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, 03 November 2025 SPORTS WORLD Scorched Future Trump warns Nigeria of military action over Christian persecution Page 6 Page 9 EDITORIAL BRIEFLY 10 injured in London-bound train stabbing: NATION Rahul slams Modi with ‘dance for vote’, Ambani-Adani jibe ‘It’s clear which way the wind is Shafali, Deepti's half tons help India set SA 299 target blowing’: PM Modi in Bihar Patna, 2 November Tri-services drill later this month: New Delhi: Tri-Services Exercise (TSE-2025) “Trishul”, being conducted by the Indian Navy as the lead service jointly with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, will commence early this month. “Headquarters Western Naval Command, in close coordination with the three Services, will be conducting the exercise which will feature large scale operations across the creek and desert sectors of Rajasthan and Gujarat, alongside comprehensive maritime operations including amphibious operations in the North Arabian Sea,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement on Sunday. Page 5 Those sitting in Delhi doing political arithmetic should come here and see which way the wind is blowing.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, as he addressed a well-attended election rally in Arrah in Bhojpur, Bihar. “When I see this energy in all of you, the resolve to build a developed Bihar becomes even stronger,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi added. Targeting the Opposition INDIA bloc, PM Modi once again raised the issues of ‘jungle raj’, infiltration, and appeasement politics. The Prime Minister also invoked the 1984 riots, that targeted Sikhs, ahead of his visit to the Patna Sahib Gurudwara to offer prayers. “On 1-2 November, 1984, Congress members carried out the Sikh massacre. Today’s Congress continues to promote and honour those guilty of that massacre. Whether it’s Congress or the RJD, neither feels any remorse for their sins,” he said. Mr Modi reiterated that the RJD-Congress alliance is trying to destroy Bihar’s identity. “These people are conducting rallies in support of infiltrators. They are fully committed to protecting them,” he said. He also said that ‘jungle raj’ was the darkness that slowly hollowed out Bihar. “The symbols of RJD’s jungle raj are gun culture, cruelty, bitterness, bad values, New Delhi, 2 November The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday the suo motu case concerning stray dog management across the country, with the Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories ~ except West Bengal and Telangana ~ directed to remain personally present before it. A special bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sandeep Mehta, and N.V. Anjaria will hear the matter, which had earlier expressed displeasure over non-compliance of several states and UTs with the apex court’s directives on implementing the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules, 2023. During the previous hearing on 27 October, the top court had expressed strong disapproval misgovernance, and corruption. If the RJD brought jungle raj and appeasement politics to Bihar, Congress’s identity is tied to the massacre of Sikhs,” Mr Modi stated. C ommenting on the declaration of RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as the CM candidate of the INDIA bloc, the prime minister said the Congress never wanted an RJD leader to be declared chief ministerial candidate, but the RJD did not miss Toxic air tightens grip on Delhi as AQI soars to 366 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 2 November Delhi’s air turned visibly murkier on Sunday as toxic smog blanketed the skyline, blurring buildings and bringing another sharp spike in pollution levels. According to the Central Pollution Control Board, the city’s 24-hour average Air Quality Index soared to 366, plunging deep into the ‘very poor’ category and marking the second highest 24-hour for this season after Friday’s reading of 373. Particulate Matter (PM2.5) remained the dominant pollutant behind the capital’s worsening air, CPCB’s 4 p.m. bulletin noted. Of the 39 air quality monitoring stations across Delhi, 28 recorded ‘very poor’ air, while three slipped into the ‘severe’ zone. The worst-hit areas included Wazirpur (416), Burari (403 ), and Vivek Vihar (401). As per the CPCB’s classification, an AQI between 301 and 400 is deemed ‘very poor’, while readings above 400 fall in the ‘severe’ range, posing serious health risks, especially for children, the elderly, and those with respiratory conditions. The city also woke up under a toxic, suffocating blanket of smog on Sunday morning as air quality nosedived into severe territory. According to CPCB data, the AQI around AIIMS skyrocketed to 421, joining a growing list of hotspots Chief secys of states, UTs to appear today before Supreme Court in stray dogs case AGENCIES Page 12 Page 5 IMRAN MOJIB London: Ten people were injured in a mass stabbing on a London-bound train in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, late Saturday, with at least two people sustaining life-threatening injuries. “Ten people have been taken to hospital following a multiple stabbing on a train in Cambridgeshire. Nine are believed to have suffered life-threatening injuries. A major incident has been declared,” police said on X. The police later said two persons remained in ill-threatening condition. Two suspects have been arrested in connection with the attack. The train was travelling from Doncaster to London’s King’s