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 | LUCKNOW SCO meet: PM calls for end to double standards on terror STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 1 September P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday put terrorism at the centre of his address to the 26th Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Bishkek, delivering a pointed message against the countries that use terrorism as an instrument of policy or provide terrorists with support and safe havens. With Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif present at the summit, Mr Modi called for an end to “double standards” in the fight against terrorism and said the entire ecosystem sustaining terror must be dismantled. Mr Modi made it clear that the fight against terrorism cannot stop at responding to individual attacks. He called for a coordinated international action against the financial networks, recruitment machinery, radicalisation pipelines and safe havens that allow terrorist organisations to survive and operate. “We must destroy the entire ecosystem of terrorism financing, recruitment, radicalisation and safe havens,” PM Modi asserted, turning the focus from individual terrorist incidents to the wider infrastructure that sustains them. His warning was followed by an even more direct assertion: “Terrorism cannot be a strategic asset for anyone.” Mr Modi stressed that the SCO must adopt a common and unequivocal position against terrorism, leaving no space for countries to condemn terror in one context while tolerating, supporting or sheltering it in another. “There should be no room for double standards in dealing with terrorism,” he declared. Without naming Pakistan, another member of the SCO Amid row, SC Collegium recommends Justice Sanjay Agrawal to head Raj HC PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 1 September Amid a controversy over the functioning of the Acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court following three letters addressed to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant by Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta, the Supreme Court Collegium has recommended the appointment of Justice Sanjay K. Agrawal as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. At its meeting on 31 August, the Collegium recommended the elevation of Justice Agrawal, presently a judge of the Chhattisgarh High Court, as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. This was followed by another recommendation for his transfer from the Chhattisgarh High Court to the Rajasthan High Court, pending his appointment as Chief Justice. The recommendations came days after three letters written by Justice Mehta concerning the functioning of Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice S P Sharma became public. Justice Mehta had raised allegations of “favouritism” and misconduct against Justice Sharma and sought his transfer from Rajasthan. He had also sought the appointment of a regular Chief Justice to the High Court, where Justice Sharma has been functioning as Acting Chief Justice for about 10 months. After the letters became public, CJI Kant had issued a statement saying the concerns raised by Justice Mehta would be considered through an institutional mechanism. The 31 August meeting also recommended appointments of Chief Justices to two other High Courts. Justice Alpesh Yeshvant Kogje of the Gujarat High Court has been recommended for appointment as Chief Justice of the Madhya Pradesh High Court, while Rajasthan High Court judge Justice Dr. Pushpendra Singh Bhati has been recommended as Chief Justice of the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. grouping, Mr Modi specifically called for a strong message to countries that “use terrorism as an instrument of policy” or provide shelter and support to terrorists. The Prime Minister rejected an “action-reaction” approach to terrorism and urged SCO members to move towards sustained, coordinated prevention. His appeal was particularly focused on ensuring that terrorist financing, recruitment and radicalisation are treated as integral parts of the security challenge. Mr Modi also linked terrorism with other threats to regional stability, including organised crime and drug trafficking. He welcomed the SCO’s mechanisms dealing with terrorism, organised crime, information security and narcotics, but called for them to become effective instruments capable of producing practical coordination and timely action. He identified “Security, Connectivity and Opportunity” as the three pillars of India’s approach to the SCO and made security the first condition for the other two to succeed. The Prime Minister said the organisation, which is marking 25 years, now needs to turn its declarations into concrete results. “We have laid a strong foundation of cooperation over these 25 years. Now, in the next 25 years, our goal should be to translate this cooperation into concrete outcomes,” he said. Mr Modi also maintained that conflicts cannot ultimately be resolved through force. “All tensions and wars can be resolved not on the battlefield, but only through dialogue and diplomacy,” he said. On Afghanistan, Modi connected regional stability with continued peace and security in the country, saying India would continue its development