FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 BRIEFLY WB govt drops ‘Dham’ from Digha Jagannath shrine: Kolkata: Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday announced that his government has decided to drop the word “Dham” from the Digha Jagannath temple, acceding to the request of Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi. Announcing the decision at a virtual press conference from Nabanna, the state secretariat, Mr Adhikari noted that the use of “Dham” ~ introduced by the previous Mamata Banerjee government ~ had sparked unnecessary controversy and hurt the sentiments of devotees in Odisha. “As the word Dham was not in consonance with Sanatan culture and gave rise to discord, I had expressed my reservations even then as Leader of the Opposition. The present government has therefore decided to do away with the word and rename the shrine as Sri Sri Jagannath Cultural Centre. Previously, it was called Sri Sri Jagannath Dham Cultural Centre,” he said. | Pages 12 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI BHUBANESWAR Bengal CID searches TMC office at Mamata’s residence STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 9 June T he West Bengal CID on Tuesday evening conducted a search at the Trinamul Congress central office in Kalighat, adjacent to the residence of former chief minister and TMC chairperson Mamata Banerjee following a stand-off with party leaders and security personnel. The search operation is part of the investigation into an alleged signature-forgery controversy involving party legislators. A team of CID investigators also visited the Camac Street office of TMC national general secretary Abhishek Banerjee. A large CID contingent, accompanied by police personnel, central forces and women police officers, reached the Kalighat office around noon. However, investigators were initially prevented from entering the premises and had to wait outside for nearly an hour. The standoff began after former TMC MP and party treasurer Subhasish Chakraborty objected to the search. He told CID officials that both Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee were in New Delhi to attend a meeting of the INDIA bloc and that he was in charge of the office in their absence. According to him, he could not authorise entry into the premises without their consent. CID officials repeatedly informed him that the search was being conducted as part of an ongoing investigation and was not dependent on the presence of any particular individual. Investigators also showed him a notice that had been issued to Abhishek Banerjee and sought permission to carry out the search. Subhasish, however, maintained that he lacked the authority to grant access. PM Modi, Kuwait Amir discuss West Asia situation, stress need for dialogue, de-escalation STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 9 June PM Modi with the Amir of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, during a meeting at Bayan Palace in Kuwait. FILE PHOTO | Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday held a telephone conversation with the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah. During the conversation, the two leaders reviewed the evolving security situation in West Asia and discussed efforts to restore peace and stability in the region. According to an official government release, the discussion focused on the recent escalation of tensions in West Asia and its implications for regional security. Mr Modi expressed India's deep concern over the deteriorating situation and reaffirmed New Delhi's strong support for Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. “Prime Minister expressed deep concern over the escalation of tensions and reaffirmed India's strong condemnation of attacks on Kuwait’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” the release said. The Prime Minister reiterated India’s longstanding position that dialogue and diplomacy remain the most effective means to address regional conflicts and called for immediate efforts to reduce tensions. “Prime Minister reiterated the call for de-escalation, dialogue and diplomacy for the earliest restoration of peace and stability,” the statement added. The conversation also underscored the close ties between India and Kuwait, particularly concerning the large Indian expatriate community residing in the Gulf nation. Modi conveyed his appreciation to the Kuwaiti leadership for ensuring the welfare and security of Indian nationals during a period of heightened regional uncertainty. “Prime Minister thanked His Highness the Amir for his personal attention to the continued well-being and the safety of the large Indian community in Kuwait,” the release said. The office at 30B Harish Chatterjee Street serves both as the TMC’s party office and the address associated with Mamata Banerjee’s residence. After prolonged discussions and exchanges with party leaders, the investigating team was finally allowed to enter the premises shortly after 4 p.m. The search operation at the Kalighat office continued under heavy security deployment, with police and central forces stationed outside the premises. The alleged signatureforgery case centres on claims that signatures of some TMC MLAs were forged on a letter sent by Abhishek Banerjee to Assembly