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 | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | Monday, 25 August 2025 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS CII urges reforms in economy, energy, jobs, cities Bangladesh seeks apology, Pakistan says 1971 settled NATION Akhilesh to join INDIA bloc’s rally, ‘not Rahul’s’ in Bihar Page 9 Page 10 BRIEFLY IADWS maiden test a success: New Delhi: The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) successfully conducted the maiden flight-tests of Integrated Air Defence Weapon System (IADWS) off the Odisha coast. IADWS is a multi-layered air defence system comprising all indigenous Quick Reaction Surface to Air Missiles (QRSAM), Advanced Very Short-Range Air Defence System (VSHORADS) missiles and a high-power laser-based Directed Energy Weapon (DEW). During the flight tests, three different targets including two highspeed fixed wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle targets and a multi-copter drone were simultaneously engaged and destroyed. Cheteshwar Pujara announces retirement Page 8 Page 12 Bills on tainted ministers: Rajnath Singh hails TMC, SP, AAP to shun JPC India’s space heroes STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE IN A BLOGPOST PUBLISHED ON SATURDAY, TMC RAJYA SABHA MP DEREK O'BRIEN HAD SAID HIS PARTY AS WELL AS THE SAMAJWADI PARTY HAVE DECIDED NOT TO NOMINATE ANY MEMBERS TO THE JPC. HE HAD CALLED THE JPC A FARCE. New Delhi, 24 August A fter the Trinamul Congress and the Samajwadi Party, the Aam Aadmi Party on Sunday announced that it will not join the Joint Committee of Parliament examining the Bills providing for the removal of Prime Ministers, state Chief Ministers, and Union and state ministers accused of serious crimes and in jail for a consecutive period of 30 days. Announcing the decision, AAP Rajya Sabha floor leader Sanjay Singh (photo), said the three Bills are "unconstitutional" and their purpose is to put Opposition leaders in jail, topple the Opposition-led governments and end democracy in the country. “We will not join the Joint Committee. The purpose of this Bill is not to end corruption because the BJP loves corruption and the corrupt," Mr Singh said. Reacting to the AAP decision, Trinamul Congress Rajya Sabha floor leader Derek O'Brien said: "it is a valueless committee." “More parties calling out Modi coalition's stunt to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC). Valueless JPC," Mr O’Brien said on X. The TMC had announced on Saturday that it would not nominate any member to the JPC to look into the Constitution 130th Amendment Bill, and had called the panel a "farce". The Samajwadi Party (SP) is also unlikely to nominate any member to the JPC, according to a party source. In a blogpost published on Saturday, Mr O'Brien said his party as well as the SP have decided not to nominate any members to the JPC. He said that the committees are skewed towards the ruling party because of its numbers in both Houses of Parliament. The decision is expected to put pressure on other Opposition parties, including the Congress, which are inclined to join the panel. Amid vociferous Opposition protests, Home Minister Amit Shah had last Wednesday introduced The Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, 2025, The Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Bill, 2025 and The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation (Amendment) Act, 2025 in Lok Sabha seeking the removal of Prime Minister, Chief Ministers, and central and state ministers if they are arrested and remain in custody for 30 days in a row on offences that attract a jail term of at least five years. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 24 August India’s four pioneering astronauts, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, Group Captain PB Nair, Group Captain Ajit Krishnan, and Group Captain Angad Pratap, were felicitated by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, here today. Also dubbed as Gaganyatris, the four Indian Air Force officers are part of Gaganyaan, ISRO’s maiden space flight mission. Described the four as gems of the country and pioneers of national aspirations, Mr Singh said that the India is expanding its presence in space. “We do not see space only as a field of research, but as the future of tomorrow's economy, security, energy, and humanity. We’re steadily advancing beyond the Earth’s surface into new frontiers of space. We’ve already marked our presence from Moon to Mars, and today, the nation stands fully prepared for missions like Gaganyaan," he said. Terming the achievement as not merely a technological milestone, but a new chapter in Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Mr Singh said that India proudly stands tall among the world’s leading space powers. “Its space programme is not confined to laboratories and launch vehicles. It’s a reflection of our national aspirations and global vision. From Chandrayaan to Mangalyaan, we have demonstrated that even with limited resources, an unlimited willpower can transform the most challenging goals into remarkable accomplishments," he said. He also pointed out that the technologies derived from space, be it communication satellites, weather monitoring or disaster management are delivering services to every village and every field across India and emphasised that India cannot stay behind in the space journey. “In the coming times, space mining, deep space exploration, and planetary resources will redefine the course of human civilisation,” he said.