and humanitarian assistance to the Afghan people. NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 1 September The death toll from the devastating flash floods in Nepal rose to more than 1,000 on Tuesday, while over 4,500 people remained missing as search-andrescue operations entered their seventh day. According to the latest local media reports, the death toll from the Bhote Koshi flood-related disaster in Nepal has reached 1,010, while 4,599 people are still missing. Rescue, recovery and identification operations are continuing under extremely difficult terrain and weather conditions. The Indian Embassy in Nepal has announced steps for the identification of the mortal remains of Indian citizens who died in the devastating flash floods on 26 August, asking relatives of the victims to facilitate SILIGURI | Wednesday, 02 September 2026 SC quashes FIRs against CJP protesters; 5 Sept protest march withdrawn PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 1 September Exercising its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution, the Supreme Court on Tuesday quashed FIRs registered against students in Delhi and four states over the recent Cockroach Janta Party (CJP)-led protests against examination question paper leaks, prompting the CJP to withdraw its 5 September protest march. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana quashed the FIRs registered in Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, West Bengal and Assam in connection with the protests. The court also directed that similar FIRs registered in other states and Union Territories should neither be pursued nor investigated. It further ordered that no fresh FIRs be registered in connection with the protests held between 20 and 25 July. Invoking Article 142, the bench said it was taking into account the future prospects of young protesters who had participated in the agitation to raise their voice in support of their demands. The court, however, clarified that the order was being passed in the peculiar facts and circumstances of the case and would not constitute a binding precedent. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the bench that the Centre remained committed to the assurances given to the CJP leadership, including those concerning the criminal cases and com- CM urges scribes to uphold patriotism, announces pension, bonus, health cover STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 1 September Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Tuesday urged journalists to exercise restraint in their public discourse and ensure that nothing they say or write weakens the country or creates social unrest. Addressing a Press conference at Nabanna, where he announced a series of welfare measures for journalists, Mr Adhikari said criticism of the government and the ruling party was welcome, but patriotism should not be compromised. “Criticise me and criticise the party. You can also hold constructive discussions and come to meet us if necessary. But when it comes to patriotism, everyone must follow a strict policy. None of us should do anything that weakens the country or creates instability,” he said. The Chief Minister also made it clear that journalists should refrain from using language that could hurt the religious sentiments or faith of any community. The state government announced a substantial increase in the pension for retired journalists. Under the new arrangement, retired Nepal flood toll tops 1,000; India, China deploy specialised tunnel rescue teams identification through photographs or by providing DNA profiles. The Embassy said the relatives of the victims can identify the mortal remains through photographs and descriptions provided on the Nepal Police's website. Following the identification, the Embassy will coordinate with the local authorities for the repatriation of the mortal remains. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Tuesday said that 163 Indian citizens had been rescued safely so far, including five rescued today. The MEA also noted that 151 Indian nationals left China on Tuesday. A specialised international tunnel rescue team from India and China has been mobilised alongside the Nepal Army at critical hydropower sites following | the catastrophic Bhote Koshi River flash floods, Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday. Spokesperson and Head of the Public Diplomacy Division, Lok Bahadur Chhetri, said a 24-member Indian tunnel rescue team operating in two units is working closely with the Nepal Army at the Chilime and Langtang hydropower project sites, while a nine-member Chinese team is deployed in coordination with the military at the Upper Trishuli 3A project site. A specialised team from the Republic of Korea has also been mobilised. Referring to the efforts of the Indian tunnel rescue team, the MEA said in a statement: “After establishing a foothold at hydropower tunnels in Chilime, the Indian tunnel rescue team had to overcome several challenges such as extremely restricted access space, limitations on use of specialised equipment due to terrain, and a marshy tunnel floor. Using innovative methods and improvised floats, the team was able to move deeper in the tunnel. Its efforts will continue tomorrow to try and rescue any individuals that may be trapped