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, 10 November 2025 SPORTS WORLD Fractured Earth Pakistan Oppn to protest nationwide over 27th Amendment Bill Page 6 Page 9 EDITORIAL BRIEFLY Delhi to stagger office hours to curb pollution: NORTH-EAST One North East (ONE): Political move or true regional voice? Page 11 Page 12 Campaigning wraps up for second phase of Bihar Assembly polls IMRAN MOJIB Patna, 9 November C New Delhi: Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Friday announced that the Delhi government and Municipal Corporation offices would follow staggered timings to help reduce air pollution and ease traffic congestion. The step, she said, is a preventive measure to curb vehicular emissions during peak hours. The revised timings will remain in effect from 15 November to 15 February 2026. Under the new schedule, Delhi govt offices will run from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., while MCD offices will function from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Djokovic withdraws from ATP Finals after 101st title in Athens ampaigning for the second and final phase of the Bihar Assembly elections came to an end on Sunday. On Tuesday (11 November), over 3.7 crore voters will exercise their franchise to decide the fate of 1,302 candidates. The second phase of the elections will see voting on 122 assembly seats across 20 districts. Of these, 101 are general seats, 19 are reserved for Scheduled Castes, and 2 for Scheduled Tribes. A total of 45,399 polling booths have been set up, including 595 managed by women, 91 by differently-abled persons, and 316 model booths. All booths in this phase will have webcasting facilities to ensure a free and transparent election. In this phase, young voters appear to be playing a decisive role. There are 84.8 lakh voters aged 18-29 and about 1.04 crore voters aged 30-40, who are expected to significantly influence the direction of the election. The 7.69 lakh first-time voters, considered “floating voters,” could alter the outcome on several seats. In the final stage of campaigning, political leaders made vigorous efforts to sway the public opinion in their favour.Theexchangeofallegations and promises further intensified the electoral atmosphere. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar highlighted his government’s achievements and promised to complete pending works, urging voters not to support those who, he said, “did nothing before 2005.” The NDA accused the RJD and Congress of giving Bihar the image of “jungle raj.” Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and other senior BJP leaders, while addressing rallies, listed the scams linked to RJD chief Lalu Prasad and praised Nitish Kumar, saying he has remained spotless for 20 years. Addressing public rallies at Sasaram and Arwal today, Union Home Minister Amit Shah (photo) appealed to voters to keep the NDA in power to maintain and accelerate the pace of development in Bihar, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh speaking at rallies in Mohania, Ramgarh and Goh, attacked the Mahagathbandhan on the issue of corruption, claiming that only the NDA can give Bihar a clean administration. RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan’s chief ministerial candidate, Tejashwi Yadav, expressed concern over the integrity of the electoral process in Bihar, raising questions about VVPAT slips reportedly found scattered on a road in Samastipur’s Sarairanjan constituency. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, addressing public rallies at Kishanganj and Purnea, alleged that the BJP spreads hatred to distract the public from real issues and loot the nation’s wealth. He claimed that the ruling party instils fear among people so that no one asks the right questions. In this phase, the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD)’s reputation is at stake, as it is contesting 71 seats, the most among all parties. Meanwhile, in six constituencies, INDIA bloc allies are facing each other — Chainpur (Kaimur), Karghar (Sasaram), Narkatiaganj (West Champaran), Sikandra (Jamui), Kahalgaon, and Sultanganj (Bhagalpur). The highest number of 22 candidates are contesting in three constituencies, namely Chainpur (Kaimur), Sasaram (Rohtas), and Gaya Town. On theotherhand,Lauriya,Chanpatia, Raxaul, Sugauli, Triveniganj, and Banmankhi have only five candidates each in the fray. Consequently, while some seats may see a direct contest, others are set for multi-cornered battles. • More reports: Page 5 India’s strategic edge is in the Indian Ocean: CDS UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Chandigarh, 9 November Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan on Sunday underlined India’s growing maritime significance, stating that the country’s future lies in the seas due to its central position in the Indian Ocean region. Speaking at the ‘Military Literature Festival’ in Chandigarh, he said India has emerged as a preferred partner and first responder for many nations in times of crisis. Gen. Chauhan noted that while India possesses both land and maritime strength, its expansion on land remains geographically limited. “We cannot move westwards because of Afghanistan, northwards due to China, and the east remains constrained by the internal conflicts in Myanmar,” he explained. He emphasised that the Indian Ocean has now become the world's most vital maritime route, connecting Asian manufacturing hubs, Middle Eastern oil exporters, and African markets. “Nearly 80 per cent of