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 | Wednesday, 24 December 2025 SPORTS WORLD NDA seat-sharing in TN Ricky Ponting urges Harry Brook to rework his approach in Australia Page 8 ‘Smart for Maduro to step down’: Trump Page 12 NATION NATION Left-wing extremism close to eradication: Prez Murmu Page 9 Page 5 BRIEFLY Bishops appeal to Shah for protection of Christians New Delhi: Condemning what it described as an "alarming rise" in attacks on Christians across several states, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) has urged Union Home Minister Amit Shah to ensure strict enforcement of law and provide proactive protection to Christian communities so that Christmas can be celebrated peacefully. Expressing deep anguish, the CBCI said targeted incidents during the Christmas season, particularly against peaceful carol singers and worshippers gathered in churches, gravely undermine India’s constitutional guarantees of freedom of religion and the right to live and worship without fear. The bishops’ body said it was particularly shocked by a viral video from Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, in which a visually challenged woman attending a Christmas programme was allegedly publicly abused and physically harassed by BJP city vice-president Anju Bhargava. Unnao rape case: Delhi HC suspends sentence of Kuldeep Sengar New Delhi: Giving conditional relief to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday suspended the life sentence awarded to him in the 2017 Unnao rape case. A Division Bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar granted bail to Sengar during the pendency of his appeal challenging the conviction. The Justice Prasad-led Bench ordered Sengar’s release on a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh with three sureties of the amount. The court directed that Sengar will not come within a five-kilometre radius of the victim’s residence and shall remain in Delhi for the duration of the bail. Pan-India protests over brutal killing of Hindu man in B’desh Bangladesh summons Indian envoy over ‘attacks’ on missions UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Dhaka, 23 December New Delhi, 23 December P rotests erupted across the country on Tuesday over the killing of a Hindu labourer in Bangladesh, triggering demonstrations in New Delhi, Kolkata, Agartala and other cities, with police baton charging unruly activists in the eastern metropolis. The incident in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh, where a factory worker Dipu Chandra Das was lynched and burnt on Thursday, came on top of attacks on Indian missions in that country. The upshot of the violence in Bangladesh has been the deepening of diplomatic tensions between New Delhi and Dhaka. In Kolkata, demonstrations over the killing turned violent near the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in the Beckbagan-Park Circus area in the southern part of the city. Protesters affiliated with the VHP, Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Hindu Jagaran Manch (HJM) attempted to march to the mission to submit a memorandum but were stopped by the police. The police declared the gathering "unlawful" and later resorted to lathi-charge as During a protest march in Kolkata organised by Bangiya Hindu Jagaran condemning the killing of Bengali Hindu youth Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh. BISWAJIT GHOSHAL Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal activists protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi over attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh. SNS clashes broke out. Several protesters were injured, many detained, and traffic was disrupted in parts of central and south Kolkata. In the national capital, activists of the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) and Bajrang Dal staged a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission, condemning the killing of the 25-year-old Hindu garment worker. Protesters alleged that Das was beaten to death on accusations of blasphemy, after which his body was reportedly tied to a tree and set on fire. Chanting slogans and reciting the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’, demonstrators demanded strong action from The Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi had on Monday announced suspension of all visa issuance and consular services, citing security concerns. Similar suspensions were announced at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala, where additional police and paramilitary forces were deployed amid protests by local groups and rightleaning organisations. HJM activists, led by Sanjay Singh, also staged protests in north Bengal, forcing the temporary closure of the Bangladesh Visa Application Centre in Siliguri after effigies of Bangladesh’s interim government head Muhammad Yunus were burned. The groups demanded an end to alleged attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and called for a boycott of Bangladeshi goods. The protests come amid a broader diplomatic strain. India had briefly suspended visa services in Dhaka last week following protests targeting the Indian High Commission over the death of Bangladeshi activist Sharif Osman