FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI Goyal holds talks with Israel delegation on FTA Page 12 Sri Lanka arrests former intelligence chief over 2019 Easter Sunday bombings NATION BJP chief calls Rahul Gandhi ‘puppet of foreign powers’ Page 5 Page 11 PM begins Israel visit to boost strategic ties West Indies v South Africa India v Zimbabwe BRIEFLY Pakistan PM would have died, says Trump: Washington: US President Trump said that the war between India & Pakistan could have turned nuclear & that he saved the Pakistani PM's life by allegedly preventing escalation. "Pakistan and India would have been a nuclear war; 35 million people... the PM of Pakistan, would have died if it were not for my involvement," Trump claimed. He also lauded the US military’s actions in Venezuela, terming them "one of the most complex, spectacular feats of military competence and power in world history". NIKHIL VYAS P It is understood the two leaders also discussed other critical issues like defence, security and counter-terrorism. "Deeply touched by the warm welcome extended by my friend, PM Netanyahu. May the India-Israel friendship continue to soar higher!'', PM Modi said in another post on X. The meeting between the two Prime Ministers was held at the Ben-Gurion International Airport shortly after PM Modi's arrival in the country. In a special gesture, on arrival at the airport in Tel Aviv, PM Modi was received by Netanyahu and his spouse Sara Netanyahu and accorded a ceremonial welcome. "You are a great leader," said Netanyahu after the two leaders exchanged a warm hug at the tarmac. A small yet striking detail drew attention as the leaders interacted with each other. PM Netanyahu pointed to the matching colour of the pocket square of Prime Minister Modi and the outfit of Sara Netanyahu. "That's saffron," PM Modi said with a smile. SC takes suo motu cognisance of NCERT book referring to ‘corruption in judiciary’ PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 25 February The Supreme C our t on Wednesday to ok strong exception to portions of a new Class 8 Social Science textb o ok issued by the National C ouncil of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), which reportedly carries a chapter referring to “corruption in the judiciary”. Taking suo motu cognisance of the contents, Chief Justice Surya Kant heading a bench also comprising Justice Joymalya Bagchi, said, “As head of the institution. I have done my duty and I have taken cognisance. This seems to be a calculated move. I won't say much.” The issue was raised before the Bench by senior advocate Kapil Sibal in the course of mentioning at the start of the day, who expressed concern that school students were being taught about alleged corruption in the judiciary. The Chief Justice indicated that the Court would examine the matter on its own and would not permit any attempt to defame the institution. He said that both Bar and Bench, including High Court judges, are concerned over it. Justice Joymalya Bagchi also expressed serious concern, observing that it was an attack on the basic structure of the Constitution. “The book seems to go against the basic structure itself,” he said. According to a media report brought before the Court, the chapter discusses “corruption at various levels of the judiciary” as part of a lesson on the role of the judiciary in society. It also refers to challenges such as backlogs of cases and infrastructure issues. Terming the attack as “selective”, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi pointed to other public institutions which are known for corruption, but corruption in the judiciary has been highlighted. India must win big in Super 8 clash against Zimbabwe today TRIDIB BAPARNASH New Delhi, 25 February Defending champions India national cricket team find themselves in unfamiliar territory ahead of their second Super 8 fixture of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 under pressure, nursing a bruised net run rate, and searching for answers at the top of the order. The Chepauk surface — the same used in the Afghanistan–New Zealand fixture earlier in the tournament — appeared truer than others seen so far, with New Zealand comfortably chasing a target of over 180. India need more than just wins to stay alive for semis: India’s thumping 76-run defeat to South Africa has turned their ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 campaign into a tightrope walk. The loss in their opening Super 8 fixture has left the Suryakumar Yadav-led side bottom of Group 1 with zero points and a damaging net run rate (NRR) of -3.800. Yet, elimination is not imminent. India still control part of their destiny but the margin for error has vanished. At present, West Indies sit atop the group with an imposing NRR of +5.350 after a 107-run demolition of Zimbabwe. South Africa are second with +3.800. India and Zimbabwe trail behind. The equations: The simplest path for India is clear — win their remaining two matches against Zimbabwe and West Indies, and hope South Africa defeat the West Indies (earlier on Thursday). If that happens, Battle of The Unbeatens: WI face SA in crucial Super 8 clash Page 16 ECI plans to delete names of 1.2 cr genuine voters clandestinely: CM India expresses support for Gaza peace initiative: New Delhi, 25 February rime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday held wide-ranging talks with his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu aimed at boosting bilateral