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 Sacred trust US, Iran agree to halt attacks, resume Qatar talks on 30 June after Gulf flare-up Page 8 Page 11 BRIEFLY India to lift fuel sale curbs for commercial buyers from 1 July: New Delhi: The Centre on Monday decided to withdraw temporary restrictions on the retail sale of petrol and diesel to commercial consumers from July 1, restoring normal fuel purchases for industrial, institutional and transport sector users after a brief period of curbs aimed at safeguarding domestic fuel supplies. According to a government order, commercial buyers will once again be allowed to purchase petrol and diesel from retail fuel stations without quantity restrictions. The move brings to an end measures introduced earlier this month amid concerns over disruptions in global energy trade and uneven fuel demand patterns. With the withdrawal of these measures, transport operators, industrial users and other commercial consumers will be able to resume fuel purchases from retail outlets without any limitations. LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Tuesday, 30 June 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | PERSPECTIVE Pakistan plays to its internal audience Canada edges South Africa 1-0 in knockout opener Page 16 Page 9 ‘Destroy property, lose property’, CM defends twin public order bills STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Bengal govt announces committee headed by retired SC judge to prepare blueprint for UCC: Kolkata, 29 June F raming the newly enacted public order laws as a decisive break from what he described as years of political violence and administrative inaction, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday launched a blistering attack on his predecessor Mamata Banerjee in the West Bengal Assembly, accusing her of sacrificing governance at the altar of vote-bank politics. The Chief Minister was speaking in the assembly in support of the two landmark legislations aimed at curbing riots, vandalism and organised crime. The remarks came as the Assembly passed the West Bengal Maintenance of Public Order (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the West Bengal Public Safety and Control of Anti-Social Activities Bill, 2026. “Had the previous govern- PM hails Indian diaspora as living bridge between India and Seychelles ment acted in time and distinguished between Raj Dharma and vote-bank politics, these families would not have had to come here seeking justice today. The people did not merely defeat you in the election; they rejected you,” he said. Beginning his speech, Mr Adhikari pointed towards the visitors’ gallery, where families of victims of political violence were present, including relatives of Diamond Harbour’s Raju Samanta, Murshidabad victims Hargobinda Das and Chandan Das, and the family of Nandigram’s Debabrata Maiti. Without naming Mamata Banerjee, Mr Adhikari referred to her former Assembly seat and said, “The person who used to sit here lost to me twice in Nandigram. During the protests against the Waqf Amendment Bill, Mothabari was set on fire and selectively Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Monday announced a major step towards the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state by constituting a new committee headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court to recommend a blueprint for the proposed legislation. The committee, to be headed by former apex court judge Justice Ranjana Prakash Desai (retired), will submit its recommendations within the next four weeks, following which the Bill to implement the UCC in the state will be placed on the floor of the Assembly, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced. The draft of the UCC Bill will be brought for approval by the state Cabinet at a meeting on 2 July. The other members of the committee will include a retired Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer, a legal expert, an educationist, a social worker and an Additional Secretary in the General Administration Department of the West Bengal government. Hindu-owned shops were looted while Muslim-owned establishments were spared. The then government could have immediately deployed central forces, but failed to act because of vote-bank considerations.” Defending the newly enacted laws, Mr Adhikari said their objective was not political vendetta but ensuring accountability for those involved in riots and destruction of property. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 29 June Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday described the Indian community in Seychelles as a “living bridge’ between the two nations, praising its enduring contribution to the island country's development while preserving India's cultural heritage, as he concluded a landmark three-day State Visit. The PM’s interaction with members of the Indian diaspora in Victoria reflected the central role the community has played in nurturing the close historical and cultural ties between India and Seychelles, even as both countries seek to deepen cooperation in maritime security, sustainable development, and regional stability across the Indian Ocean. Modi received a warm welcome on his arrival at his hotel in Victoria, where members of the diaspora greeted him with traditional Kutch folk dance performances, sacred mantra chanting and the waving of the Indian Tricolour. Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister commended the diaspora for keeping Indian traditions alive thousands of kilometres away from India. Later, in a series of posts on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said, “Had a wonderful interaction with members of the Indian community in Seychelles. They are making effective contributions to Seychelles’ progress. At the same time, their connection with India is still very strong.” Amid PM’s packed schedule, buzz intensifies over Cabinet, BJP organisational rejig ‘anytime now’ VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 29 June Divine bath Hindu priests perform aarti and offer prayers to the idols of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra during the Snan Yatra at Jagannathpur Temple in Ranchi on Monday. UNI A reshuffle in the Union Council of Ministers appears certain, with indications that the exercise could take place “any time now”, before the Monsoon Session of Parliament. