office inside Parliament, also focused on the party’s strategy for the 2026 Assembly elections and the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. According to sources, the meeting began around 10.30 a.m. and continued for several hours. Twelve MPs from the state were present, including Union Ministers Sukanta Majumdar and Shantanu Thakur. However, Cooch Behar MP Anant Maharaj was Top BJP leaders hold discussions, reignite buzz on new party president VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 3 December Following a high-level meeting in Parliament on Wednesday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President JP Nadda and BJP General Secretary BL Santhosh, the buzz has again started about the BJP finally getting its new national president. According to sources, the name of the party chief for Uttar Pradesh was also finalised at the meeting, spearheaded by Mr Santosh and focusing on electing Nadda’s successor. The party has been awaiting its new president since mid-2024, as the BJP's rules mandate completing elections in 50 per cent of state units before electing a Thursday, 04 December 2025 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | national president ~ a process that began in August 2024 but continued into December 2025 because of various issues, including the long process of organisational polls in various states. Speculations continue about Mr Nadda's possible successors, including Union ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Dharmendra Pradhan and Bhupendra Yadav ~ all known for their administrative experience and organisational abilities. Other names in circulation include those of VD Sharma, BL Santhosh, Vinod Tawde, Devendra Fadnavis and Nirmala Sitharaman, making it anyone’s guess given the BJP’s track record of springing surprises while making appointments. Today’s huddle builds on recent coordination efforts in Uttar Pradesh involving Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and RSS leaders, where names for the state chief were discussed. Apparently, the name of the new UP chief will be announced first, followed by the new national chief. The UP appointment is crucial given the importance of the state in the BJP's strategy for the Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the key Hindi-belt state that elects as many as 80 MPs. Currently it is the upcoming Bengal elections that are a key factor in timing. Although no official dates have been announced yet, the BJP wants strong organisational leadership in place ahead of Assembly elections in the key state in 2025. All eyes are now on who will guide the BJP into the next phase. Initially appointed working president in June 2019, Mr Nadda assumed the role of BJP chief in January 2020, succeeding Amit Shah in a unanimous election and beginning a term originally set to conclude in January 2023. His leadership navigated several challenges, including disruptions caused by the Covid-19 pandemic delayed internal organisational polls, prompting extensions first to June 2024 and then further as state-unit elections continued. By 2025, Mr Nadda’s tenure had stretched beyond five years ~ among the longest extensions given to a BJP president. Under him, the BJP won several important elections and also facing setbacks, including defeats in Karnataka, Himachal and Telangana and a modest performance in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. absent. Jalpaiguri MLA Jayanta Roy could not attend due to ill health. The attack on Murmu, the BJP MP from Maldaha Uttar, became a key point of discussion. Officials present during the meeting said the Prime Minister asked for a detailed briefing on the circumstances under which the MP came under attack and the individuals allegedly involved. Murmu had suffered serious injuries in October while visiting Nagrakata in Jalpaiguri during the Durga Puja week, when incessant rainfall and floods had thrown life out of gear in the region. As he and BJP MLA Shankar Ghosh reached the affected area for inspection, a section of locals reportedly staged a road blockade and began pelting stones. Murmu was hit on the head and had to be hospitalised for several days, eventually undergoing surgery. Ghosh also sustained injuries. During Wednesday’s meeting, the Prime Minister enquired about Murmu’s present health condition and recovery. He also expressed concern over what BJP leaders described as mounting pressure from the state police and administration on party workers. The organisational condition of the Bengal unit was reviewed as well. On the Election Commission’s Special Intensive Revision process, Modi is learnt to have instructed MPs to ensure that the exercise remains “smooth, transparent and complication-free.” Rupee crashes to below 90 per dollar, CEA says not losing sleep STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 December The Indian rupee fell sharply on Wednesday, slipping past the crucial 90-per-dollar level for the first time ever. The currency dropped to a new record low of 90.13 against the US dollar, breaking its previous all-time low of 89.9475 touched just a day earlier. The decline in the rupee came amid weak trade and portfolio flows, along with growing uncertainty over the India-US trade deal. These factors kept the currency under continuous pressure throughout the session. The sharp fall in the rupee also weighed on domestic equity markets. The Nifty index slipped below the 26,000 mark ~reflecting cautious sentiment among investors. The Sensex also dropped nearly 200 points in early trade as the weakening currency raised concerns about inflation and foreign investor activity. Chief Economic Advisor V Anantha Nageswaran, meanwhile, said the rupee is set to improve against the dollar next year, and right now, it is not hurting our exports or inflation. "It will come back next year. Right now, it's not hurting our exports or inflation. I am not losing my sleep over it. If it has to depreciate, now probably is the right time," Mr Nageswaran said on the sidelines of a Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) event in New Delhi. Notably, the rupee has slipped about 4-5 per cent since April amid sustained dollar strength. The rupee is depreciating amid foreign institutional investor (FII) outflows and sustained buying of dollars by banks. Recently, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has allowed the currency to largely follow market dynamics, intervening only to curb excessive volatility. India's GDP has shown growth of 8.2 per cent in Q2 FY26, following a 7.8 per cent rise in the June quarter. Inflation has stayed below the RBI’s targets, with retail inflation cooling to 0.25 per cent in October due to recordlow food prices. • Another report: Page 10