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 LC | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | SPORTS WORLD Cosmic puzzle US outlines hard-edged defence posture to deter China in Indo-Pacific Page 6 Page 9 EDITORIAL BRIEFLY Supreme Court to hear plea challenging Wangchuk’s detention today: Apathy, red-tape threaten tigers Page 7 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 7 December H New Delhi: The Supreme Court is set to resume hearing, on Monday, a plea filed by Gitanjali J. Angmo, the wife of Sonam Wangchuk, challenging the detention of the Leh-based climate activist. As per the causelist published on the website of the apex court, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria will take up the matter for hearing on 8 December. In the previous hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, sought additional time to respond to the rejoinder filed recently. Neser picks up 5 as Aussies beat England by 8 wickets PERSPECTIVE Goa nightclub tragedy: Owners booked as death toll rises to 25 ours after a massive fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa’s Arpora killed 25 people and injured six others, police on Sunday arrested the nightclub’s general manager and three staff members in connection with the blaze. The development comes shortly after the police registered an FIR against the nightclub’s owners ~ Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra ~ along with the manager and the event organisers. Earlier in the day, the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat sarpanch was also detained for issuing a trade license for the nightclub’s premises in 2013. The blaze erupted around midnight at Birch by Romeo Lane, a club in the bustling Baga area that draws large crowds due to its proximity to one of Goa’s most frequented beaches. Monday, 08 December 2025 According to police officials, the inferno is suspected to have been triggered by a cylinder explosion inside the premises. Videos circulating on social media showed flames engulfing nearly the entire structure of the nightclub, located roughly twenty-five kilometres from Panaji. Goa Police on Sunday morning confirmed that the blaze claimed 25 lives, including four confirmed tourists and 14 staff members, while the identities of seven victims remain to be verified as the identification process continues. The club, which opened last year, was hosting a performance when the fire began. Authorities said the blaze left most victims trapped in thick smoke as they struggled to escape through narrow doors. Many of them died of suffocation as the smoke-filled rooms rapidly overwhelmed those trapped inside. Addressing a press conference, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant vowed strict action against the culprits. The Chief Minister also announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh each for the families of the deceased and Rs 50,000 for the injured. Mr Sawant had earlier ordered a magisterial inquiry into the nightclub fire incident and constituted a committee comprising the District Magistrate and other officials from the police and fire department. The committee has been directed to look into the procedural lapses that led to the incident and submit its report within a week. Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief over the incident, and announced an ex-gratia of Rs 2 lakh for the next of kin of each deceased in the fire mishap. Opposition parties, including the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) attacked the BJP-led Goa government over the incident, alleging criminal lapses in safety enforcement, and demanding a comprehensive investigation and strict accountability. Page 12 IndiGo cancels 650 flights, targets network stability by 10 December PARWINDER SANDHU New Delhi, 7 December IndiGo’s prolonged operational disruption entered its sixth day on Sunday with the cancellation of around 650 flights, even as the airline advanced its recovery timeline and said it now expects network stabilisation by 10 December. The crisis persisted despite IndiGo’s claims of having operated 1,650 of its 2,300 scheduled daily services. Among the affected airports, Hyderabad saw the highest number of cancellations at 115 on Sunday, with Mumbai and Delhi close behind at 112 and 109 respectively. Chennai recorded 38 cancellations. An IndiGo spokesperson stated that following the recent operational disruptions, the airline is establishing significant and sustained improvements across its network. The spokesperson stated that on Sunday, it is on track to operate 1,650 flights as compared to 1,500 on Saturday. IndiGo indicated that it now expects its operations to stabilise by 10 December, revising its Baggage stacked at Terminal 1 of the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi on Sunday amid continued disruption in IndiGo’s services. SUBRATA DUTTA earlier guidance of a 10–15 December recovery period. The civil aviation ministry, which had asked the airline to complete refunds for cancelled flights by Sunday evening, said IndiGo has so far processed Rs 610 crore in refunds and delivered 3,000 pieces of baggage that were separated