Cross Station. Page 9 Washington, Arshdeep star as India level T20I series THE TOP COURT HAD EARLIER EXPRESSED STRONG DISAPPROVAL OF THE FAILURE OF MOST STATE GOVERNMENTS TO FILE COMPLIANCE AFFIDAVITS, DESPITE CLEAR ORDERS ISSUED ON 22 AUGUST. of the failure of most state governments to file compliance affidavits, despite clear orders issued on 22 August. The court had noted that only West Bengal, Telangana, and the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) had submitted their affidavits. “Didn’t the officers read newspapers or social media? Haven’t they read... even if they are not served, the affidavit should have been here. All Chief Secretaries remain present here on 3 November,” the Justice Nath-led Bench had remarked. On 31 October, the Supreme Court rejected Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s request to allow the Chief Secretaries to appear virtually, directing instead that they must be present physically before the court. The apex court had earlier directed all states and UTs to file affidavits detailing the steps taken to enforce the ABC Rules, including sterilisation drives, vaccination programmes, and the establishment of animal shelters and pounds. It also warned that coercive measures and costs may be imposed for continued noncompliance. The matter, which has seen multiple intervention pleas from residents’ welfare associations and individuals, has been closely monitored by the Supreme Court. across Delhi reporting readings well beyond 400. Several areas bore the brunt: Wazirpur, RK Puram, Punjabi Bagh, Chandni Chowk, and Rohini all recorded “severe” category pollution levels. Dense morning fog combined with near-zero wind speeds trapped pollutants at ground level, disabling the city’s natural ventilation and sealing in the haze. The situation improved slightly during the day, thanks to the winds. Westerly winds prevailed over Delhi in the past 24 hours with speeds gusting up to 30 Kmph, according to the data recorded by the India Meteorological Department until 6 p.m. While no large change was noted in the city’s maximum temperatures in the last 24 hours, which settled at 30.7°C in the near normal range, the minimum temperature recorded a drop of 2.6°C and stood at 16.8°C. the opportunity either. “The RJD put a gun to Congress’s head and snatched the chief minister’s post. They forced an agreement in a closed room and then made Congress publicly announce its support under pressure,” the PM said. PM Modi further stated that the NDA’s manifesto includes plans for rural prosperity. He made major announcements for farmers and livestock owners and promised that the network of food parks in Bihar would be expanded. He announced that the new Bihar government would provide annual financial assistance of Rs 3,000 to farmers, in addition to the Rs 6,000 provided under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi by the Central government, and that financial aid to fishermen would be increased to Rs 9,000 per year. “To boost the income of livestock owners, we are launching the Milk Mission. There was a time when Bihar used to import fish from other states; now, because of NDA policies, Bihar exports fish to other states,” PM Modi said. TRIDIB BAPARNASH New Delhi, 2 November Recalled to India’s ICC Women’s World Cup squad as an injury replacement ahead of the knockouts, Shafali Verma (photo) picked the grandest stage of all to deliver her finest ODI innings. The 21-year-old opener smashed a career-best 87 to headline a century stand with Smriti Mandhana, before Deepti Sharma’s run-a-ball 58 propelled India to a competitive 298/6 in the final against South Africa at the DY Patil Cricket Academy in Navi Mumbai on Sunday. A packed house, forced into a two-hour wait by unrelenting rain was eventually rewarded with a blistering opening act as Smriti and Shafali tore into the South African attack, racing to 104 inside 18 overs. Shafali took charge early, clearing the infield with ease, before Smriti joined the assault, helping India surge to 50 in just six overs. With both openers threatening to take the game away, South Africa captain Laura Wolvaardt turned to left-arm spinner Chloe Tryon for a breakthrough, and struck gold. Tryon removed Mandhana for 45 (58 balls) with a feathered edge behind the stumps, silencing the stadium in an instant. The hush didn’t last long. Jemimah Rodrigues, India’s semifinal hero, walked out to a deafening roar as Shafali closed in on a long-awaited milestone. She brought up her fifth ODI fifty, and first since July 2022, off just 49 deliveries, ending her drought in style. Ayabonga Khaka struck in the 23rd over, with Luus pulling off a sharp catch to end Shafali’s superb 78-ball 87, studded with seven fours and two majestic sixes. At 166 for 2, Rodrigues and captain Harmanpreet Kaur took over, tasked with capitalising on the strong base. But Khaka struck again, removing Jemimah for a 37-ball 24, and the slowdown that followed allowed South Africa to claw back some control. Deepti Sharma broke the shackles with a crunching six off Marizanne Kapp, giving Harmanpreet time to settle as the pair steadied the innings past 200 in the 35th over. Just as the partnership began to blossom, left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba shattered Harmanpreet’s stumps for 20, ending a 52-run stand. India were 223 for 4 in the 39th over when the team management sprung a surprise by sending Amanjot Kaur ahead of the explosive Richa Ghosh. The move backfired, as Nadine de Klerk removed Amanjot for 12. At