FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR Pakistan’s apology to Dhaka overdue BRIEFLY T’gana Speaker dismisses disqualification petition against turncoats: Susie Wiles, criticises Bondi and opines on Trump in Vanity Fair EDITORIAL PAGE Thousand faces of poverty Page 11 Page 9 Page 8 PM Modi, in Ethiopia, reaffirms India’s commitment to Africa STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE PM Modi arrives in Oman New Delhi, 17 December U Hyderabad: Ahead of the hearing in the Supreme Court, Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, on Wednesday dismissed the disqualification petitions filed by BRS against five of the ten turncoat MLAs. While the ruling came as a huge relief to the five MLAs who had denied joining the Congress following the filing of disqualification petitions against them, the BRS slammed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for preaching Constitutional morality in Delhi and violating it in Telangana. Page 6 nderlining that India and Ethiopia are “natural partners’’ in regional peace, security and connectivity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked the African nation for expressing solidarity with New Delhi in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in April. “Ethiopia sits at a crossroads of Africa. India stands at the heart of the Indian Ocean. Our commitment to mutual security became stronger with the signing of the Defence Cooperation Agreement earlier this year,” he said and appreciated the African country for affirming its commitment to “Zero Tolerance’’ towards terrorism when an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation visited the country following the Pahalgam attack. Addressing the Joint Session of the Ethiopian Parliament, he considered a special honour accorded to the Indian leader. The PM expressed India’s deep commitment to Africa’s development and reiterated his proposal to launch an “Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative” for training one million trainers in the continent. He noted that it was a privilege for him to be addressing the Parliament and through this temple of democracy speaking to the common people in Ethiopia ~ farmers, entrepreneurs, proud women and young people who are shaping the future of the country. He thanked the people and Government of Ethiopia for Delhi summons Bangladesh envoy as protesters march on Dhaka mission UNITED NEWS OF INDIA New Delhi/Dhaka, 17 December The already-strained relations between India and Bangladesh appeared to have deteriorated further today as New Delhi summoned the Bangladeshi envoy to convey its strong concerns over the security situation around the Indian High Commission in Dhaka, even as police in the Bangladesh capital stopped a large mob from proceeding towards the Indian mission this afternoon. The Ministry of External Affairs summoned the Bangladesh High Commissioner to India Riaz Hamidullah (photo) on Wednesday around noon. This came days after Bangladesh had summoned India’s envoy, Pranay Verma, in Dhaka on Sunday and conveyed the Mohammed Yunus-led interim government’s “concerns over the continued provocative statements” being made by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who has taken refuge in Delhi. On Wednesday evening, the interim government’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain said that Dhaka “does not seek advice from neighbouring countries” on its electoral process, describing recent comments from India as unacceptable. Speaking to journalists in Dhaka, Touhid Hossain said India had remained silent during what he termed as the “farcical elections” held under the previous Awami League government, yet is now offering advice to the interim government as it prepares for a credible vote. He also criticised India for “allowing Hasina to make provocative statements from its territory”. Earlier in Dhaka, several hundred people under the banner of "July Oikya" ~ a platform of several organisations that took part in the July Uprising ~ were stopped by police while marching towards the Indian High Commission in Gulshan this afternoon. Chanting slogans including "Delhi na, Dhaka; Dhaka, Dhaka", the protesters were demanding the return of former PM Sheikh Hasina and others who had fled to India after the July uprising last year. The protesters gathered at the Rampura Bridge area and began the march after 3 p.m. They broke through an initial barricade put up by police, but a stronger blockade stopped them, and they sat on the road, chanting slogans against India. bestowing on him on Tuesday the highest award ~ Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia. Recalling the civilisational ties between India and Ethiopia, PM Modi underlined that both the countries combine ancient wisdom with modern ambition. He noted that India’s national song “Vande Mataram” and the Ethiopian national anthem both refer to their land as the mother. Alluding to the shared struggle of the two countries, he highlighted the contribution of Indian soldiers who fought alongside Ethiopians for their liberation in 1941. Lok Sabha passes SHANTI Bill amid Oppn walkout STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 17 December The Lok Sabha on Wednesday passed the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025 (SHANTI Bill), aimed at modernising India's nuclear energy laws and opening up the