ties besides regional issues, shortly after he arrived in the Jewish nation for a two-day State visit. In a post on X after a brief one-on-one meeting, PM Modi said, "Had an excellent meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu. Expressed gratitude to him for the warm welcome earlier in the day. It is a delight to be back in Israel after 9 years. We discussed a wide range of subjects aimed at boosting bilateral ties. Sectors such as technology, water management, agriculture, talent partnership and more offer immense scope for close collaboration. We also discussed key developments in the region." Thursday, 26 February 2026 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | South Africa would move to four points (and potentially six if they beat Zimbabwe), leaving India and West Indies to fight for the second qualification spot. Should India beat both Zimbabwe and West Indies in that scenario, they would finish on four points while West Indies would remain on two, making NRR irrelevant. The complication arises if West Indies defeat South Africa. In that case, the group could tighten dramatically. If India win both their remaining matches, and South Africa defeat Zimbabwe, all three — India, South Africa and West Indies — could finish on four points. Qualification would then hinge on net run rate, where India are currently at a severe disadvantage. How do India repair the NRR deficit? Because India lost to South Africa by 76 runs, they would ideally need a victory of similar scale to swing their numbers back into positive territory. If Zimbabwe bat first and post 150, India would need to chase the target down in roughly 11 overs to neutralise the negative NRR. A higher total, say 180, would demand an even faster pursuit, around 11.4 overs, to produce the kind of correction required. That sort of acceleration is rare but not impossible. West Indies provided a template when they blasted 150 in 13 overs against Zimbabwe earlier in the Super 8 stage. However, India’s batting so far has struggled to maintain sustained momentum beyond the powerplay, with the exception of the Namibia fixture earlier in the tournament. For India, therefore, the equation is straightforward but unforgiving two wins are non-negotiable. Beyond that, the size and speed of those victories could determine whether the defending champions advance or bow out early. The semi-final door remains open but only just. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday asserted that countering terrorism requires sustained and coordinated global action, because terror anywhere threatens peace everywhere. Addressing the Israeli Parliament, Knesset, PM Modi said "Nothing can justify terrorism." PM Modi was conferred with the Speaker of the Knesset Medal by Israel’s Parliament on Wednesday, becoming the first Indian Prime Minister to receive the legislature’s highest honour. Earlier, Members of the Israeli Parliament, the Knesset, gave a standing ovation and a huge round of applause to Modi as he arrived at the venue to give a landmark address - the first-ever by an Indian PM. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 25 February Coming down heavily on the Election Commission of India (ECI), Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said it is trying to delete the names of 1.2 crore genuine voters clandestinely. She was addressing a gathering after inaugurating Man Stambh, a sacred monument of the Jain community in Bhowanipore this afternoon. She said: “Democracy is under severe threat under the ECI. They are not executing the order of the Supreme Court. After submitting all documents, the names of genuine voters have been deleted. I am fighting for democracy. It does not matter that whose names have been deleted illegally are supporters of Trinamul Congress, or BJP or CPIM or Congress. Their constitutional rights have been jeopardised. I am praying for justice. I feel for those whose names will be deleted. Live and let live. Give up arbitrary decisions that lead to harassment of people,” she said. Calling Bhowanipore, her Assembly constituency “a mini India”, she said, “People from different religions, caste and faith have lived peacefully in Bhowanipore for many generations. People from all religious communities take part in Durga Puja, Christmas or Eid. This is our culture and tradition. I am happy to inaugurate Man Stambh, where religious instructions have been written in four languages.” Miss Banerjee also inaugurated a slew of projects and inaugurated new ones virtually. She said Rs 850 crores have been spent to inaugurate new projects which include mother and child hubs at various places and inauguration of a 100-bed hospital. In Alipurduar hospital, a 50-bed critical care unit was inaugurated. “These projects will benefit the people and will meet their long standing demand.” She flagged off more than 100 CNG buses and bikes fitted with firefighting gadgets. She also inaugurated 20 solar power-driven high mast lamps. A hostel for construction workers worth Rs 15 crore was opened virtually from the function. She began distribution of 12 lakh bicycles under the Sabuj Sathi project to the students of Class XII. From 2015-16 till date more than 1.50 crore bicycles have been distributed among the students of Classes IX to XII of state-run, sponsored schools and madrasas. The state government has spent Rs 5,000 crore on the project. Miss Banerjee laid the foundation stone of a cultural centre for the minority communities.