the other end, Deepti, who survived a dropped chance on 38 by Wolvaardt, brought up her 18th ODI half century off 53 balls, even as Khaka returned to end Richa’s dominating 24-ball 34 to leave India two shy off the 300-run mark. DMK-led all-party meet decides to challenge SIR in Supreme Court MC RAJAN Chennai, 2 November Describing the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls as anti-democratic, the all-party meeting convened by the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu on Sunday termed the Election Commission as a puppet of the BJP, decided to challenge the exercise in the Supreme Court. While all the allies of the DMK and many registered political parties, were in attendance, the principal opposition AIADMK, the BJP, and the PMK as well as actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) and Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), have boycotted the meeting. The meeting, chaired by Chief Minister MK Stalin, termed the SIR, imposed ahead of assembly polls, as against the interests of the people of Tamil Nadu. The apex court is yet to deliver its verdict in the Bihar SIR case, it was pointed out. “The SIR is unacceptable, and the all-party meeting urges the Election commission to abandon the exercise. Only after the shortcomings are removed, it should be conducted in a transparent manner as per the guidelines of the Supreme Court afer the 2026 assembly election. There should be adequate time to carry out the exercise,” a resolution adopted at the meeting said. “It is highly condemnable that the EC remains a puppet in the hand of the BJP-led Union Government and functions in an undemocratic manner disregarding the objections of political parties in Tamil Nadu,” the resolution said. “Our apprehensions stem from the recent SIR in Bihar, which witnessed mass deletion of minorities and those opposed to the BJP. Further, the Election Commission has failed to make any statement either before the apex court or in a public forum.” “It is unmistakable that the SIR, imposed unilaterally on Tamil Nadu and 11 other States, is intended to disenfranchise a vast segment of the electorate and bury electoral democracy," the resolution said. “The SIR could be conducted only after issuance of a Gazette notification as per Section 169 of the Representation of the People Act and hence unlawful. Even the Supreme Court ,direction that Aadhaar should be the 12th document had not been adhered to,” it pointed out. “There is only confusion, for the Election Commission announcement says that no document should be collected from electors during the Enumeration Phase. There is no clarity as to when they will be demanded.” Successful launch of GSAT-7R boost for national security UNITED NEWS OF INDIA PRIME MINISTER NARENDRA MODI ON SUNDAY CONGRATULATED THE INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION (ISRO) ON THE SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF INDIA'S HEAVIEST COMMUNICATION SATELLITE, CMS-03. IN A POST ON HIS HANDLE X, PRIME MINSTER MODI PRAISED THE SPACE SECTOR'S EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION, SAYING IT HAS FURTHERED NATIONAL PROGRESS AND EMPOWERED COUNTLESS LIVES. Sriharikota, 2 November India on Sunday beefed up its security with the launch of its latest military satellite, the 4.4 ton GSAT-7R or CMS-03, for the use of the Indian Navy, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). The satellite, the heaviest launched so far from Indian soil, was put into orbit by ISRO’s LVM3 rocket on Sunday evening in copybook style. “GSAT-7R will provide robust telecommunication coverage across the Indian Ocean Region. Its payload includes transponders capable of supporting voice, data, and video links over multiple communication bands,” the Ministry of Defence said in a statement. “This satellite will significantly enhance connectivity with high-capacity bandwidth, enabling seamless and secure communication links between ships, aircraft, submarines, and Maritime Operations Centres of the Indian Navy,” it added. The most advanced communication satellite thus far for the Navy, the GSAT-7R will strengthen the Navy’s space-based communications and maritime domain awareness capabilities. The GSAT-7R will replace the 2.65 ton GSAT-7 or Rukmini that was launched in 2013 by Arianespace. After a smooth 24-hr countdown, the home grown LVM3-M5 ~ also India’s biggest, nicknamed Bahubali ~ lifted off from the Second Launch Pad at the Sriharikota High Altitude Range at 5.26 p.m. and after a flight duration of about 1,000 seconds precisely injected the satellite into Geo-synchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) with an inclination of about 24 degrees. Though satellites launched using GSLV and LVM are normally injected into a 36,000 km GTO, ISRO had tweaked the orbital injection path for this launch, considering that the satellite was the heaviest launched from Indian soil. Congratulating ISRO on the successful launch, Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a post on his X handle praised the space sector's excellence and innovation, saying it has furthered national progress and empowered countless lives. "Our space sector continues to make us proud! Congratulations ISRO on the successful launch of India’s heaviest communication satellite, CMS-03. Powered by our space scientists, it is commendable how our space sector has become synonymous with excellence and innovation. Their successes have furthered national progress and empowered countless lives," PM Modi said.