Hadi. While most Indian Visa Application Centres in Bangladesh remain operational for humanitarian reasons, particularly medical travel, the centre in Chittagong remains shut following a mob attack on the Indian mission premises. Bangladesh on Tuesday expressed grave concern over what it called attacks on its diplomatic missions in India, summoning the Indian High Commissioner to protest incidents in New Delhi and Siliguri, according to a Bangladesh Foreign Ministry statement. “Bangladesh condemns such acts of premeditated violence or intimidation against diplomatic establishments, which not only endanger the safety of diplomatic personnel but also undermine the principles of mutual respect and values of peace and tolerance,” it added. The Bangladesh Foreign Ministry condemned the violence, citing threats to diplomatic personnel and establishments, and urged India to ensure their safety and security. “The Government of Bangladesh called upon the Government of India to conduct a thorough investigation into the incidents, to take all necessary measures to prevent the recurrence of such acts and to ensure safety and security of Bangladesh’s diplomatic missions and related facilities in India,” the statement said. The incidents cited include vandalism at the Bangladesh Visa Centre in Siliguri on 22 December 2025 and a protest outside the Bangladesh High Commission in New Delhi on 20 December 2025. “The Government of Bangladesh expects the Government of India to immediately take appropriate steps in accordance with its international and diplomatic obligations to safeguard the dignity and security of diplomatic personnel and establishments,” it said. Bangladesh has suspended visa operations in Delhi and Siliguri, citing security concerns, a foreign ministry official told agencies. “In Delhi, an incident occurred in which a group of people surrounded the Bangladesh High Commission. After this event, Bangladesh expressed concerns over security. As a result, no visas are currently being issued from the Bangladesh High Commission in Delhi," the official said. India announces $450 million relief Why some Congress leaders package for Lanka after Cyclone Ditwah are rooting for Priyanka STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 December External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Tuesday announced India’s decision to offer a reconstruction package of USD 450 million to Sri Lanka in the wake of ‘Cyclone Ditwah’. At a meeting with his Sri Lankan counterpart Vijitha Herath in Colombo, Mr Jaishankar, who is visiting the island nation as Special Envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, said he had this morning met Sri Lankan NTA to introduce facial biometric checks, live photography across entrance exams from 2026 AGENCIES New Delhi, 23 December The National Testing Agency (NTA) would implement facial biometric authentication during examinations and live photography at the application stage to strengthen exam security across all entrance examinations, beginning with JEE (Mains) in January 2026. The move is aimed at curbing impersonation and other malpractices by ensuring real-time identity verification of candidates at multiple stages of the examination process, officials said. "They will be implementing a facial recognition system during the examination and Bangladeshi authorities and international intervention to protect Hindu minorities. Tensions escalated as protesters attempted to breach police barricades, prompting police intervention and baton-charge. Security around the Bangladesh High Commission was tightened with a three-tier arrangement. VHP president Alok Kumar said the killing was a direct attack on secularism, democracy and freedom of expression, alleging that Das was targeted merely for stating that all religions are equal. He also criticised Bangladesh’s interim leadership over radical elements and warned against threats to India’s sovereignty. AGENCIES live photography during the filing of the application," Secretary of Higher Education Vineet Joshi said during a media interaction. “This will be implemented from January, from JEE (Mains),” he added. Facial biometric verification confirms a person's identity by analysing unique facial features, such as the distance between the eyes or the shape of the nose, to create a digital template for comparison with stored data, often using AI for analysis. Meanwhile, a real-time photo capture via webcam or phone is used during online application or exam processes to prevent impersonation. The Joint Entrance Examination (Main) 2026, conducted by NTA, is scheduled from 21 to 30 January 2026. NTA conducts major entrance examinations, including the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main for engineering; the National Eligibility Cum Entrance TestUndergraduate (NEET-UG) for medicine; and the CUET for general Undergraduate and Postgraduate programmes in central universities. President Anura Kumara Disanayaka to personally deliver a letter from the Indian leader. “We had a detailed discussion on the damage caused by Cyclone Ditwah. The letter from Prime Minister Modi that I handed over builds on our First Responder role and commits a reconstruction package of $450 million to Sri