inside.” A 19-member Indian forensic team has begun analysing DNA samples in coordination with Nepali forensic experts for the identification of victims and missing persons. Mr Chhetri reported that more than 11,800 people have been rescued so far, including 324 foreign nationals. • Related report on Pg. 14 journalists will receive Rs 5,000 a month, against the existing Rs 2,500. Significantly, the benefit will no longer be restricted to journalists holding governmentissued accreditation cards. The earlier pension scheme, introduced several years ago by former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was largely limited to accredited journalists. The move is expected to benefit a large section of journalists, particularly those working on news desks, who often remain outside the accreditation system despite having worked in the media for several years. The Chief Minister also announced a hike in the annual Puja bonus for journalists. Accredited journalists in Kolkata and the districts had earlier received a small payment from the government before Durga Puja. This amount has now been increased to Rs 3,000. Here too, the accreditation requirement has been removed. According to the Chief Minister, all journalists in the state who apply for the benefit will be eligible for the Puja bonus. In another major announcement, Mr Adhikari said all journalists in Bengal would be brought under the Chief Minister's Health Insurance Scheme. Reiterating his appeal to the media, Mr Adhikari said journalists should continue to question and criticise the government, but added that such criticism should not come at the cost of national interest or communal harmony. pensation to families of students who committed suicide in connection with academic issues, including NEET 2026. The Centre, however, sought to proceed against 2,873 persons in Delhi stated to have “serious criminal antecedents”. The court permitted Delhi Police to register a single fresh FIR against such persons, strictly confined to allegations of bodily harm and destruction of property. Following the order, CJP co-convenor Saurav Das told the court that, in view of the Centre's assurances and the court's order, the organisation was withdrawing its 5 September march and looked forward to compliance with the court’s directions. Welcoming the development, CJI Kant said: “If both sides show good faith, then all issues can be resolved one by one. There is nothing in the world which is too complicated that it cannot be discussed with an open mind.” Three villages attacked, houses set on fire in Manipur flare-up Imphal: Several Naga villages along the ImphalTamenglong Road in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district were attacked and houses set ablaze by armed groups on Tuesday morning, hours after three Kuki villagers, including two women, were killed in an attack by suspected militants late Monday night. Tapon Khunou, Tapon Kullen and Pipuram, inhabited by Liangmai Nagas, were targeted. There were no immediate reports of casualties. Earlier, on Monday night, armed men rained bullets at N. Teikhang, a Kuki-inhabited village in the district, killing two people and injuring another. Mamata Banerjee’s niece dies by alleged suicide in Rampurhat STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Rampurhat, 1 September Brishti Mukherjee, niece of former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, was found dead at her residence in Rampurhat on Tuesday afternoon in an alleged suicide. The deceased, daughter of Mamata Banerjee’s cousin and former Rampurhat Block No. 1 Trinamul Congress president Nihar Mukherjee, had reportedly been battling severe mental depression for the past four to five years and was undergoing medical treatment. Family members said she took her own life due to escalating personal and professional crises. Mukherjee’s life had recently been upended by high-profile legal troubles and personal distress. She previously served in a Group C post at a local school but lost her job following legal proceedings in the West Bengal teacher recruitment scam. Central investigative agencies had flagged her appointment after revealing that 90 per cent of the OMR sheets in the Group C examination were manipulated to facilitate nepotistic hirings. Mukherjee’s mental health reportedly deteriorated further due to an ongoing divorce case, culminating in her unusual and tragic death. The body of Brishti Mukherjee was found hanging from the second-floor balcony of her home in Kusumba village on Tuesday afternoon. Upon receiving the news, Rampurhat police arrived at the scene, removed the body, and shifted it to Rampurhat Medical College and Hospital for post mortem. While initial assessments suggest suicide, the exact motive remains unknown. The Rampurhat police station has launched a formal investigation to determine the precise cause of death. According to family members, Brishti Mukherjee had been battling mental depression for the past four to five years, which recently left her largely confined to her home. A relative said that she was undergoing treatment, lived alone, and kept to herself. “She was in the house this morning too. We did not see anyone outside,” the relative stated. “Then I heard that she was found with a rope around her neck. I do not know what happened.”