from passengers. On Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers seeking an explanation of the airline’s operational failures and regulatory non-compliance within 24 hours, which was on Sunday extended by another 24 hours. The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, headed by JD-U leader Sanjay Jha, is expected to call senior executives from airlines along with officials from the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. A member of the panel said that the committee is seriously concerned about the inconvenience caused to so many travellers. BJP won’t be able to face Bengal’s Rajnath inaugurates 125 Washington sends top diplomat verdict: Mamata on Sunali saga strategic infra projects to India amid tariff dispute STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE We are Indians by birth, by soil, by history, and we promise Bengal’s answer will be sharp, united, and unforgettable. Kolkata, 7 December Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee launched a sharp attack on the BJP on Sunday, declaring that the saffron party “will not be able to digest the united and unforgettable reply of the Bengali people.” She was speaking in the context of the return of Sonali Khatun, a pregnant Birbhum resident who had been deported to Bangladesh after being detained in a police sweep in Delhi in June on suspicion of being an infiltrator. On her X handle, Miss Banerjee wrote: “Let BJP India hear this clearly: every time a Bengali is called Bangladeshi, every time Delhi power brokers try to identify us as illegal immigrants, they only expose their own weakness and their fear of a proud and educated Bengal that refuses to bend. We are Indians by birth, by MAMATA BANERJEE, CHIEF MINISTER soil, by history, and we promise Bengal’s answer will be sharp, united, and unforgettable.” She added that Bengal has shed blood, brought change, and shaped the country, yet today the very community is being “intimidated, profiled, and hunted by the Delhi zamindars.” Sunali Khatun, after her and her family’s detention in Delhi, was sent to Bangladesh despite producing valid documents including Aadhaar and voter identity cards. Calcutta High Court and later the Supreme Court directed the Centre to take steps to facilitate her return to India. Miss Banerjee had also addressed the issue and exerted pressure on the Centre. She has frequently reiterated that the BJP, “out of its hatred for Bengal,” is targeting Bengalispeaking migrant workers in states governed by the “double engine” model. • Another report: Page 2 Govt says no advisory issued to pause financing of new green energy projects AGENCIES New Delhi, 7 December The Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) on Sunday clarified that it has not issued any advisory to f inancial institutions to stop lending to either renewable energy power projects or to renewable energy equipment manufacturing facilities, as has been reported in some sections of the media. However, the MNRE has circulated to the Department of Financial Services and NBFCs (non-banking financial companies) like PFC, REC and IREDA, the status of present installed domestic manufacturing capacities across various sectors of solar PV manufacturing, including solar modules and upstream stages like solar cells, ingots-wafers, polysilicon, as well as ancillary equipment like solar glass and aluminium frames. This has been done so that the financial institutions can adopt a calibrated and well-informed approach while evaluating proposals for financing any manufacturing facility in solar PV manufacturing sector and explore and expand their solar PV manufacturing portfolio to upstream stages like solar cells, ingots-wafers and polysilicon as well as solar module ancillaries like solar glass and aluminium frames, etc., as well, rather than being limited to financing solar PV module manufacturing facilities alone, the official statement explained. The ministry further stated that the government is committed to making India self-reliant in solar PV manufacturing and establishing the country as a major player in the global value chain. This commitment is supported through a comprehensive set of initiatives, including the PLI Scheme for High Efficiency Solar PV Modules and measures to provide a level playing field for the Indian manufacturers. (Representational image) Jammu, 7 December Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday dedicated to the nation 125 strategically significant infrastructure projects of Border Roads Organisation (BRO) ~ the most to have ever been inaugurated simultaneously ~ from Ladakh. Spread across two Union Territories ~ Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir ~ and seven states ~ Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, Bengal & Mizoram, these projects ~ 28 Roads, 93 Bridges and 4 Miscellaneous ~have been completed at a cost of approximately Rs 5,000 crore, the highest-value inaugurations in the BRO’s history. These upgraded infrastructure projects will significantly improve last-mile connectivity to remote villages and forward military locations, bringing these areas closer to the national mainstream. The