www.thestatesman.com | FOLLOW US: India’s National Newspaper since 1818 Evolve | @TheStatesmanLtd Pages 20 | @thestatesmanltd ` 5.00 | LC | People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | 8th Day | BHUBANESWAR | 12 October 2025 S P O RT S The ferocious face of water versus the gentle face of water Kerala may be a popular tourist destination but not enough travellers venture into its offbeat north SILIGURI 2nd Test: Gill’s Ton, Jadeja’s strikes put India in control over Windies Page 20 BRIEFLY Uttarakhand govt cancels UKSSSC exams: MEA distances itself from Afghan Embassy controversy STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 11 October T New Delhi: The Pushkar Singh Dhami government Saturday cancelled the controversial Graduate-level Uttarakhand Subordinate Services Selection Commission (UKSSSC) examination following statewide protests over question paper leak. The decision to quash the UKSSSC exam, held to fill vacancies in various departments, was taken following submission of the one-member inquiry commission report by former High Court judge UC Dhyani. Following submission of the report, a statement issued by the UKSSSC, said: "In order to maintain the integrity, confidentiality, transparency and credibility of the examination, the commission has decided that it will be appropriate to cancel the examination held on September 21, 2025. The examination stands cancelled and it's proposed that re-examination will be held after three months." Page 9 he Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has distanced itself from the controversy regarding the Afghan embassy's decision to deny access to women journalists during a press conference held by Afghanistan’s Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi in New Delhi. The issue snowballed into a major controversy, with top Congress leaders Rahul Gandhi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, and P. Chidambaram raising concerns over the discrimination toward women. They pointed to the Modi government's "hollow" slogans about empowering "Nari Shakti." In a statement released on Saturday, the MEA clarified that it had “no involvement” in the press interaction organized by the Afghan Foreign Minister in Delhi. The ministry emphasised that no joint media briefing took place after the meeting between Mr Muttaqi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar. Instead, the Afghan side independently arranged a separate press event at its embassy. At this event, attended exclusively by male journalists and Afghan embassy officials, Mr Muttaqi addressed various topics, including bilateral relations, humanitarian aid, trade routes, and regional security cooperation. Afghanistan's Foreign Minister Mawlawi Amir Khan Muttaqi during a press conference in New Delhi on Friday. FILE PHOTO The exclusion of women journalists from the press conference sparked outrage, with many questioning why India allowed such restrictions on its soil. Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, strongly condemned the incident, stating that barring women journalists from a public forum sends a troubling message in the country that women are too weak to defend themselves. In a post on X, Mr Gandhi said: “Mr. Modi, when you allow the exclusion of women journalists from a public forum, you are telling every woman in India that you are too weak to stand up for them.” He further criticised Prime Minister Modi for his silence in the face of such blatant discrimination, saying: “In our country, women have the right to equal participation in every space. Your silence in the face of such discrimination Bihar churn: JD-U re-inducts Arun Kumar to counter RJD’s Bhumihar strategy IMRAN MOJIB Patna, 11 October Amid churning among political parties in poll-bound Bihar, former Jehanabad MP and senior leader Dr. Arun Kumar, along with his son Rituraj Kumar and several prominent leaders, rejoined the JD(U) on Saturday. The ‘homecoming’ of Dr Kumar, a bitter critic of Nitish Kumar, is seen as a move to fill the vacuum left by Jagdish Sharma, a major Bhumihar community leader in the Magadh region, who, along with his son Rahul Sharma, joined the RJD on Friday. The party’s National Executive President and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Kumar Jha formally inducted them into the JD(U) by granting them primary membership. Jha stated that Dr. Arun Kumar’s return would THE ‘HOMECOMING’ IS SEEN AS A STRATEGIC MOVE TO FILL THE VACUUM LEFT BY JAGDISH SHARMA, A MAJOR BHUMIHAR COMMUNITY LEADER IN THE MAGADH REGION strengthen the NDA and offer a significant boost in the upcoming Assembly elections. A prominent figure within the Bhumihar community, Arun Kumar has long maintained a strong political base in the Magadh region and played a key role in the formation of the Samata Party, originally launched by Nitish Kumar and George Fernandes. His return is widely seen as a direct response to the defection of Jagdish Sharma, another Bhumihar heavyweight from Magadh. The RJD is expected to field Rahul Sharma from the Ghosi Assembly seat, further raising the stakes in the region. The NDA, particularly the BJP and JD(U), has been on edge following Tejashwi Yadav’s outreach to the Bhumihar community. The RJD’s ‘Bhumihar card’ created enough concern within JD(U) to accelerate Arun Kumar’s return, especially after his reentry was stalled last month. The former Jehanabad MP was initially scheduled to join JD(U) on 4 September, but internal resistance emerged unexpectedly. The event was officially postponed due to ‘unavoidable reasons,’ though party insiders suggest that a senior JD(U) leader from the Bhumihar community had worked to block his induction. The tide turned with Jagdish Sharma’s defection to the RJD. exposes the emptiness of your slogans on Nari Shakti.” Senior Congress leader and former Home Minister P. Chidambaram also weighed in, criticising the incident and suggesting that male journalists should have walked out in protest when they found out that their female colleagues had been barred from the press conference. On the social media platform X, Mr Chidambaram expressed his shock, writing: “I am shocked that women journalists were excluded from the press conference addressed by Mr. Amir Khan Muttaqi of Afghanistan. In my personal view, the male journalists should have walked out when they found that their women colleagues were excluded (or not invited).” Priyanka Gandhi Vadra also demanded a clarification from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. She posted on X: “Prime Minister Ji, please clarify your position on the removal of female journalists from the press conference of the