global oil trade and one-third of sea-borne goods pass through these waters,” he added. Comparing India and China, the CDS observed that China wields power both on land and at sea, with access to the Pacific Ocean through the East and South China Seas. “Its development is concentrated along the coast, making it a ‘Rimland Power’,”he said. General Chauhan pointed out that India’s geographical and strategic position makes it a stabilising force in the Indo-Pacific politically steady, militarily capable, and potentially influential in reshaping the global power balance. Uttarakhand’s UCC an example for other states to follow, says PM PM’s silence on Trump, China ties worry Congress: Ramesh Only Hindus can be RSS members: Bhagwat PRITHVIRAJ SINGH AGENCIES New Delhi, 9 November The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) on Sunday clarified its legal status, membership policy, outreach programmes, and long-term vision, emphasising that only Hindus can become members while minority communities may participate in outreach programmes but cannot hold organisational authority. The statements come amid renewed public interest following questions raised by Congress leader Priyank Kharge on the Sangh’s registration. Addressing misconceptions about the organisation’s outreach and minority participation, the RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said: “Non-Hindus, including Muslims, Christians, or people from other castes, may participate in outreach programmes or visit for special activities, but they cannot join the organisational branches as formal members,” Dehradun, 9 November Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the Pushkar Singh Dhami government for enacting the Uniform Civil Code (UCC), calling it an example for other states in the country to emulate. Addressing a public rally in Dehradun on the 25th anniversary of Uttarakhand, Mr Modi said: “The seriousness with which the Dhami government in Uttarakhand has implemented the UCC is an example for other states. The state government has resorted to bold policies of national interests like framing of Anti Conversion and Anti Riot laws”. PM Modi while addressing at the Forest Research Institute (FRI) campus on Sunday, said that the Uttarakhand UCC must be demonstrated for other states. He also appreciated the anti-conversion and state-centric land laws implemented by the BJP regime in the state. He said the land law would help save agricultural lands mainly in hill areas. “The BJP government is taking strong steps against rapidly emerging sensitive issues of national interests like land grabbing and demographic changes in the state. The Uttarakhand government has tried to help the people in all possible ways with sensitivity in the time of natural disasters,” PM Modi noted. Reiterating his ‘vocal for local’ campaign, Mr Modi said it’s a route to make India self-reliant. “The nation has chosen the path of self-reliance and its route goes through vocal local campaigns. Uttarakhand had been living this vision for a long time. Love for local products, their usage and making them part of living have been inseparable parts of life here. I am happy that Uttarakahnd government has given impetus to the local campaign. After this campaign, 15 agricultural products of Uttarakhand have got the Geographical Indication (GI) tag. The GI tag for Bedu fruit and Badri Cow Ghee of Uttarakhand is a matter of pride.” “I am happy that ‘House of Himalayas’ has become a brand that has brought all local products on one platform. Various products of the state have been given a joint identity so that these products can compete in the global under this brand of multiple products,” Mr Modi stated. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said that in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on US President Donald Trump’s recent statements and the government's failure to resolve issues with China remain major concerns ahead of the upcoming Parliament session. The Congress leader said that there are many issues, including SIR, rate of economic growth, unemployment and President Trump’s repeated claims of mediation in resolving the India-Pakistan conflict during Operation Sindoor. Speaking to agencies on Saturday, Ramesh said: “A major issue will be the SIR issue. The Prime Minister’s silence on Trump’s statements is a major issue. The current relationship with China is unresolved. There hasn't been a border agreement with China. We haven’t returned to the previous situation. Negotiations are being held between the two countries based on the new normal that China has established.” He further added that economic challenges continue to burden the country, citing slow growth, unemployment, andinactionfromthegovernment despite repeated demands from the Opposition. “There are many such issues regarding the economy, the rate of economic growth, GDP, unemployment is a major issue. There is no shortage of issues. We keep issuing notices again and again, but no action is ever taken on them. The government does whatever it wants,” Ramesh said. The Congress leader’s remarks come after the government announced on Saturday that the winter session of Parliament will be held from 1 to 19 December. Ladakh’s petroglyphs threatened by road projects SP SHARMA Jammu, 9 November The priceless petroglyphs scattered across Ladakh are under severe threat from extensive road construction and weathering, particularly around villages situated along the Indus River. Rock art dating back to as early as 2000 BC is at