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 | Udhayanidhi arrested, taken to Thanjavur for questioning ‘Last chance’ before ‘decapitation’: Trump after halting ‘biggest attack since World War II’ SILIGURI | Wednesday, 05 August 2026 Diamond League: Neeraj faces world-class field in Lausanne BUSINESS FM Sitharaman tables Tax Amendment Bill Page 9 Page 8 Page 12 Page 10 India dismisses PoJK polls as ‘complete farce’ NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 4 August I ndia on Tuesday strongly criticised Pakistan over its recently conducted so-called elections in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, calling the electoral exercise a “complete farce” and saying the real situation was one of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK). New Delhi’s reaction came amid a brutal crackdown on the civilian population in PoJK during the local elections in the region. The polls witnessed widespread disruptions, logistical failures and continuing protests on Sunday, casting a shadow over the process and raising fresh questions about its credibility. Addressing a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs | SPORTS WORLD NATION LUCKNOW People displaced from the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) stage a protest condemning alleged atrocities and human rights violations in Jammu on 31 July 2026. FILE PHOTOGRAPH (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “This so-called local election in PoK is a complete farce. The real happening is that of public protests and wanton killings by Pakistani forces. Such hollow exercises cannot hide reality.” “Since June this year, at least 90 civilians have lost their lives in the continuing crackdown. The Pakistani Establishment has answered public discontent with bullets, blackouts, intimidation and repression, and now seeks to manufacture legitimacy through a hollow electoral exercise,” the MEA spokesperson further said. Jaiswal urged the international community to hold Islamabad accountable. “It must be held accountable, and the world should see through the flimsy veneer of Pakistan’s hypocritical lecturing on human rights.” Demonstrations unfolded across PoJK and among Kashmiri communities in various Pakistani cities, including large protest gatherings in Karachi, where demonstrators criticised the electoral process and demanded political reforms. According to sources, police detained several protesters and student leaders during the demonstrations. Global human rights and press freedom watchdogs, including Amnesty International and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ Asia), have issued urgent statements condemning escalating state violence, press restrictions and media suppression surrounding the ongoing protests in Rawalakot and across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Kejriwal stopped en route to PM Modi’s residence, stages sit-in STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 4 August Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Tuesday was stopped by Delhi Police while leading a march to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s residence to submit more than 2.33 lakh public petitions demanding the withdrawal of E20-blended petrol. Accompanied by around 100 people whom the party described as being affected by the fuel policy, Kejriwal staged a sit-in on the road after the delegation was denied permission to meet the PM. The protest ended after police took custody of the petitions, which the party said numbered 2,33,238, and informed the delegation that the Prime Minister would not meet them. Addressing a press conference later, Kejriwal accused the Centre of ignoring public concerns and alleged that the E20 policy was being implemented under pressure from US President Donald Trump. “PM Modi, what is the point of showing your strength against us? Show the same courage in front of Trump and stop imposing E20 on the country. Otherwise, the nation will once again be compelled to launch a major movement,” he said. In a post on X after the protest, Kejriwal said the delegation had attempted to meet the Prime Minister with over 2.33 lakh petitions opposing E20, but was stopped by the police. He added that all the petitions had since been sent to the PM. Parliament clears stricter birth, death registration Bill: New Delhi: Parliament on Tuesday approved the Registration of Births and Deaths (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after the Rajya Sabha also passed it by voice vote amid noisy protests by Opposition members, completing the legislative process for a measure aimed at strengthening safeguards against fraudulent delayed registrations of births and deaths. The Bill had earlier been passed by the Lok Sabha on Friday. Following its passage in the Upper House, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for the day as Opposition protests continued.