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 | Tuesday, 11 November 2025 SPORTS WORLD NATION Tejashwi accuses NDA of misusing agencies Page 5 BRIEFLY US Senate votes to end shutdown: Ex-French Prez Sarkozy to be freed under supervision BUSINESS FM holds first pre-Union Budget consultations Page 10 Page 9 10 killed in blast at Red Fort; 24 injured STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE showed flames and thick smoke billowing from the burning cars. Panic spread through the area as several vehicles were seen damaged in the aftermath of the loud explosion. Following the powerful blast, panic spread as several vehicles were damaged at the site, an officer mentioned. New Delhi, 10 November Washington: The US Senate voted 60-40 on Sunday night to break the weeks-long government shutdown, marking the first major step toward reopening federal agencies as early as later this week, Politico reported. The breakthrough came after eight Senate Democrats agreed to support a bipartisan funding package that would fully fund several key agencies for the rest of the fiscal year and extend all others through January 30, 2026. (Page 9) SpiceJet flight makes emergency landing: New Delhi: A SpiceJet flight from Mumbai to Kolkata made an emergency landing due to failure in one of its engines, according to Kolkata Airport officials. The airline said in a statement on Monday that all passengers and crew members are safe. "On November 9, SpiceJet flight SG 670 operating from Mumbai to Kolkata experienced a technical issue during descent at Kolkata airport. The aircraft landed safely and all passengers and crew deplaned normally," according to a statement from a SpiceJet spokesperson. The full emergency was lifted at 11:38 pm. On September 12, a SpiceJet Q400 flight from Gujarat's Kandla airport to Mumbai made a similar emergency landing at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport (CSMIA) after an outer wheel was found on the runway following take-off. The plane landed safely, with all passengers and crew unharmed. A t least 10 people were killed and 24 others were injured in a major explosion in a car parked near Gate No 1 of Delhi’s Red Fort (Lal Qila) Metro Station on Monday evening. The cause of the blast is unknown. Police have, meanwhile, cordoned off the area and launched a thorough investigation, including from a terror angle. “An explosion occurred in a car near Gate No 1 of Red Fort (Lal Qila) Metro Station on Monday evening, sparking panic in the high-security area. The impact of the blast caused three nearby vehicles to catch fire,” a police official said. The injured were shifted to the LNJP Hospital. According to Dr B L Chaudhury, Medical Director, LNJP, 15 people, who were injured, were brought to Lok Nayak Hospital and 10 of them died before reaching there. Police personnel stand near the charred remains of vehicles at the site of a car blast near Gate No. 1 of the Red Fort Metro Station, in New Delhi. SUBRATA DUTTA The Delhi Fire Service (DFS), in a statement, said, “A call was received about the explosion around 6:55 p.m., following which seven fire tenders and 15 CAT ambulances were dispatched to the scene. Firefighters brought the blaze under control after a brief operation.” A total of seven fire tenders have reached the spot. Deputy Chief Fire Officer AK Malik says, "We got information that there was a blast in a car near Chandni Chowk Metro Station. We Page 12 Bihar braces for decisive phase of assembly polls IMRAN MOJIB Patna, 10 November After a record 65.08 per cent voter turnout in the first phase of the Bihar Assembly elections, there is noticeable enthusiasm among voters for the second phase of polling on Tuesday. The historic turnout has raised the political temperature and the heartbeat of the 1,302 candidates contesting from 122 assembly constituencies across 20 districts in the final phase. Over 3.7 crore voters will exercise their franchise to decide their fate. Politically, these 122 constituencies are divided into three major regions — Champaran, Seemanchal, and the Shahabad–Magadh regions. The Champaran region, comprising East and West Champaran districts, has long been considered the BJP’s stronghold. In 2020, the NDA had won nine out of 12 seats in East Champaran and eight of the nine seats in West Champaran. However, with changed socio-political equations, the Indo-Nepal border districts have turned into political battlegrounds. The INDIA Alliance and Jan Suraaj Party are trying hard to breach the BJP fortress. In the Shahabad–Magadh region, where the INDIA Alliance had won 46 seats and the NDA 23 in 2020, the voting patterns of Yadav, Kurmi, Rajput, Dalit, and Bhumihar communities have emerged as decisive factors. Political observers believe that if the NDA fails to strengthen its hold in Shahabad–Magadh, it may find it difficult to return to power. Polling on 24 seats across four districts of the Seemanchal region, where Muslims constitute 40 to 70 per cent of the electorate, will play a decisive role in