representative of the Taliban on his visit to India. “If your recognition of women’s rights isn’t just convenient posturing between elections, then how has this insult to some of India’s most competent women been allowed in our country ~ a country whose women are its backbone and pride?” The Taliban's actions were defended by Mr Muttaqi, who claimed that their laws and principles are based on their own customs and that people are happy with the system. The Taliban's restrictive policies towards women have been widely criticised globally. Since taking power in Afghanistan, the group has imposed strict restrictions on women's education, mobility, and employment. Women are barred from secondary schools, universities, and most workplaces. The Taliban leader's visit comes as India has announced plans to upgrade its Technical Mission in Kabul to a full-fledged embassy, signalling a cautious but significant diplomatic step. On Thursday, Mr Muttaqi arrived in India and met with External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Friday in a move viewed as an attempt to reset bilateral relations between the two nations. • Another report: Page 7 Med student alleges rape in Durgapur STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Durgapur, 11 October The Asansol Durgapur Police Commissionerate (ADPC) has launched an investigation following a complaint of alleged rape of a second-year MBBS student of a private medical college in Durgapur lodged last night. The survivor’s family arrived from Jaleswar in Odisha in the early hours today, even as Odisha chief minister Mohan Charan Majhi called for swift action by his West Bengal counterpart to bring the culprits to justice. Sources said that the victim had gone outside the hostel campus around 9 p.m. on Friday with one of her classmates. Outside the gate, they were accosted by five unidentified men who demanded money from them. The male classmate reportedly fled the scene, while the men allegedly abducted the girl and raped her near a wooded area. The male friend returned with some people from the hostel and found the student seriously injured. She was admitted to a local hospital. Police questioned the classmate last night. Although the student’s condition is currently stable, she remains in severe trauma, hospital sources said. State Women and Child Development and Social Welfare minister Shashi Panja said that the incident is very unfortunate and the police are investigating it. • Details on Page 4 Pak propaganda machine targets Sqn Ldr Shivangi Singh again after she becomes IAF’s first woman QFI PARWINDER SANDHU New Delhi, 11 October Just hours after Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh created history by becoming the first Indian woman fighter pilot to receive the prestigious Qualified Flying Instructor (QFI) badge, a Pakistani propaganda account named “Ousai2002” attempted to stir controversy by alleging that the Indian Air Force had shared a digitally altered image of the officer. After completing an intensive six-month training programme at the Indian Air Force’s Flying Instructors School in Tambaram, Tamil Nadu, Sqn Ldr Singh earned the coveted QFI badge during a felicitation ceremony held on 9 October. The honour was conferred on her by Air Marshal Tejbir Singh, Senior Air Staff Officer (SASO) of the IAF’s Training Command. This is not the first time that Squadron Leader Singh has been targeted by fake propaganda. Earlier, during Operation Sindoor, several rumours circulated claiming that India had lost multiple fighter jets, including a Rafale. Some reports even alleged that Sqn Ldr Singh ~ India’s first and only female Rafale pilot ~ had been captured near Sialkot after ejecting from her aircraft, which was purportedly shot down. A fabricated video also went viral on social media, falsely showing IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal AP Singh visiting the home of the “captured” pilot. Later, social media chatter about her “alleged disappearance” gained traction. However, the government promptly debunked the rumours, clarifying that Squadron Leader Singh was safe and had not been captured by Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. PM meets US envoy-designate Sergio Gor to boost India-US partnership STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 11 October Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday met with Sergio Gor, the newly confirmed US Ambassador to India, in New Delhi. During the meeting, PM Modi expressed his confidence that Gor's tenure would further strengthen the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership. "Glad to receive Mr. Sergio Gor, Ambassador-designate of the US to India. I’m confident that his tenure will further strengthen the India–US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership," PM Modi said in a post on X. Mr Gor said his talks with Mr Modi focussed on defence, trade, technology and critical minerals, adding President Donald Trump considers PM Modi as a great leader and personal friend. “The US values its relationship with India and under the strong leadership of President Donald J Trump and Prime Minister Modi, I am optimistic about the days ahead for both of our nations,” Mr Gor said. Earlier today, Mr Gor met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. His visit comes amid disruption in India-US ties after the imposition of 50 per cent tariffs on most Indian goods imported into the USA. Canada’s FM Anand to visit India for deeper strategic cooperation STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 11 October Canada’s Foreign Minister Anita Anand is set to arrive in India on Sunday, marking a significant move in the ongoing efforts to reset bilateral relations and establish a framework for deeper strategic cooperation between the two nations. This will be her first visit to India since Mark Carney assumed office as Prime Minister of Canada, succeeding Justin Trudeau. It also signals the first high-profile visit by a Canadian Foreign Minister following the renewal of diplomatic ties between the two countries. In Delhi, Anand will engage in high-level talks with India’s Minister of External Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, and Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal. Discussions are expected to focus on key areas such as trade diversification, energy transformation, and enhancing security cooperation, according to the official statement. The minister will also travel to Mumbai, where she will meet with Canadian and Indian businesses that are actively contributing to driving investment, job creation, and economic growth in both nations.