Speaker Rathindra Bose relating to the appointment of the Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly. The meeting at which legislators’ signatures were reportedly collected had taken place at the Kalighat office now under scrutiny. | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Wednesday, 10 June 2026 India wants Pakistan held accountable for PoK unrest NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 9 June Coming down heavily on Islamabad over the ongoing unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), India on Tuesday called on the international community to hold Pakistan accountable for its “misdeeds and abuses”. New Delhi’s reaction came after as many as 12 people, including eight protesters and four security personnel, were reportedly killed as clashes erupted between the members of the Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) and law enforcement personnel in Rawalakot city of Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK). Addressing his weekly media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, while responding to a media query, expressed grave concern over the heavy-handed crackdown by Pakistani security forces on civilians who have been protesting against economic hardship and lack of basic rights in the occupied territory. “There are reports of police brutality in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir in which several people have been killed and there are several more who have been injured. We hope the international community will hold Pakistan accountable for its misdeeds and abuses,” the MEA spokesperson said. The remarks come amid widespread protests in PoK, where residents have taken to the streets to demonstrate over issues including governance, economic hardship, and the allocation of reserved legislative seats. Soaring inflation, high electricity bills, and the scarcity of essential commodities are some of the other issues over which the protesters are demonstrating. Local media reports have suggested that the Pakistani administration has deployed paramilitary forces to quell the dissent, leading to violent clashes and casualties. • Another report:Page 10 PM to visit France, Slovakia next week STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 9 June Prime Minister Narendra Modi will undertake a week-long visit to France and Slovakia from 13 June primarily to participate in the G7 Summit to be held at Evian, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Tuesday. At the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron, the PM will be in France from 13-14 June (Nice) and 16-19 June (Evian and Paris). He will be in Slovakia from 14-16 June. In the first leg of the visit, Mr Modi will visit Nice for a bilateral meeting with the French President. Both leaders will review the full spectrum of the IndiaFrance bilateral relationship, which was elevated to the level of a Special Global Strategic Partnership earlier this year. In Nice, both leaders will also jointly inaugurate the ‘Bharat Innovates’ event, which will bring together top innovation startups and Venture Capital funds from India, France, and other countries. On the second leg of his visit, at the invitation of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, the PM will pay a State Visit to the Slovak Republic from 14 to 16 June. This will be the first-ever visit by an Indian PM to Slovakia since its independence in 1993. On the third leg of the visit, he will participate in the G7 Summit in Evian, France, on 16-17 June. During the Summit, he will exchange views with G7 leaders, and those from PM Modi with President of Slovakia Peter Pellegrini during a meeting on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi. FILE PHOTO invited partner countries and international organisations. On the final leg of the visit, Mr Modi will visit Paris on 18 French President Emmanuel Macron meets PM Modi on the sidelines of the India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam. FILE PHOTO June for further bilateral engagements, and to attend the VivaTech Summit, Europe’s largest technology and startup event. From Nehru to Modi: A historic milestone and the story of two eras of India SHAHID K ABBAS New Delhi, 9 June When Prime Minister Narendra Modi completes 4,399 consecutive days in office on Wednesday, 10 June, he will cross a political milestone that few thought would be matched in modern India. With that, Mr Modi will officially surpass Jawaharlal Nehru’s record of 4,398 uninterrupted days as an elected Prime Minister, becoming the longestserving democratically elected Prime Minister in the country’s history. The moment is significant not merely because of the numbers involved. It represents the crossing of a historical bridge between two defining political epochs of independent India ~ the era of Jawaharlal Nehru, who laid the foundations of a newly independent nation, and the era of Narendra Modi, who has presided over India’s rise as a global power in the digital age. For students of Indian politics, the symbolism is striking. Nehru's uninterrupted tenure from May 1952 until his death in May 1964 coincided with the formative years of the Republic. India was a young nation grappling with the scars of Partition, widespread poverty, low literacy and fragile