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 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW Barricaded dissent Page 6 SILIGURI | Friday, 24 July 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | Houthis attack 2 Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to open a new front in the Iran war PERSPECTIVE Striving for the Gandhian ideal Page 9 Ind vs Zim: Sooryavanshi’s stunning fifty hands Iyer first win as captain Page 12 Page 7 PM announces fast-track courts for paper leaks, CJP rejects talks overtures STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 July A mid protests over exam irregularities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday announced the setting up of fast-track courts to deal with paper leak cases, saying protecting students’ future is the government’s “highest priority.” The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), the youth-led movement that is spearheading the ongoing protests over the alleged NEET-UG paper leak, meanwhile, has rejected government overtures for talks and called for a nationwide protest on Friday, 24 July. Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Thursday renewed the government’s invitation to the CJP to hold discussions at either BJP president JP Nadda’s residence or office. However, the CJP leadership Cockroach Janta Party calls countrywide demonstrations: New Delhi: The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a countrywide day of protest on Friday, urging students, supporters and civil society groups to stage peaceful demonstrations in districts across India over alleged police excesses during the ongoing agitation against examination-related issues. Issuing a public appeal on social media with the slogan “Every District. One Day. One Demand.”, the organisation asked participants to gather at designated venues, publicly read the students’ demands and submit memorandums to the respective district administrations. To facilitate the campaign, the CJP circulated a standard operating procedure (SOP), campaign material and a model memorandum for organisers. It advised local coordinators to secure necessary permissions, coordinate with student unions and like-minded organisations, and ensure that the protests remain orderly and non-violent. The nationwide mobilisation comes as the protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar entered another day. Demonstrators have been demanding action over alleged irregularities in competitive examinations, including NEET-UG 2026, comprehensive reforms in the examination system and the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. at Jantar Mantar rejected the proposal, insisting that any meeting should take place at a “neutral venue” and produce a “concrete” outcome. Earlier, announcing the plan to set up fast-track courts to deal with paper-leak cases in a post on social media, PM Narendra Modi said the move is aimed at ensuring quick justice and harsh punishment for those behind leaks in competitive and recruitment exams that have eroded public trust. “Nothing is more important than the welfare and future of our youth!” Mr Modi wrote, adding, “We have decided to set up fast-track courts to ensure swift and stringent punishment for those involved in paper leaks. Have directed the concerned authorities and officials to take all necessary steps in this regard. This continues our series of steps for safeguarding the interests of students.” “Those who try to harm the future of our youth will not be spared,” he said. Meanwhile, responding to government’s assurances and invitations for talks over alleged paper leaks and the CJP’s demands ~ the fourth such outreach, according to Union Minister Jitendra Singh ~ CJP spokesperson Ashutosh Ranka said on Thursday that if such talks are held, they would expect something “concrete” to emerge from it. “We want to tell Jitendra Singh ji and JP Nadda ji that we are very busy people and don’t have time for any ‘hawabaazi’. If you want to meet us, you will have to offer us something concrete. You are important people and we are small people, but the people of the country are standing behind us, and they have decided that the talks will not be held at Nadda ji’s residence or office,” Mr Ranka said, addressing supporters at Jantar Mantar. No end in sight to Parliament impasse STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 July Mass detentions after Kashmir cop’s killing STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Jammu, 23 July A day after a policeman was shot dead by terrorists in Anantnag, security forces demolished the houses of two active Lashkar-e-Taiyyaba (LeT) terrorists and launched a massive crackdown across Kashmir, detaining hundreds of suspected overground workers (OGWs). The overnight operations targeted the residences of active terrorists Adil Ahmad Thokar and Haroon Rashid in Hasanpora and Bijbehara in south Kashmir, with officials describing the action as part of an intelligence-driven offensive to dismantle the terror ecosystem following Wednesday’s attack that killed Head Constable Ashiq Hussain Qureshi in Anantnag. Reports said that explosives were detonated to demolish these houses. The blast caused damage to nearby houses. This is the second time the Thokar family’s house has been demolished, the first time after the Pahalgam terror attack in April last year. In a separate operation, the house of another LeT terrorist, Haroon Rashid, was also demolished. Both Adil and Haroon have been active terrorists since 2018. Security agencies also launched widespread raids and detained nearly 2500 suspected Over Ground Workers (OGWs) for questioning. Srinagar district alone saw around 700 detentions, while other districts such as Baramulla, Budgam, Shopian and Ganderbal also reported significant numbers. Little Protesters Children hold placards as they join protesters at Jantar Mantar during the Cockroach Janta Party’s demonstration demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged examination irregularities, in New Delhi on Thursday. SUBRATA DUTTA With government-Opposition relations at their nadir, the fourth day of the Monsoon Session of Parliament on Thursday witnessed repeated confrontations over the NEETUG paper leak and student protests, with no apparent breakthrough in sight to end the continuing impasse in the two Houses ~ the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The Opposition remained firm on its demand for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan before any discussion on the paper leaks. The government, meanwhile, reite rated its willingness to hold a detailed debate without the Opposition’s precondition. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju insisted that the Centre was ready for a discussion. “The government is ready to discuss NEET in both Houses today, but the Congress has imposed conditions, which shows it does not want the discussion to take place,” he said. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge rejected the offer, reiterating the demand for Mr Pradhan’s resignation. He also criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement on setting up fast-track courts for paper leak cases and asked the government to first fix accountability. As the standoff continued inside, MPs from both the ruling NDA and the Opposition staged counter-protests outside Parliament near the Makar Dwar, raising slogans against each other, adding to the growing hostilities between the Treasury benches and the Opposition. Speaking to reporters in the Parliament House complex, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi took a swipe at the ruling BJP for holding protests outside Parliament. While NDA members accused the Opposition of avoiding a debate on the issue, Opposition leaders maintain that the government could have initiated discussions on the very first day of the session had it been sincere. Sources, meanwhile, said the government’s efforts to engage the Opposition without agreeing to its key demand for the Education Minister’s resignation are unlikely to yield a breakthrough. EAM calls for safe, unimpeded commerce through Gas leak suspected in deadly Sikkim tunnel blast, death toll hits 25 as rescue operation ends int’l waterways; zero tolerance towards terror STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Siliguri, 23 July Preliminary findings suggest that the devastating blast inside the under-construction HR Tunnel Face-4B of the NHPC Teesta Stage VI Hydroelectric Power Project at Samardung in Sikkim’s Namchi district earlier this week may have been caused by a leakage of combustible gas, though the exact cause will be established only after a detailed expert investigation, a senior official of the Sikkim government said on Thursday. The four-day search and rescue operation was officially concluded on Thursday after the bodies of all 25 workers trapped inside the tunnel were recovered. According to the official closure report issued by Namchi District Magistrate Anupa Tamling, the explosion occurred at around 1:05 p.m. on 20 July. The National Disaster Response Force (NDRF)-led rescue operation began at 5:25 p.m. on the day of the incident and continued round the clock under extremely challenging conditions. Multiple agencies participated in the operation, which ended after the recovery of the final victim. Official records showed that 25 persons were inside the tunnel when the blast occurred, including 19 workers of PEL and six personnel of PRW Manpower. All of them lost their lives. After the recovery of the 25th victim, the NDRF carried out a final search of the tunnel at 12:30 p.m. on Thursday. Attendance records were verified with the companies concerned, and no additional workers were reported missing. Following completion of all verification and statutory formalities, the authorities officially called off the rescue operation at 3 p.m. Officials said post-mortem examinations and identification procedures are currently underway before the bodies are handed over to their families. The administration is also completing the necessary formalities to facilitate the disbursement of compensation. NHPC has announced an ex gratia payment of Rs 5 lakh to the next of kin of each deceased. The Sikkim government has announced Rs 4 lakh for each bereaved family, while the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund will provide Rs 2 lakh to the family of every deceased worker. The West Bengal government has also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh for each of the 11 victims identified as residents of Alipurduar and Jalpaiguri districts. Authorities said the compensation process would begin after the completion of identification and other legal formalities. Attacks on maritime shipping and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable and commerce through international waterways should remain safe and unimpeded. S JAISHANKAR, EXTERNAL AFFAIRS MINISTER STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 July External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday strongly opposed attacks on maritime and civilian infrastructure in the ongoing wars in West Asia and Ukraine even as he called for zero tolerance towards terrorism. “Attacks on maritime shipping and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable and commerce through international waterways should remain safe and unimpeded,” he said while addressing the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Manila. In an indirect message to Pakistan, Mr Jaishankar also made it clear that acts of terrorism will have consequences and called for choking the financial resources that fuel the menace. On the South China Sea, the minister said India looks forward to a substantive, effective and legally binding Code of Conduct fully compliant with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982 that does not prejudice the legitimate rights of all users. Recognising the impor- tance of ARF for discussing political and security issues in the Indo-Pacific, especially in these complex times, Mr Jaishankar welcomed the Manila Plan of Action and highlighted that its five pillars are aligned with India’s own approach to the Indo-Pacific. He also stressed the need for the international community to be on guard against those who undermine nonproliferation and disarmament. The minister advocated a responsible and human-centric approach on AI and deeper cooperation on cybercrimes and other issues. He said India promotes a collaborative approach top disaster relief, sharing best practices, developing common SOPs and undertaking real-time and table top exercises. He highlighted India’s contribution through initiatives such as the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure, as well as the deployment of field hospitals, search and rescue teams and relief materials. Mr Jaishankar said India has recently undertaken rehabilitation efforts following disasters, including cyclones in Sri Lanka, the Philippines and Jamaica, and earthquakes in Myanmar, Venezuela and Afghanistan.