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 Iran braces for financial pressure SILIGURI | Saturday, 22 August 2026 SPORTS SATURDAY INTERVIEW WORLD | ‘Disease serious, operation a must’ NATION Rajnath hits out at Congress over Vande Mataram row Page 7 Page 9 BWF: Treesa-Gayatri upset Chinese fourth seeds to ensure medal Page 12 Page 5 Centre is taking steps to secure the Chicken’s Neck corridor: Amit Shah MANAS R BANNERJEE Bangladesh-origin refugees to get citizenship within six months: Siliguri, 21 August U nion Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Centre had taken all necessary measures to ensure the continued security of the strategically important “Chicken’s Neck” corridor in north Bengal, which connects the north-eastern states with the rest of the country. Addressing a programme organised by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Ranidanga near Siliguri, Mr Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi fully understands the importance of securing the narrow corridor and strengthening security infrastructure along it. He said security arrangements were being strengthened from three key locations ~ Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal, Kishanganj in Bihar and Dhubri in Assam. Bases had already been established at these locations, he said. Mr Shah said land was a major requirement for strengthening security infrastructure and noted that 560 acres required for the purpose had been handed over by the West Bengal government. Taking a dig at the previous government, Mr Shah said land had not been made available despite repeated requests during the tenure of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee. He said that after the BJP-led government came to power in the state, 1,129 acres had been handed over within 45 days for setting up infrastr ucture and establishments for the BSF and SSB. After attending the Siliguri: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said citizenship would be granted within the next six months to eligible refugees from Bangladesh who had come to West Bengal after being forced to leave their country because of persecution on religious grounds. Speaking at the inauguration of an exhibition on the implementation of the three new criminal laws in Siliguri, Mr Shah said eight district collectors in West Bengal had been empowered to complete the citizenship process. He said the government would complete the process of granting citizenship to eligible refugees within six months. “Those who came to India from Bangladesh after being forced to leave their country to protect their religion will be given citizenship,” Mr Shah said, while explaining the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Mr Shah also launched a strong attack on former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the implementation of the new criminal laws and the CAA. programme, Mr Shah said the government was equipping the country’s border security forces with modern technologies to strengthen security along India’s borders. Praising SSB personnel, Mr Shah said in a post on social media that their vigilance and skill in securing the open border while maintaining cultural coordination with friendly neighbouring countries were commendable. He said the Modi government was using cutting-edge technologies, including drones and anti-drone systems, thermal imaging, AI-based surveillance, smart surveillance grids and real-time intelligence sharing, to make India’s border security “world-class”. Speaking about Vande Mataram, Mr Shah said Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay had promoted the idea of cultural nationalism through the historic song. He said the C entral government under Prime Minister Modi had incorporated Vande Mataram into official programmes and expressed hope that the next generation would learn the song from the school level and draw inspiration from it for patriotism and national security. ‘Wrong to blame sugar Police register FIR over pellet gun injuries price spike on diversion after Rahul dharna; desperation, says BJP for ethanol production’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 21 August The Centre on Friday stated that rise in sugar prices cannot be attributed to ethanol adding that the present hike in sugar prices is due to a combination of factors, including lower-than-expected domestic production, increased demand ahead of the festive season, weather-related damage to the sugarcane crop, tightening global sugar supplies and speculation and hoarding by some sections of the industry. “It is incorrect to attribute the recent increase in sugar prices to diversion of sugar for ethanol production. In fact, the share of sugar diverted for ethanol has declined from around 12 per cent in 2022-23 to around 9 per cent in 2025-26. New Delhi, 21 August Moreover, nearly three-fourths of the ethanol produced in the country now comes from grains, particularly maize," the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said in a statement. The Ministry stated that sugar prices have increased in recent weeks, from Rs 48.18 per kg on July 20 to Rs 55.70 per kg on 20 August. "The government is closely monitoring the situation and has taken a series of measures to ensure adequate availability of sugar and stable prices for consumers," the statement said. Sugar production during the current season is expected to be around 306 LMT, compared to the initial estimate of around 343 LMT by sugarcane-growing states. Delhi Police on Friday registered an FIR against unknown persons in connection with pellet gun injuries suffered by a youth during the 20 July protest at Jantar Mantar after a seven-hour 'dharna' by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party workers outside the Parliament Street Police Station. ''This is the first step towards justice,'' Mr Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said as he addressed party workers and the media outside the police station following the registration of the FIR in the pellet gun injury suffered by a young protestor. The Congress leader, brought along with him Sahil, the victim of the alleged pellet gun injuries, to the police station to enquire regarding his complaint. Later, he headed to the New Delhi DCP Office where he met the senior officer. When the FIR was not registered immediately, Mr Gandhi staged a sit-in outside the DCP Office. Addressing reporters, he described how the victim got injured, and also referred to his medical report, citing an eye injury. Police sources earlier said that they were still examining the matter, and an FIR will be registered only after that. Earlier in the day, Mr Gandhi, in a post on social media, stated that the 20-year-old had been severely injured by the pellets, calling it a crime, adding that an explanation from the government was still to come on the serious issue. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP slammed Mr Gandhi, calling his protest “cheap, attentionseeking politics” and a sign of “political desperation” . Union minister J P Nadda said Mr Gandhi’s sit-in was neither for students nor for justice, but reflected the Congress’s “political desperation” and Mr Gandhi’s “hunger for media attention”. “The entire nation is once again witnessing the kind of cheap, attentionseeking politics that Rahul Gandhi displayed today outside the Sansad Marg police station,” Mr Nadda said. He also accused Mr Gandhi of being selective in raising issues related to examination paper leaks, pointing to alleged incidents in states ruled by the Congress and other opposition parties. “The Congress party is bent on ruining the future of children and students as well. Rahul Gandhi must realise that the public has clearly recognised his ‘hit-and-run’ attitude and political hypocrisy,” he said. (Photo: Subrata Dutta) MEA calls action outside Pak's High Commission ‘proportionate’ response NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 21 August The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday described the removal of temporary structures in the lane outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi as a "proportionate action" in response to Pakistani authorities’ removal of some structures outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. New Delhi's response comes days after Pakistani authorities removed parking poles and other security-related structures outside the Indian High Commission in Islamabad. Addressing a media briefing here, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that despite India's request, Pakistani authorities removed the structures. “Some of the structures in front of the Indian High Commission in Pakistan were removed for the convenience of parking. Despite this, we requested them not to do this. So after that happened, we took what we might call a proportionate action in response," Mr Jaiswal said. The remarks came after authorities demolished a section of structures outside the Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi, citing their location beyond the mission’s India rejects US report on RSS New Delhi: India on Friday rejected a United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report recommending sanctions on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling USCIRF a ''biased organisation lacking credibility''. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to a media query, said: “We are all aware that the organisation~ or entity ~ you are referring to is biased; for years, it has been making disparaging and inflammatory remarks about India... I would say we should steer clear of such organisations, as they operate with their own agendas and lack any credibility or trustworthiness. approved boundary, officials said. The authorities also removed traffic bollards and barricades that had surrounded the Pakistan High Commission, effectively dismantling the external security perimeter around the mission, according to reports. 'India a bright spot for global growth': PM Modi unveils next-gen reform roadmap Rashtrapati Bhavan does U-turn on Bangladesh PM’s visit SHAHID K ABBAS New Delhi, 21 August New Delhi, 21 August Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday asserted that India has emerged as a “bright spot” for global growth and hope, outlining his government’s vision of next-generation economic reforms aimed at building a stronger, more prosperous and self-reliant nation. Addressing a World Leaders Forum organised by a media group, Mr Modi said India was moving ahead with reforms across sectors while maintaining political stability, policy continuity and a clear roadmap for improving governance. The government’s approach was increasingly centred on trust between citizens and the state rather than suspicion. “The world sees India as a bright spot for growth and Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with young space entrepreneurs in New Delhi on Friday. @NARENDRAMODI X/ANI hope,” he said, highlighting the country’s expanding economic opportunities and its growing role in the global economy. The Prime Minister said his government’s guiding philosophy was “reform, perform, and transform”, and stressed that reforms were being pursued across sectors to create an environment conducive to investment, production, innovation and employment. “India is pushing ahead with reforms across sectors,” he said, adding that the government was “rewarding higher production with incentives”. The approach, he said, was intended to strengthen domestic manufacturing and enhance India’s compe- titiveness in global markets. Mr Modi also underlined political stability and continuity in policymaking as key strengths of the Indian economy. “India has political stability and continuity in its policies,” he said, asserting that the government had prepared a clear roadmap for reforms with a strong emphasis on governance. Mr Modi said India was seeking to move away from a system in which economic activity was presumed to be prohibited unless specifically allowed. “We are moving from a ‘Prohibited unless permitted’ approach to ‘Permitted unless prohibited’,” he said, signalling a broader push towards reducing regulatory barriers and creating greater ease of doing business. Mr Modi said this change was also reflected in the government’s approach to its relationship with citizens. “The relationship between the government and citizens should be based on trust, not suspicion,” he said, stressing that the objective of policymaking was to empower people and businesses rather than burden them with unnecessary restrictions. “Today, we are shaping policies that are pro-people, pro-growth and prodevelopment,” Mr Modi said. Mr Modi said the world had experienced “many ups and downs” in recent years and argued that countries could no longer pursue prosperity in isolation. The interconnected nature of economies, supply chains, technology and capital meant that the future of individual nations was increasingly linked to global developments. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE In a faux pas, the Press Wing of Rashtrapati Bhavan this afternoon virtually announced Bangladesh Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to India before retracting the announcement. In a press release issued at 2:13 p.m, the Office of the Press Secretary to the President said, "The Change of Guard Ceremony at the Forecourt of Rashtrapati Bhavan will not take place this Saturday (August 22, 2026) due to the full rehearsal for the ceremonial welcome of the Prime Minister of Bangladesh.’’ The press release came as a surprise in media and diplomatic circles because uncertainty surrounds the Bangladesh PM’s visit, as New Delhi has yet to decide on Dhaka’s demand for the extradition of ousted PM Sheikh Hasina. PM Narendra Modi has invited the Bangladesh leader for a bilateral visit, as well as to an outreach session of the upcoming BRICS summit, to build positive ties with the new government in Dhaka. As curious media personnel sought a clarification from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Rashtrapati Bhavan, the External Publicity and Public Diplomacy Division sought to set the record straight by explaining that an incorrect press release on the PIB website has been taken. Shortly thereafter, Rashtrapati Bhavan issued a fresh press release at 3:28 pm, saying: “Press release issued on the subject ‘No Change of Guard Ceremony’, which was issued on 21 August 2026, stands withdrawn." At his bi-weekly media briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said he had nothing to share on the Bangladesh PM’s visit.