sector for private companies to operate nuclear reactors and plants. The bill, which seeks to repeal the Atomic Energy Act, 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act, 2010, was passed as Opposition members staged a walkout, over their demand to refer it to a Parliamentary Standing Committee. The Opposition charged the ruling BJP with breaking a 2010 consensus on nuclear liability and failing to provide clarity on the role of the atomic energy regulator. National Herald case ~ BJP in no mood to let go of charges against Sonia, Rahul VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 17 December Dismissing assertions that the long-running National Herald case against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi is over, the ruling BJP is not in any mood to let go of it. Sources, in fact, say that the Enforcement Directorate may soon get a stay on the court order and may not have to release the multi-crore National Herald property it had seized. A day after a Delhi court declined to take cognisance of the ED’s prosecution complaint in the case, the Congress leadership intensified its attack against the BJP-led Centre with party president Mallikarjun Kharge calling it a “slap on the faces” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “This case was the outcome of political vendetta. It was mounted to harass the Gandhi family. After this judgment, Modi and Shah should resign. This is a slap on their faces, truth has prevailed,” Mr Kharge told Thursday, 18 December 2025 SPORTS WORLD PERSPECTIVE | mediapersons. The ruling BJP returned fire, with party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia calling the Gandhi family of being “the most corrupt family in politics.” Alleging that nearly Rs 2,000 crore were misappropriated in the National Herald case, he also dismissed Congress’ claims of “political vendetta.” Mr Bhatia accused Mr Kharge of “misleading the public by portraying the court’s decision as a clean chit,” arguing that the order was based on legal and technical grounds, not on the merits of the allegations.“If there is anyone in politics who is most corrupt, it is the Gandhi family,” he said adding that despite approaching courts multiple times, the Gandhis had not received any legal relief. According to the BJP leader, proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act could not continue without a registered FIR for the scheduled offence, but that did not stop other agencies from continuing their probe. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Muscat, Oman on Wednesday evening for a two-day visit, the third and final leg of PM Modi’s three-nation visit. The PM is visiting the Gulf nation at the invitation of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. During the visit, the two leaders are expected to hold bilateral discussions on strengthening the Strategic Partnership and expanding cooperation in commercial and economic sectors. In a post on X, Mr Modi said, “Landed in Muscat, Oman. This is a land of enduring friendship and deep historical connections with India. This visit offers an opportunity to explore new avenues of collaboration and add fresh momentum to our partnership.” IPL 2026 auction: Franchises go young as KKR lead big-spend strategy Page 16 CM Mamata highlights MSME growth, targets Centre at traders’ meet STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 17 December Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while outlining the progress of West Bengal’s MSME sector at the Confederation of West Bengal Trade Associations Conference in Netaji Indoor Stadium, took a subtle swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi and underscored the role of small trade in driving the economy. Miss Banerjee praised the rapid expansion of the state’s economy through MSMEs and the unorganised sector, stressing that nearly 60-65 lakh traders are engaged in small and large-scale trade. “If the Prime Minister refers to tea in his speeches, it is accepted. But if I say something similar, it is criticised. Please remember, about 60-65 lakh people earn their livelihood in the unorganised sector,” she remarked. The Chief Minister asserted that since her party assumed office in 2011, the “bandh culture” had been eradicated, boosting productivity and man-days under the 100-day work scheme. She blamed the former Left regime for perpetuating strikes, which she described as “a thing of the past.” Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee reiterated that no work is insignificant, citing examples such as selling tea and biscuits, which also contribute to the economy. Referring to the recent Salt Lake stadium incident on 13 December, she lamented that her government is routinely subjected to smear campaigns. Despite challenges, Miss Banerjee claimed that unemployment in the state has declined by 40 per cent, citing NITI Aayog’s report. She criticised demonetisation, saying it failed to deliver results and only weakened the national economy. Highlighting the strength of the MSME sector, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee stated that over 1.3 crore people are engaged in it, with 93 lakh MSME units and 660 clusters established across West Bengal. She announced the setting up of two trade and export facilitation centres in Siliguri and Kolkata, along with a welfare board for traders to safeguard their interests.