determining the future of Bihar’s power equation. These constituencies have traditionally been strongholds of the RJD–Congress-led INDIA Alliance. In the 2020 Assembly elections, Asaduddin Owaisi’s AIMIM disrupted that equation by winning five seats in the region. This time too, AIMIM has put its full strength into these constituencies. If votes are not divided between AIMIM and the INDIA Alliance, Tejashwi Yadav’s path to power could become smoother. Twelve ministers from Chief Minister Nitish Kumar’s cabinet are in the fray. Among the prominent JD(U) candidates are Bijendra Prasad Yadav from Supaul and Leshi Singh from Dhamdaha. Prominent BJP leaders contesting this election include former deputy chief minister Renu Devi from Bettiah, Neeraj Kumar Singh Bablu from Chhatapur, Nitish Mishra from Jhanjharpur, and Dr Prem Kumar, who is attempting to win the Gaya Town constituency for the eighth time. The lone independent MLA in Bihar and a cabinet minister Sumit Kumar Singh is contesting again from Chakai. SC notice to Centre on plea Two doctors among seven arrested as seeking implementation of police bust interstate terror module in J&K women’s reservation law in Parl STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Jammu, 10 November PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 10 November The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Central government on a public interest plea (PIL) filed by Congress leader Jaya Thakur, urging the immediate implementation of the law providing 33 per cent reservation for women in the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. A Bench of Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan sought the government’s response to the public interest litigation (PIL), which has sought the enforcing the Women’s Reservation Act without waiting for a fresh delimitation exercise. During the hearing, Justice Nagarathna observed, “The Preamble (to the Constitution of India) says all citizens are entitled to political and social equality. Who is the largest minority in this country? It is the woman — almost 48 percent. This is about ensuring political equality for women.” Appearing for Thakur, Senior Advocate Shobha Gupta told the court that even after 75 years of Indep endence, it was 'Singing of Vande Mataram to be compulsory in all UP schools' STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Gorakhpur, 10 November Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday announced that singing of the national song ‘Vande Mataram’ will be made compulsory in all schools of the northern state. "Vande Mataram will now besungregularlyandcompulsorily in all schools across the state. We must remember not to allow a new Jinnah to be born in India. If a Jinnah dares to be born, bury him. No one is above the nation,” he said after leading an Ekta Padyatra here on the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Events will be held across the state until November 25. A 10-kilometer march will be organized in each assembly constituency. CM Yogi said, responded immediately, and seven units were sent to the spot. At 7:29 PM, the fire was brought under control. There is a possibility that there are casualties in this. All our teams are present at the spot..." Forensic experts have also reached the site. Security has, meanwhile, been tightened across the Delhi-NCR region and other major cities in the wake of the blast. The DMRC has also intensified the security in metro premises and trains. Visuals from the scene PM expresses condolences, orders probe: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has expressed condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in a blast near the Red Fort Metro Station in Delhi, saying, "Condolences to those who have lost their loved ones in the blast in Delhi earlier this evening. May the injured recover at the earliest." PM Modi reviewed the situation with Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other officials, directing authorities to provide assistance to those affected. Amit Shah said that the incident is under investigation and that “all possibilities will be explored.” ‘WPL has transformed women’s cricket in India’ "When the events commemorating the 150th anniversary of Vande Mataram began, the heads started splitting. An SP MP protested. These are the same people who do not attend Sardar Patel's birth anniversary celebrations but shamefully participate in events honoring Jinnah." He alleged that ,"Extremism, terrorism, and Naxalism are constantly challenging the unity and integrity of the country. Those who insult revolutionaries dare to encourage separatist forces. Identify those who are dividing society on the basis of caste and region". "This is part of a conspiracy to create a new Jinnah. Every citizen of India must stand up against it. No individual or institution can be above the nation," he stressed. CM Yogi further said, "Vande Mataram became a mantra for freedom from foreign influences. Congress tried to amend even such a song by calling