the risk of irreversible damage due to ongoing road construction, widening and infrastructure development by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) and other agencies undertaking strategic projects in the region. The danger to these ancient carvings is not limited to Ladakh alone. In the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Jammu and Kashmir ~ currently under Pakistan’s illegal occupation ~ a similar heritage crisis looms large. The Pakistan government has reportedly signed a Rs. 442 billion contract with a Chinese company to build a hydroelectric dam that would submerge around 50 villages, each home to invaluable collections of prehistoric rock art. Experts warn that if urgent protection measures are not taken, the region could lose one of the world’s oldest and most remarkable archives of human expression. The Tibetan spiritual and temporal leader Dalai Lama has also appealed for preserving the rich heritage of the rock art and inscriptions. His appeal came during his stay in Ladakh where he came to know about the damage being caused to the inscriptions of the Kushan period and Bronze Age that were also decaying. A team led by the Director of Tourism, Ladakh, Tsering Paldan, on Saturday visited the ancient petroglyph sites along the Nimoo-Chilling road in the Leh district and documented several rock carvings. The pictures released after the team’s visit indicate road construction activity in the region that was causing damage to the historical rock carvings. The team consisting also of Assistant Director, Tourism, Leh, Ms. Padma Angmo and Associate Professor, Zoology, EJM College, Leh, Tashi Ldawa, a noted expert on petroglyphs, visited several ancient petroglyph sites along the Nimoo–Chilling road in Leh district. The team documented a series of remarkable rock carvings depicting ibex, yak, hunting scenes, and human figures, which are believed to date back to around 2,000 BC. These petroglyphs serve as an invaluable testament to Ladakh’s rich prehistoric cultural heritage, offering profound insights into the life, environment, and beliefs of early human settlements in the region. The team expressed concern over the growing vulnerability of these ancient carvings to natural weathering and potential human interference. It was collectively felt that urgent conservation measures are required to safeguard and preserve these priceless heritage assets for future generations. Climate change that was frequently triggering flash-floods in the cold desert region was another cause of damage to these rocks. UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Bengaluru, 9 November Mr Bhagwat (photo) was speaking during an interaction at the lecture series of 100 Years of Sangh Journey: New Horizons. “Participation is allowed as long as individuals maintain their own identity and do not become part of the branch structure. We welcome diversity in learning or exposure, but membership and organisational authority are restricted to Hindus.” The RSS chief further clarified, “We reach out to different communities to create awareness and understanding, but each individual is responsible for their own progress. RSS provides guidance and prepares individuals to act for themselves, but does not assume responsibility for anyone else’s development. Those who come to RSS should participate willingly, without expecting material support.” Addressing why RSS is not a registered organisation, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said: “After independence, registration is not compulsory. RSS is legally recognised as a body of individuals, and our Guru Dakshina is exempt from income tax. Courts have repeatedly dismissed attempts to declare RSS illegal.” Shashi Tharoor sparks row by calling Advani a ‘statesman’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 9 November Days after criticising the Nehru-Gandhi family using the same argument often employed by the BJP ~ dynastic politics ~ senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor has once again stirred a political debate, this time over his ideological leanings, by describing former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani as “a statesman.” Mr Tharoor on Saturday took to social media platform ‘X’ to wish Advani on his 98th birthday. In his post, the Congress MP praised the BJP veteran for his “unwavering commitment to public service, his modesty and decency, and his role in shaping the trajectory of modern India,” calling him a “true statesman” whose life of service had been exemplary. Responding to the post, senior lawyer Sanjay Hegde remarked: “Sorry Mr. Tharoor, unleashing the ‘dragon seeds of hatred’ (to quote Khushwant Singh) in this country is not public service.” By “dragon seeds of hatred,” Mr Hegde was apparently referring to an old episode in whichwriter-journalistKhushwant Singh, during a public event, had told Mr Advani to his face that he had “sown the dragon seeds of hatred in the country.” Mr Singh was alluding to Mr Advani’s famous Rath Yatra, which is widely believed to have contributed to the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya and the subsequent communal riots. However, Mr Tharoor came to Mr Advani’s defence, arguing that the BJP veteran should not be judged by a single incident, citing similar examples from the Congress’s own history. Responding to Mr Hegde’s reply, Mr Tharoor said that while he agreed with the lawyer’s sentiments, it was unfair to “reduce a lifetime of public service to one episode, however significant.”