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who on Monday returned from a three-day tour to Seychelles, is likely to travel to Indonesia, Australia and New Zealand between 6 and 11 July. Meanwhile, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi is also scheduled to visit New Delhi from 1 to 3 July for her first official visit to India for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit. The timing of the reshuffle is expected to depend on PM Modi’s schedule, sources said. “The framework for the Cabinet reshuffle and the new team of BJP president Nitin Nabin is ready, and that the Prime Minister is expected to finalise it before his next foreign visit,” they added According to those familiar with the deliberations, the ministerial reshuffle is likely to coincide with the announcement of a new BJP organisational team under Nabin. The new BJP team is expected to feature several younger faces in key organisational positions. And if the party adheres to its “one person, one post” principle, several changes can be expected in both organisation and the government. Nitin Nabin recently held consultations with some Union Ministers of State, fuelling speculation that some ministers could be moved to organisatio- nal roles, while BJP officebearers may be inducted into the Modi government. Portfolio changes are also under consideration, sources said, adding that there is a view within the top brass that key ministries require fresh leadership. While political considerations, including regional, caste and state representation, as well as organisational balance, are the key to any such exercise, with Assembly elections due next year in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Punjab, the BJP is likely to strengthen representation from these states in the Union Cabinet. Following the party’s strong performance in West Bengal, some MPs from the state could also be accommodated. Members from the breakaway Trinamul Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) factions, as well as a senior leader from the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, are under consideration for ministerial berths. However, any such move will depend on the Lok Sabha Speaker’s decision on pending disqualification petitions under the Anti-Defection Law. The buzz over the muchanticipated Cabinet reshuffle began after Prime Minister Modi met President Droupadi Murmu. Although the meeting was officially described as routine, it further fuelled speculation about an impending Cabinet reshuffle before the Monsoon Session. Meanwhile, Home Minister Amit Shah’s meeting with President Droupadi Murmu further intensified speculation about the muchanticipated reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers. The meetings, held after Union Minister George Kurian’s resignation, were interpreted as a sign of major structural and portfolio changes ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament and the Assembly elections in key states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, which goes to the polls next year. ‘Viksit Bharat ~ VB-GRAM-G’ scheme to be rolled out across the country from 1 July: Shivraj Singh Chouhan Kerala CM seeks Suvendu Adhikari’s intervention in journalist R Rajagopal’s passport renewal issue STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 29 June Union Minister for Rural Development, and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday announced that the ‘Viksit Bharat ~ VB-GRAM-G’ scheme will be implemented across the country from 1 July, replacing the existing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). He was speaking at Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan in the national capital. Chouhan informed the conference that an interim approval of Rs 95,682 crore has already been granted for the implementation of the new programme. Urging state governments to complete all required procedural formalities without delay, the Union Minister said timely compliance would ensure smooth rollout of the scheme and uninterrupted delivery of its benefits to rural households across the country. On the second day of the two-day Rashtriya Gramin Vikas Sammelan, titled ‘Gramodaya Se Rashtrodaya’ and held at the Pusa Campus in New Delhi, Chouhan held extensive deliberations with Rural Development Ministers from 29 states and Union Territories. The conference not only reviewed the implementation and progress of major rural development schemes but also evolved concrete strategies to translate Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Developed Villages ~ Developed India’ (Viksit Gram ~ Viksit Bharat) into reality under his leadership and guidance. Addressing the gathering, Chouhan noted that villages are not merely clusters of soil, fields and village squares; they represent India’s strength, India’s consciousness and the very soul of the nation. He stressed that the dream Thiruvananthapuram, 29 June of a prosperous and developed India cannot be realised unless villages become prosperous, self-reliant and developed, adding that national progress is impossible without the progress of rural India. For the first time, Rural Development Ministers, senior government officials and policymakers from 29 states and Union Territories assembled on a common platform to deliberate exclusively on the future of rural development. The Sammelan was attended by Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma, Rural Development Ministers from various states and other senior representatives. The gathering reflected the true spirit of cooperative federalism, where political differences were set aside and the focus remained firmly on accelerating development, improving governance and strengthening collaboration between the Centre and the states for the benefit of rural communities across the country. Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan has written to West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, requesting his urgent intervention to resolve the stalled passport renewal application of senior journalist and former editor of The Telegraph, R Rajagopal. Rajagopal, the former editor of The Telegraph, has had his passport renewal delayed because his name was removed from the voter list during the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) program, which subsequently led to an unfavourable verification report from the Kolkata police. “I understand that the adverse report is based on the deletion of his name from the electoral roll during the Special Intensive Revision. While the electoral issue is being addressed through the appropriate appeal process, I am informed that the police report has resulted in a delay in the renewal of his passport,” Satheesan said in the letter. The Chief Minister highlighted that Rajagopal, a Malayali, is a distinguished journalist with three decades of experience in Kolkata. He added that the veteran journalist is the son of Professor V. Rajagopal, a highly respected public servant and former state secretary of the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi in Kerala. “In these circumstances, I would like to request your good self to kindly look into the matter urgently” CM Satheesan said in the letter Rajagopal's name was removed from the voter list during the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR). The Kolkata Police reportedly issued an unfavourable police verification report purely because his name no longer appeared on the electoral rolls. Even though Rajagopal provided alternate identity verification documents, the passport office flagged them as insufficient. As his passport was not renewed in time, Rajagopal was prevented from travelling to California to attend his daughter’s wedding. Rajagopal originally made the revelation by writing a detailed note shared on social media. He highlighted that he is among 27 lakh West Bengal residents excluded due to “logical discrepancies”. He publicly questioned how marginalised citizens could cope if an editor of a major newspaper faces such “civic uncertainty”.