it communal. Their appeasement policy led to the partition of the country in 1947. For some, personal faith becomes greater than the nation. When Mohammad Ali Johar sang Vande Mataram at the 1923 Congress session, Mohammad Ali Jinnah resigned from the presidency." unfortunate that women had to approach the judiciary to secure adequate representation in legislatures. Responding to her submission, the Bench remarked, “ When is the delimitation exercise scheduled? Serve it to the government… Enforcement of the law lies with the executive, and we cannot issue a mandamus. Issue notice to respondents. Let the central agency be served.” The plea challenges the provision that links implementation of the reservation to the completion of a census and subsequent delimitation, arguing that this requirement is unnecessary and should be struck down to allow its immediate enforcement. In a major counter terrorism success, J&K Police have busted an inter-state and transnational terror module, linke d with proscrib e d terrorist organisations, Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) and Ansar Ghazwat-ul-Hind (AGuH). Seven p e ople, including two doctors, one of them in Faridabad, from whom arms and ammunition were recovered, were among the arrested. The operation has led to the arrest of key operatives and recovery of a massive cache of arms, ammunition and explosives, including 2900 kg of Improvise d Explosive Device (IED) material, two assault rifles, and pistols, Police said on Monday. Coordinated searches in Jammu and Kashmir, Haryana's Faridabad, and other states, for handlers operating from Pakistan and other countries, were conducted. The investigation has revealed a white collar terror ecosystem, involving radicalised professionals and students in contact with foreign handlers operating from Pakistan and other countries. The operation was carried out jointly by the Faridabad and Jammu and Kashmir Police. The arrested people identified by the police include Arif Nisar Dar alias Sahil, resident of Nowgam, Srinagar; Yasir-ul-Ashraf, resident of Nowgam, Srinagar; Maqsood Ahmad Dar alias Shahid, resident of Nowgam, Srinagar; Molvi Irfan Ahmad (Imam of Masjid), resident of Shopian; Zameer Ahmad Ahanger alias Mutlasha, r e s i d e n t o f Wa k u r a , Ganderbal; Dr Muzammil Ahmad Ganaie alias Musaib, resident of Koil, Pulwama; and Dr Adeel, resident of Wanpora, Kulgam. Besides, the role of a few more individuals has surfaced who will b e traced and apprehended. During the ongoing investigation, searches were conducted at multiple locations by J&K Police in Srinagar, Anantnag, Ganderbal, and Shopian. Similarly, J&K Police also conducted searches in Faridabad, in tandem with Har yana Police, and in Saharanpur, with UP Police. The group has been using encr yp te d channels for indoctrination, coordination, fund movement, and logistics. Funds were raised through professional and academic networks, under the guise of social/charitable causes, police stated. The accused were found involved in identifying persons to radicalise, initiate and recruit them to terrorist ranks, besides raising funds, arranging logistics, procurement of arms/ammunition and material for preparing IEDs. Over 30,000 personnel participate in exercise Trishul, India’s biggest joint military drill STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 10 November Exercise Trishul, India’s largest tri-service military drill, concluded after demonstrating unprecedented joint combat capabilities across Rajasthan, Gujarat, and the North Arabian Sea. In a statement issued by the Naval spokesperson here today, it was stated that the joint exercise was conducted between November 3 and 7. The exercise brought together over 30,000 personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force, featuring 20–25 surface and subsurface naval assets, more than 40 aircraft with supporting ground systems of the IAF, and a range of indigenous weapon platforms from all three Services, it read further. Notably, participation of the Indian Coast Guard, BSF and other central agencies further reinforced inter-agency coordination, exemplifying Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation. As part of the exercise, the Indian Army also conducted Exercise Brahmashira in the Rann and Creek Sector, bringing together the three services, Indian Coast Guard and BSF in seamless coordination with civil administration to validate integrated capabilities across land, sea and air. Embodying the Indian Army’s Decade of Transformation, the exercise integrates Joint Task Forces, a state-of-the-art Joint Control Centre and robust operational infrastructure to sustain multi-domain operations. It also validates new structures, advanced technologies and adaptive warfighting capabilities. Exercise Brahmashira highlights India’s commitment to Military-Civil Fusion and a Whole-of-Nation approach, showcasing the Armed Forces’ ability to deliver rapid coordinated decisive responses across domains, according to the defence spokesperson.