Lanka. Our talks centred on how expeditiously this commitment can be delivered,’’ he added. Mr Jaishankar said the assistance package that India has proposed will include USD 350 million in concessional Lines of Credit and USD 100 million in grants. This package is being finalised in close consultations with the Government of Sri Lanka. “Our assistance will cover sectors worst affected by the cyclone, including: rehabilitation and restoration of road, railway and bridge connectivity; support for construction of houses fully destroyed and partially damaged; support for health and education systems, in particular, those that have been damaged by the cyclone; agriculture, including to address possible shortages in the short and medium term and working towards better disaster response and preparedness,’’ he added. BJP slams Rahul for ‘India bashing’ comments in Germany AGENCIES New Delhi, 23 December The BJP lashed out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his recent remarks about the future of India and vote theft, in a press conference on Tuesday, calling his statements “an example of India-bashing” for levelling allegations on the Indian democratic system on foreign soil. The saffron party’s spokesperson, Shehzaad Poonawalla, said: “The same Rahul Gandhi, who is sometimes seen with people associated with organisations having anti-India thinking, sometimes secretly meets those spewing poison against the country regarding Kashmir, and sometimes goes and stands on platforms that defame India,” he said. The BJP spokesperson's remarks come after Rahul Gandhi, at a gathering in the Hertie School in Berlin, Germany, reiterated his allegation that the BJP is “capturing” the country’s institutional framework, terming it an “attack” on the democratic system. VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 23 December The buzz around Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has always been there, only now it has become more evident, especially after the recently-concluded winter session of Parliament. In fact, a significant section of the party views her as a more effective and relatable leader, citing her “natural connect with people, command over Hindi, sharp sense of humour, and conversational speaking style”. Priyanka on Tuesday also earned open praise for political leadership from her husband, businessman Robert Vadra, and Congress MP Imran Masood, both of whom said that she has the experience, conviction and political lineage to assume a larger leadership role. Masood went a step further, saying that if Priyanka were Prime Minister, she would respond forcefully like her grandmother, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. “Is Priyanka Gandhi the Prime Minister? Make her the Prime Minister and see how she will retaliate like Indira Gandhi. She is Priyanka Gandhi. She has Gandhi added behind her name. She is the granddaughter of Indira Gandhi, who inflicted so much damage on Pakistan that those wounds still haven't healed. Make her the Prime Minister and see how she will retaliate. You won't dare to do that,” Mr Masood was quoted as saying. The renewed attention on Priyanka follows smiling photographs of the Congress MP from Wayanad at the customary tea hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on December 19, marking the end of Parliament’s Winter Session. Priyanka was seen engaging easily and comfortably with BJP leaders. She also shared some light moments with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The interaction got more attention as Opposition leaders have often boycotted such gatherings in previous sessions. “Her presence at the informal “chai pe charcha,” attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and leaders across party lines, signaled a rare moment of cross-party warmth after a disruption-filled session. Priyanka reportedly spoke about a Wayanad herb used for allergies. She also told the PM that she was learning Malayalam to better connect with her constituents. “Responding to PM Modi’s Tamil greeting, Priyanka humorously said in Tamil ‘all of you, please vote for Congress’ in response to PM Modi’s Tamil greeting, prompting laughter. She also asked him about his recent three-nation tour to Africa and the Middle East,” say those aware of the meeting. During the 2025 Winter Session, Priyanka led the Congress charge in the Lok Sabha while her brother, Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, was in Germany. Her articulate interventions, particularly during the Vande Mataram debate, earned praise from party colleagues. Of late she also drew attention for raising concerns over violence against Hindu, Christian and Buddhist minorities in Bangladesh following the murder of Hindu youth Deepu Chandra Das. While resemblance to Indira Gandhi is seen as one if the biggest assets in energising the grassroots, especially women voters, Priyanka is seen by some as more approachable and politically mature. The Congress maintains that she and Rahul work in tandem but journalists covering the party see her as more “approachable, affable and effective” person than her brother. Recent meetings with election strategist Prashant Kishor have only fuelled speculations about her expanding role in the party.