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 Balancing Act Australia accuses Iran of organising antisemitic attacks Page 6 Page 9 BRIEFLY Navy launches 2 new warships: New Delhi: The Indian Navy on Tuesday commissioned two stealth frigates – INS Himgiri and INS Udaygiri, in a ceremony presided over by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in Visakhapatnam. Both the warships are homegrown with over 75 per cent indigenous component, sourced from Indian manufacturers as well as MSMEs. Rajnath Singh hailed the induction of INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri into the naval fleet. MSE to start derivatives trading soon: New Delhi: With the Metropolitan Stock Exchange of India Limited (MSE) successfully raising funds of Rs 1000 crore, Ms Latika S Kundu, who has been reappointed as MD and CEO for the next three years of the stock exchange, said it was now poised to deepen market liquidity in Equity Cash, followed by Derivatives Segments very soon. (Page 10) PM Modi inaugurates Suzuki’s EV plant in Gujarat STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 26 August Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated two landmark projects at Suzuki Motor's Hansalpur plant in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. These include a plant to manufacture Suzuki's first global strategic Battery Electric Vehicle (BEV), the "e-VITARA", and a facility for localised production of hybrid battery electrodes at the TDS Lithium-Ion Battery plant. "Make in India, Make for the World is a big leap towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. From today, India-made EVs will be exported globally, and hybrid battery electrode manufacturing will also begin," PM Modi said while inaugurating the projects. "India has the power of democracy. India has the advantage of demography. We also have a very large pool of skilled workforce. Therefore, this creates a win-win situation for every partner of ours," he said. "Today, the ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat A b h i ya n’ ( S e l f- R e l i a n t India Campaign) is getting great energy from Gujarat, and behind this are two decades of hard work." The projects are expected to significantly strengthen domestic manufacturing capabilities and accelerate India's transition toward clean energy innovation. Fit-again SKY gearing up to lead India in Asia Cup NATION ‘Peace without power is utopian’ Page 5 Never expected him to call us thieves: Mamata slams PM KANCHAN SIDDIQUI Burdwan, 26 August W est Bengal Chief Minister Mamata B a n e r j e e launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi today, accusing him of insulting Bengalis and favouring BJP-ruled states. Addressing a public meeting in Burdwan following an administrative review for East and West Burdwan districts, Miss Banerjee expressed shock at what she described as Mr Modi’s disregard for her office and for Bengal as a whole, accusing him of branding Bengalis as “thieves.” She also attacked the Centre’s stance on the Bengali language, the treatment of Bengali-speaking migrant workers, and alleged bias in governance. Speaking at the Municipal High School ground, where beneficiaries of various state welfare schemes had gathered, Miss Banerjee said: “I respect his chair, and he should respect mine too. Instead, the Prime Minister has insulted the people of Bengal by calling them ‘thieves’—a remark that is both ridiculous and offensive.” “States like Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, and Bihar ~ run by the BJP’s so-called Wednesday, 27 August 2025 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL PAGE | Page 12 Five Vaishnodevi pilgrims killed in Jammu landslide STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Jammu, 26 August At least nine people, including five Vaishnodevi pilgrims, were killed and at least 24 were injured on Tuesday in flash-flood and landsliderelated incidents triggered due to incessant rains in the Jammu region. Five pilgrims were killed and more than 14 were injured when a landslide hit them on the 13 km trek to the Vaishnodevi shrine. The landslide hit near the Inderprastha Bhojnalaya at Adhkwari. Rescue operations are underway with the required manpower & machinery, said a spokesman of the Shrine Board. Four people were killed when a cloudburst hit villages in the Doda district of Jammu division. Reports said that two people were killed in Gandoh, and one each in Thathri & Bhaderwah. 50 pc US tariffs to kick in today, PM holds meet SHAHID K ABBAS New Delhi, 26 August CM Mamata Banerjee addresses the gathering during a public meeting for the foundation stone laying of several government projects in West Burdwan on Tuesday. SNS ‘double - engine’ government—harbour the real thieves, where corruption is at its peak,” Miss Banerjee charged. Referring to Mr Modi’s 22 August speech in Kolkata, where he reportedly equated the Trinamul Congress with corruption, Miss Banerjee defended her administration: “They sent 186 central teams to investigate corruption, yet found no substantial irregularities. Our officials responded to every query, but they still awarded us zero marks and stopped our funds. How would students feel if they were given zero for correct answers?” Miss Banerjee acknowledged minor issues in some Panchayats but emphasised other parties too were running Panchayats. She accused the BJP of manipulating the Election Commission of India (ECI) to suppress Opposition voices ahead of elections. “Please don’t act as the BJP’s lollipop,” she warned, mocking the ECI’s role in the Special Intensive Review of the Electoral Roll. Miss Banerjee also criticised Modi’s sporadic visits to Bengal: “You come here like a migratory bird during elections. You’re welcome all 365 days ~ your travel and hospitality are covered. But we cannot accept you meeting traitors and thieves during your visits.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday chaired a high-level meeting at the Prime Minister's Office to discuss the 50 per cent tariff imposed by the United States on goods imported from India, which is due to kick in from Wednesday, informed sources said. The meeting comes in the wake of the US government's official notification for an additional 25 per cent tariff on top of the existing 25 per cent duty, effective from 27 August. The meeting included key ministers such as Home Affairs and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, along with senior officials from the commerce and finance ministries. The 50 per cent tariff is expected to potentially affect India's exports and economy, sparking concerns about a trade war between the two nations. Economists estimate that the elevated tariff rate could shave off over 0.3 percentage points from India's growth rate. The commerce and industry ministry has been consulting exporters and export promotion councils to assess the impact of the existing 25 per cent levy. Earlier, the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) had confirmed that the enhanced tariffs will take effect from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on 27 August (9.31 a.m. IST). The duties target India under the policy of countering “threats to the United States by the government of the Russian Federation,” a notification issued by the DHS secretary, Kristi Noem said.