event was organised in Ladakh on the Darbuk-Shyok-Daulat Beg Oldie Road at the Shyok Tunnel, which is among the key projects inaugurated by Rajnath Singh. This engineering marvel, built in one of the world’s toughest and most challenging terrain, will ensure all-weather, reliable connectivity to this strategic area, he said, adding that this 920-metre Cut and Cover tunnel will significantly enhance security, mobility, and rapid deployment capabilities, especially during harsh winters, as the region is prone to heavy snowfall, avalanches, and extreme temperatures. He also virtually inaugurated the Galwan War Memorial in Ladakh, set up as a tribute to the 20 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives in the 2020 Galwan Valley clash. AGENCIES HOOKER WILL ALSO TRAVEL TO BENGALURU, WHERE SHE WILL VISIT THE INDIAN SPACE RESEARCH ORGANISATION (ISRO) AND MEET LEADERS FROM INDIA’S SPACE, ENERGY, AND TECHNOLOGY SECTORS TO PROMOTE INNOVATION IN US-INDIA RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS Washington, 7 December US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Allison Hooker (photo) is visiting India from 7 to 11 December, during which she is scheduled to meet Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other officials and discuss regional security, economic cooperation, and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific. Apart from New Delhi, Hooker will also travel to Bengaluru, where she will visit the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and meet leaders from India’s space, energy, and technology sectors to promote innovation in US-India research partnerships and to explore opportunities for expanded cooperation, according to the statement released by the US Embassy and Consulates in India. In a statement, the US Embassy and Consulates in India stated: “Under Secretary Hooker’s visit will focus on advancing the US-India strategic partnership, deepening economic and commercial ties, including increasing American exports, and fostering collaboration in emerging technologies, including artificial intelligence and space exploration.” Ms Hooker’s arrival coincides with another American delegation’s trip to India. Deputy US Trade Representative Rick Switzer and his team “will also be in India this week,” Bloomberg News reported earlier. These engagements come after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s two-day stop in India. The US imposed a 25 per cent tariff plus an additional 25 per cent penalty on Indian imports, citing India’s purchases of Russian crude oil as support for Moscow’s war efforts in Ukraine. India has continued importing discounted Russian crude oil despite US pressure, which Washington links to its tariff penalties on Indian goods. 150 years of Vande Mataram: PM Modi to kick off special discussion in the Lok Sabha AGENCIES New Delhi, 7 December The lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha, will hold a special discussion on 8 December to mark 150 years of the iconic national song, Vande Mataram. According to sources, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will initiate the debate at 12 noon on Monday. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is also scheduled to speak at the conclusion of the discussion. The BJP-led NDA government has been allotted three hours for its participation in the Lok Sabha debate, while a total of 10 hours has been earmarked for the entire discussion, as the debate will also take place in the upper house, the Rajya Sabha, on Tuesday, 9 December. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is expected to open the discussion in the upper house. These discussions are part of the special parliamentary focus on commemorating the legacy and 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’. Eight leaders from the Congress will also speak in the Lok Sabha, which includes Deputy Lok Sabha LoP Gaurav Gogoi, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Deepender Hooda, Bimol Akoijam, Praniti Shinde, Prashant Padole, Chamala Reddy, and Jyotsna Mahant. The 150th anniversary of India's National Song, Vande Mataram, which translates to “Mother, I Bow to Thee”, was observed on 7 November this year. Composed by Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, ‘Vande Mataram’ was first published in the literary journal Bangadarshan on 7 November, 1875. Later, Chattopadhyay incorporated the hymn in his novel Anandamath, which was published in 1882. It was set to music by Rabindranath Tagore. It has become an integral part of the nation’s civilisational, political and cultural consciousness. PM Modi had inaugurated the year-long commemoration of 150 Years of ‘Vande Mataram’ in the national capital on 7 November. During that event, he accused the Congress of “removing important stanzas” from the original song in the 1937 session of the party in Faizabad, charging that the Congress’s decision sowed the seeds of Partition and dissected the national song into pieces. The Congress, however, claimed the decision was based on the advice of Rabindranath Tagore and amounted to the accommodation of feelings of members from other communities and faiths.