institutions. The challenge before Nehru was not merely to govern but to build a nation from the ground up. His government established the architecture of parliamentary democracy, strengthened constitutional institutions and proved that universal adult franchise could function successfully in a vast and diverse country. Under his leadership, India embarked on planned economic development through the Five-Year Plans, built iconic public sector enterprises and created what he famously described as the “temples of modern India” ~ large dams, steel plants and scientific institutions. The foundations of India’s ‘12 years of governance have strengthened India’s path to self-reliance’: New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said the NDA government’s 12-year journey at the Centre has been marked by an unwavering commitment to nation-building, inclusive development and public welfare. Marking 12 years of his government, Mr Modi took to X to reflect on the administration’s achievements and reaffirm its resolve to realise the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047. “Dedication and a spirit of service towards nation-building have been our invaluable assets. It is through continuous efforts over the past 12 years, inspired by the spirit of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ (Together with All, Development for All), that today we are moving towards a strong and self-reliant India,” the Prime Minister said. Emphasising the government's focus on welfare and empowerment, Modi said the past 12 years had been devoted to strengthening trust between citizens and the government while ensuring development reached every section of society. “Our government’s past 12 years have been dedicated to trust, development, and public welfare. Guided by the blessings of 1.4 billion Indians and the spirit of ‘Nation First,’ we have left no stone unturned in empowering our youth, women, and farmer brothers and sisters,” he said. The Prime Minister said India's transformation across multiple sectors had enhanced its standing on the global stage and created new opportunities for growth and innovation. “It is the result of our relentless efforts that the country has gained a new identity across the world today, from infrastructure development to the digital revolution,” Mr Modi said. scientific and technological capabilities were also laid during his tenure. Institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology, the Department of Atomic Energy and numerous research establishments emerged from Nehru’s belief that scientific temper would be the key to India’s future. In foreign policy, Nehru’s leadership helped shape the Non-Aligned Movement, allowing India to maintain strategic autonomy during the Cold War while projecting its voice on the global stage. “Whatever one’s political perspective, it is impossible to understand modern India without understanding Nehru’s contribution to institution-building and democratic consolidation,” noted political historian Ramachandra Guha in several of his writings on post-Independence India. More than six decades later, Mr Modi’s rise reflects a very different India and a very different political journey. Unlike Nehru, whose emergence was intertwined with the freedom struggle and the Congress movement, Mr Modi rose from the organisational ranks of the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. His political ascent was built through electoral success, first as Chief Minister of Gujarat and later as Prime Minister. Since taking office on 26 May 2014, Me Modi has secured three consecutive mandates in 2014, 2019 and 2024 ~ a feat unprecedented for a non-Congress leader. He is also the first non-Congress Prime Minister to lead a majority government for three successive terms. His decade in office has coincided with one of the most transformative periods in India’s economic and technological evolution. The expansion of Digital Public Infrastructure through Aadhaar-linked governance, the Jan Dhan-AadhaarMobile architecture and the Unified Payments Interface has fundamentally altered how citizens interact with the state and the economy. India today processes billions of digital transactions every month, a transformation that has drawn attention from governments and multilateral institutions across the world. “India’s digital public infrastructure has emerged as a global model for inclusive digital transformation,” according to several assessments by international institutions, including the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund. Mr Modi’s tenure has also witnessed a massive infrastructure push. New highways, expressways, airports, freight corridors and railway modernisation projects have altered India’s physical landscape. Flagship initiatives such as PM Gati Shakti, Bharatmala, Sagarmala and the rollout of Vande Bharat trains have become central pillars of the government’s development narrative. Alongside infrastructure, welfare delivery has undergone a significant transformation. Programmes such as the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Jal Jeevan Mission, Swachh Bharat Mission and Ayushman Bharat have sought to improve living standards through direct intervention in housing, sanitation, drinking water and healthcare. • Turn to Page 5