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 | SILIGURI Ukraine drones blitz Moscow B’desh had prepared India talks brief before Rahman visit cancelled Page 9 Page 5 BRIEFLY Calcutta HC says Ritabrata’s LoP status is temporary: Kolkata: Calcutta High Court on Tuesday refused to directly interfere with the West Bengal Assembly Speaker's decision recognising Ritabrata Banerjee as the Leader of the Opposition, but ruled that Mr Banerjee’s continuation in the post is entirely temporary and will depend entirely on the verdict of the single bench. A Division Bench of Justice Shampa Sarkar and Ajay Kumar Gupta, however, directed the single bench hearing the case to dispose of the matter finally within two months. Sobhandev Chattopadhyay, who had originally recommended by the Trinamul Congress leadership for the role of Leader of the Opposition, had approached the High Court questioning how Mr Banerjee could be recognised as Leader of the Opposition after being expelled from the party. Page 3 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 18 August A day after unveiling his new team of national office-bearers, BJP president Nitin Nabin on Tuesday announced election in- charges for the three election-bound states ~ Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Gujarat. BJP national general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Vinod Tawde (photo) has been given the charge for UP, putting him at the helm of affairs for the mother of all assembly polls in 2027. The party has also Who is a ‘dimaagi Naxal’? Page 12 Page 7 PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 18 August T Saffron party deploys Tawde to poll-bound UP, Chug to Gujarat, Poonia to Punjab named national secretary Jagdish Ishwarbhai Patel as the co-in-charge for the key state. In Punjab, national general secretary and Rajya Sabha MP Satish Poonia is the state in-charge, while in Gujarat, Rajya Sabha MP and newly appointed national headquarters in-charge Tarun Chugh has been given the responsibility. Mr Poonia is regarded as one of the key strategists behind the saffron party’s hat-trick victory in the last Assembly elections in Haryana. Observers say that the choice of political heavyweights such as Vinod Tawde, Satish Poonia and Tarun Chugh for key responsibilities signals that the BJP is putting experienced managers at the forefront of the key elections scheduled next year. (HPC). The Chief Justice said the Court would pass its order on Wednesday. CJI Kant said he had identified a former State Director General of Police and a former CBI Director, both having outstanding credentials, for inclusion in the committee. He, however, refrained from disclosing their names at this stage to avoid causing them any possible “embarrassment”. The Court indicated that material relating to the 20 July police action, including video footage and CCTV recordings of the incidents, would be placed before the HPC for examination. The committee would also look into complaints and allegations made by women protesters regarding the police action during the protest march in Delhi and elsewhere. The government will also present its version of the incident to the committee, including injuries suffered by police and security personnel. During the hearing, the bench asked Solicitor General Tushar Mehta to furnish details of the FIRs in which students had been implicated and indicated that it could consider exercising its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution to quash appropriate cases. Mr Mehta, however, urged the Court to distinguish between students participating in the protest and alleged anti-social elements who, according to him, had infiltrated the agitation and indulged in unlawful activities. He submitted that the police had identified more than 2,800 such persons, allegedly having involvement in serious offences in the past, in connection with the 20 July violence. New Delhi, 18 August US President Donald Trump cited India’s electoral system as an example while renewing his call for stricter voter identification requirements in the United States, pointing to the large voter turnout in India’s recent general election and the low proportion of ballots cast by mail. In a post on Truth Social, Mr Trump said around 646 million people participated in India’s last general election and claimed that less than one per cent of voters used postal ballots. He also highlighted the requirement for voters to possess valid photo J’khand students end hunger strike after govt cancels exams STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Ranchi, 11 August Four students, including student leader Devendra Nath Mahto, ended their hunger strike on Tuesday after the Jharkhand government announced the cancellation of all examinations conducted by the Jharkhand Staff Selection Commission (JSSC) and TDPL. However, the JPSC-JSSC Reform Forum has announced that its agitation will continue over its demand for a CBI probe into alleged irregularities in recruitment examinations. The four, Devendra Nath Mahto (photo), Umm-e-Habiba, Prem Nayak and Kush Mahto, ended their hunger strike at around 1.15 a.m. at Ranchi Sadar Hospital after the state government’s decision. Ministers Deepika Pandey Singh and Irfan Ansari offered them juice to formally end the fast. Speaking after ending his hunger strike, Devendra Mahto said: “Today, on the 16th day of our hunger strike, we ended our fast in a dignified manner. With the joint initiative of Jharkhand Health Minister Irfan Ansari, Minister Deepika Pandey and our MLA Jairam Mahto, we decided to suspend our hunger strike. All the demands for which we had been protesting constitutionally and peacefully have been fulfilled...” The decision to cancel all examinations conducted by JSSC-CGL and TDPL was taken at a special Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren on Monday. The announcement triggered celebrations among students protesting at Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium. Despite heavy rain, protesters embraced each other, distributed sweets, raised slogans and celebrated with colours and fireworks. They described the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination as a major victory after 24 days of agitation. On the other hand, some employees appointed through the examination staged a protested outside the state secretariat since Monday night, fearing for their jobs. India hopeful of Tarique Rahman’s visit CM Suvendu Adhikari admits lapses as Bengal BJP faces ‘Trinamulisation’ challenge New Delhi: India on Tuesday said it was hopeful about Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India. This comes amid reports that Mr Rahman is unlikely to undertake a bilateral visit to India soon and is also likely to skip the BRICS Leaders’ Summit on 12-13 September. Addressing a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said: “When I have an update, I will surely share it with you. We have extended a cordial invitation to the Prime Minister of Bangladesh to visit India.” He said that extradition requests of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina are being examined through established procedures. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 18 August West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday admitted that his 100-day-old BJP government may have committed “lapses” and promised corrective action. His remarks came as the ruling party faces an organisational challenge over allegations of extortion and intimidation and unease over the induction of former Trinamul Congress (TMC) leaders. State BJP president Samik Bhattacharya has on several occasions warned party leaders against extortion, intimidation, interference in local affairs and attempts to occupy shops, houses or offices. He has said the party must not behave in a manner that makes it indistinguishable from the preceding TMC regime. . The state BJP has suspended 22 functionaries after more than 250 leaders and workers were issued show-cause notices over allegations including extortion, attempts to occupy TMC offices and anti-party activities. The induction and accommodation of former TMC leaders has further unsettled sections of the BJP cadre. The party expanded rapidly by welcoming defections before the 2021 Assembly Trump cites India’s election system and voter IDs in push for SAVE America Act STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE India firmly in command against Sri Lanka in Galle PERSPECTIVE CJP protests: SC panel to probe excesses, violence he Supreme Court on Tuesday said it would constitute a high-powered committee comprising retired judges, a former Director General of Police and a former Director of the Central Bureau of Investigation to inquire into allegations of police excesses during the 20 July crackdown on students protesting at Jantar Mantar over the NEET-UG 2026 question paper leak who had attempted to march towards Parliament. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana permitted the parties to submit by 4 p.m. on Tuesday (today) their notes identifying the issues that should be examined by the proposed high-powered committee Wednesday, 19 August 2026 SPORTS INDIA WORLD | identification. Mr Trump said Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar raised the issue of voter identification during discussions with officials from his administration earlier this month. “Earlier this month, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration – How can you have Elections in the US without a valid Photo ID,” Mr Trump said. "India's last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than one per cent voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document. We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now," he said. The legislation, formally known as the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) America Act, has emerged as a key part of Mr Trump’s campaign for tighter voting rules. The US President argued that the proposed measures would strengthen election integrity and prevent what he describes as electoral fraud. US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor also backed Trump’s position, saying voter identification should not be viewed as a partisan issue. He pointed to India’s voter identification requirements and the comparatively small share of votes cast by mail as examples of practices that, in his view, the United States could consider. “President Donald J. Trump is absolutely correct,” Mr Gor said in a post on social media platform X, referring to India’s large electorate and voter identification requirements. The comments came days after Mr Kumar met Mr Gor at Nirvachan Sadan on 12 August. According to the Election Commission, the two sides reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening democratic cooperation and agreed to expand collaboration in election management and the training of election personnel. Mr Trump’s remarks were also linked to his broader effort to build support in Congress for the SAVE America Act. The proposed legislation seeks to require proof of citizenship for registration in federal elections and establish voter identification requirements. It would also restrict voting by mail, with exceptions proposed for circumstances including illness, disability, military service and travel. election, but the subsequent return of several defectors to the TMC exposed the difficulties of integrating newcomers. The BJP now faces the challenge of expanding its organisation without allowing the political practices it had opposed under the TMC to take root within its own ranks. “It is just a three-month-old government. There may have been some lapses in the huge undertaking,” Mr Adhikari said at a programme in north Kolkata. “We will take corrective measures wherever necessary.” He also highlighted what he described as prompt and strict action in the alleged gang-rape and murder of an 11-year-old girl and the reopening of the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital rape-murder case, including arrests made in connection with it. Mr Adhikari was addressing women beneficiaries of the Annapurna Yojana, under which eligible women receive Rs 3,000 a month. He said the government had received 1.80 crore forms for verification by 31 July. It provided the benefit to 28 lakh women in June and 1.21 crore in July. In north Kolkata alone, 76,817 women are receiving the assistance. The scheme covers women aged 25 to 60 whose families have no member in permanent government employment and whose annual income is below Rs 12 lakh. Mr Adhikari said approved beneficiaries would receive the money in their bank accounts by the second week of every month and assured that no eligible woman would be deprived of the benefit. Those who have not received the assistance by 20 August, as well as people wishing to object to another person receiving the benefit, will be able to lodge complaints through a government portal, he said. Mr Adhikari also claimed that scrutiny of beneficiaries of the previous Lakshmir Bhandar scheme had uncovered cases in which benefits were allegedly being drawn in the names of men, deceased persons and people who were not Indian citizens. Kharge says Oppn will fight polls unitedly, rejects BJP ‘intimidation’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 18 August Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said Opposition leaders have assured him that they would work together and contest the upcoming elections unitedly. He asserted that the BJP government would not succeed in “intimidating” or suppressing the opposition Talking to reporters, Kharge said he discussed matters with leaders and representatives from different sections of society and emphasised the need for unity in the upcoming electoral battles. “I spoke to all the leaders and told them that in the coming period, we have to contest elections together. The leaders have assured me that all of us will fight together and win,” he added. “I am happy that our leaders are working together. The BJP government is trying to intimidate and suppress us, but we will not allow their strategy to succeed,” Mr Kharge said. On the controversy surrounding the singing of Vande Mataram, Mr Kharge strongly defended the Congress's position and said the national song had been recognised long before the present political leadership came into existence. “Even before they were born, the Congress had made it clear what the national song would be,” he said, referring to the BJP leadership. Mr Kharge pointed out that Vande Mataram had been sung by national leaders including Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. “Even Atal ji, when he was Prime Minister, and Modi himself, when he was Chief Minister, sang it. I too have sung the same Vande Mataram. If this is a crime, then file cases against Gandhi ji, Nehru ji and Sardar Patel ji,” Mr Kharge said. He argued that national symbols could not be altered according to the preferences of individual governments or political leaders. “The country cannot keep functioning according to whatever Modi and Shah want. The national song cannot be changed according to governments. We have done what has been happening in the country for many years,” he said.