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 | Friday, 29 August 2025 SPORTS EDITORIAL PAGE WORLD NATION Authorities looking for motive in Minneapolis shooting BJP slams Opposition for ‘politics of abuse’ in Bihar US Open: Alcaraz, Shelton & Djokovic charge into Round 3 Page 5 Page 12 Remembering Sukanta Page 6 Page 9 BRIEFLY Dinesh Patnaik appointed envoy to Canada New Delhi: Amid improving ties with Ottawa, the government on Thursday named seasoned diplomat Dinesh K Patnaik as India's High Commissioner to Canada. A 1990-batch IFS officer, Mr Patnaik is currently serving as India’s Ambassador to Spain. High alert as 3 JeM terrorists enter Bihar Patna: Bihar Police Headquarters on Thursday issued a statewide high alert after intelligence inputs suggested the entry of Pakistan-based JeM operatives into the state through the Nepal border. The three suspected terrorists allegedly reached Kathmandu in mid-August and crossed into Bihar last week. Stay alert: CM cautions citizens over planned SIR STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Spl Assembly session from 1 September Kolkata, 28 August T rinamul Congress chairperson Mamata Banerjee today launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Central government, labelling it the “most selfish” administration and accusing it of “Himalayan incompetence”. She warned that any attempt to impose the planned Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, especially involving the deletion of genuine voters, would be met with strong resistance. Addressing the foundation day of the Trinamul Chatra Parishad at the Mahatma Gandhi statue on Mayo Road, Miss Banerjee urged citizens to remain alert. “Do not share your personal details with anyone visiting your homes. Ensure your name is on the electoral roll. We will not allow the Election Commission of India to act arbitrarily and erase genuine voters,” she said. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee addresses the gathering on the occasion of the Trinamul Chhatra Parishad (TMCP) foundation day, in Kolkata on Thursday. BISWAJIT GHOSHAL Attacking the BJP for disparaging the Bengali language, Miss Banerjee said: “How dare they claim Bengali is not a language? Both our National Anthem and National Song were written in Bengali. We will not tolerate attacks or humiliation of Bengali-speaking migrant workers in the so-called double-engine states. Bengal has over 1.5 crore migrant workers, and we neither torture nor oppress them.” Miss Banerjee also accused the CPI(M) and BJP of not participating in the freedom struggle. “A BJP leader gave an undertaking to the British to secure release from jail. In the Andaman Cellular Jail, 90% of those hanged were Bengalis. Until recently, the Kolkata: A special session of the West Bengal Assembly will be held from 1 September, with the Mamata Banerjee government likely to bring a resolution against the Election Commission's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) and a censure motion on alleged attacks on Bengali migrant workers in BJP-ruled states. Sources in the state government said on Thursday that the special session will be held on 1, 2 and 4 September. • Details on Page 3 CPI(M) did not even hoist the national flag. They now speak boldly, but they once attacked me and broke my hands. They unleashed a reign of terror in Bengal,” she said. Modi, Xi likely to hold bilateral at SCO meet New Delhi: PM Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping are expected to hold a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin in China on 31 August. PM Modi's upcoming visit to China comes amid escalating trade tensions with the United States. Bhagwat reasserts Hindu Rashtra vision STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 28 August Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday reaffirmed the Sangh’s vision of India as a “Hindu Rashtra”, framing the concept as culturally inclusive and spiritually rooted in the country. Mr Bhagwat, who was speaking at the centenary celebrations of the RSS in New Delhi, however, emphasised that the Hindu Rashtra envisioned by the Sangh is not antagonistic to any community. “The RSS imagination of Hindu Rashtra is neither in opposition to anyone nor does it intend to leave out anyone,” he said, reiterating that the term “Hindu” reflects a cultural and civilisational identity rather than religious exclusivity. “Everyone in Akhand Bharat is a Hindu,” Mr Bhagwat declared. “It is not ‘Hindu versus others.’ It is an egalitarian framework that includes all who share in the cultural ethos of this land,” he said, as he emphasised that Indians are one irrespective of their ‘pooja padhati’ (style of worship). Expressing concern over the issue of demographic chance, he said every family, and not just Hindu families, must have three children in the interest of the country.