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 | Friday, 26 December 2025 SPORTS WORLD NATION Aravalli storm: Centre, Congress spar Murshidabad migrant worker lynched in Odisha: Kolkata: A migrant labourer from West Bengal’s Murshidabad district was beaten to death in an alleged mob attack in neighbouring Odisha, while two other workers from the same district sustained grievous injuries, triggering tension in the area and outrage in Bengal. The incident occurred on Wednesday night in Sambalpur district of Odisha, a BJP-ruled state. The deceased has been identified as Jewel Rana (30), a resident of Suti-I block in Murshidabad. The injured workers are Arik Sheikh and Palash Sheikh, both from Murshidabad, who are currently undergoing treatment in a critical condition. According to police and local sources, Jewel, Arik and Palash had travelled to Sambalpur on 20 December along with a few other youths in search of daily wage work. They were reportedly engaged as labourers. Page 3 PERSPECTIVE A vital step to fuel power needs Page 7 Page 9 Page 5 BRIEFLY Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful to shed indifference Previously, only one family was glorified: PM MANOJ BHADRA Lucknow, 25 December E arlier, statues of only one family were installed; today, every prominent figure is honoured. Previously, only one family was glorified. The BJP has honoured everyone’s contributions,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday after he inaugurated the Rashtriya Prerna Sthal in Lucknow on Thursday, unveiling the statues of Jan Sangh founder Dr. Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya, and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The Prerna Sthal features 65-foot-tall statues of Deendayal Upadhyaya, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Each statue weighs 42 tons. The Prerna Sthal was built on 65 acres of land at a cost of Rs 220 crore. PM Modi said: “Congress kept the BJP untouchable, but the BJP’s values teach respect for everyone. The BJP's culture teaches us to respect everyone. Narasimha Rao and Pranab Babu were awarded the Bharat Ratna. It is our government that honoured Mulayam Singh Yadav and Tarun Gogoi with national awards... No one can forget that attempts were made to erase Ambedkar's legacy. The royal family of Delhi tried to erase it. The Samajwadi Party also did the same here, but the BJP did not allow it to be erased.” “Sardar Patel integrated the princely states into India. But after independence, his work and stature were diminished. The BJP gave Sardar Saheb the respect he deserved. They built the world's tallest statue of him... Tribals were not given their due place. Our government built a grand memorial to Lord Bisra Munda,” he said. The inspiration and visionary work of SP Mukherjee, Upadhyaya and Vajpayee are the foundation of a developed India, the PM said. “These statues are infusing us with new energy. We must not forget that in India, a tendency to associate every work with a single family flourished. Previously, only one family was glorified, with statues erected only for them. This was the way it was. The BJP has freed the country from this tendency of being held hostage by one family.” “Today is Atalji's 101 birthday. It's also a day of good governance. For a long time, slogans like "Remove Poverty" were considered good governance. But Atalji truly implemented good governance. Today, digital is so much talked about. He laid its foundation.” On Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, PM Modi said: “As independent India's first Industry Minister, Dr. Mukherjee laid the foundation for economic self-reliance. He formulated the first industrial policy. He laid the foundation for industrialisation in India." He also said decades ago, Pandit Deendayal envisioned the ideal of Antyodaya. ‘Kohli & Rohit lighting up domestic cricket,’ says Pathan Page 12 Top Maoist leader Ganesh Uike killed, six insurgents neutralised STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kandhamal, 25 December Security forces on Thursday neutralised Ganesh Uike, one of the most wanted Maoist leaders and a central committee member, during an encounter in the dense Gumma forest area of Odisha’s Kandhamal district in the course of a major anti-Maoist operation along the OdishaChhattisgarh border. The encounter took place in the Chakapada and Belghar police station limits, where joint teams of the Odisha Police’s Special Operations Group (SOG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Border Security Force (BSF) were conducting a coordinated operation based on specific intelligence inputs. Officials said the exchange of fire began around 9 a.m, resulting in the death of Uike, who carried a bounty of over ₹1 crore. He was also the secretary of the Odisha State Committee of the CPI (Maoist) and had earlier functioned as the outfit’s spokesperson in Chhattisgarh. Security forces retrieved the bodies of three Maoists from the encounter site, GANESH UIKE WAS A CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBER WHO HEADED THE MAOIST ORGANISATION IN ODISHA. UIKE CARRIED A BOUNTY OF OVER RUPEES ONE CRORE IN ODISHA, WITH ADDITIONAL REWARDS ANNOUNCED BY THE TELANGANA AND ANDHRA PRADESH GOVERNMENTS. including two women, along with two INSAS rifles and a .303 rifle. Police sources said another encounter had taken place in the same forest zone late on Tuesday night, during which two Maoists were killed. Those slain in the overnight operation were identified as residents of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Sukma districts. With the latest developments, the total number of Maoists killed in the ongoing operation has risen to six. Chhattisgarh Additional Director General of Police (Naxal Operations), Vivekanand Sinha told The Statesman that Uike, aged around 69, was a key figure in the Maoist hierarchy. He said Uike’s presence in Kandhamal underlined the importance of the cadre movement being tracked by security agencies. An AK-47 magazine was found near his body. Further searches led to the recovery of additional weapons and equipment. Two of the slain Maoists have been identified as area committee member Bari alias Rakesh Raigada, a resident of Sukma, and Amrit, a platoon member from Bijapur. China slams US report, says it seeks to sow discord with India STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 25 December China on Thursday hit out at a Pentagon report saying that ‘it sows discord between China and other countries, including India’ while asserting that Beijing handles its relations with New Delhi from a long-term perspective. Denouncing the report, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said: “The Pentagon’s report distorts China’s defence policy, sows discord between China and other countries, and aims at finding a pretext for the US to maintain its military supremacy.” “China firmly opposes the report,” the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson said at a daily press briefing in response to a question on a US report that said China probably seeks to “capitalise” on decreased tensions along the border with India to “ prevent the deepening of US-India ties.” “China views and handles its relations with India from a strategic height and a long-term perspective. We stand ready to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, promote cooperation, and properly handle differences with India, and advance a sound and stable bilateral relationship.” “The boundary question is a matter between China and India and the current border situation between the two countries is generally stable with smooth communication channels. China opposes relevant country’s groundless and irresponsible comments,” the spokesperson added. According to a new US Defence Department report, China continues to prepare for possible military confrontation with India along the Line of Actual Control, even as both sides pursue diplomatic engagement to stabilise ties. The report identifies China’s Western Theatre Command as responsible for operations involving India. It says the command is structured and trained for high-altitude conflict and border contingencies. In 2024, Chinese forces conducted live-fire drills and mobility exercises in mountainous terrain. These activities were designed for combat in high-altitude and low-oxygen conditions, according to the report. The Pentagon assessment notes that China treats its territorial claims as “core interests.” These claims, it says, are considered non-negotiable by Beijing. The report explicitly includes India’s Arunachal Pradesh within this framework. Although India and China announced an agreement in October 2024 to disengage from remaining standoff points along the LAC, the report urges caution. It says the reduction in tension does not reflect a change in China’s long-term military posture. Christmas Cheer Rahman returns to Dhaka to tumultuous welcome, promises ‘peace’ in B’desh UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Dhaka, 25 December Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman returned to Dhaka on Thursday morning to a tumultuous welcome by lakhs of his followers, after spending 17 years in exile in London. Acknowledging the GenZ “revolutionaries” who brought about the fall of his arch rival Awami League's government, Mr Rahman said: “We liberated this country in 1971, we liberated it again in 2024.” Travelling in a bulletproof vehicle, part of a slow-moving cavalcade with three layers of security, Mr Rahman reached the site of a massive rally organised by his party at Dhaka's Purbachal area, as a slogan-shouting crowd went into a frenzy at the sight of their leader. Mr Rahman began his speech stating "We want peace in this country", calling on people from all walks of life to unite in building a safe, democratic, and economically strong Bangladesh. This comes after days of internal strife since the caretaker government took over last year. In his speech, Tarique Rahman recalled key moments in the nation’s history, including the 1971 Liberation War, the soldiers’ and people’s uprising of 1975, and the mass movement of the 1990s. He also highlighted the events of 5 August 2024, when people from all segments of society ~ came together to safeguard the country’s independence and sovereignty. Saying the time has come for national unity, he stressed the need to work collectively to rebuild the country. “This is a land of hills and plains, home to Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, and Christians alike,” he said, adding that his goal is to build a Bangladesh where every woman, man, and child can leave home and return safely. BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, and leaders including Salahuddin Ahmed, Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury and Mirza Abbas were among those present to welcome the prodigal son back home. Referring to the recent death of Osman Hadi, Tarique Rahman said the people must regain their economic rights. “To repay the blood of those martyred in ’71 and ’24, we must build the Bangladesh they envisioned,” he said. He emphasised that the younger generation would play a decisive role in shaping the country’s future and underscored the importance of establishing democracy alongside a strong economic foundation. Throughout his speech, Tarique Rahman repeatedly reiterated his message of peace, saying, “We want peace in the country.” Later, drawing inspiration from Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous words “I have a dream,” he said, “I have a plan,” outlining his vision for national development. Park Street witnesses heavy footfall on Christmas Day as people from across Kolkata and beyond gather to soak in the Yuletide spirit, with lights, decorations and celebrations stretching late into the night. BISWAJIT GHOSHAL India to assume chair of Kimberley Process, an initiative to prevent trade in ‘conflict diamonds’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 25 December The Kimberley Process (KP) Plenary has selected India to assume the chairpersonship of the Kimberley Process from 1 January 2026, according to a Commerce & Industry Ministry statement on Thursday. The Kimberley Process is a tripartite initiative involving governments, the international diamond industry, and civil society, aimed at preventing the trade in “conflict diamonds” ~ rough diamonds used by rebel groups or their allies to finance conflicts that undermine legitimate governments, as defined in United Nations Security Council resolutions. As a leading global hub for diamond manufacturing and trade, India’s leadership comes at a time of shifting geopolitics INDIA TAKES OVER AS KP VICE CHAIR FROM 25 DECEMBER 2025, BEFORE ASSUMING THE CHAIRPERSONSHIP IN THE NEW YEAR. THIS WILL BE THE THIRD TIME INDIA HAS BEEN ENTRUSTED WITH THE CHAIR OF THE KIMBERLEY PROCESS. and growing emphasis on sustainable and responsible sourcing. During its tenure, India will focus on strengthening governance and compliance, advancing digital certification and traceability, enhancing transparency through data-driven monitoring, and building consumer trust in conflict-free diamonds, the statement said. Welcoming the decision, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said that India’s selection reflects global trust in the Modi government’s commitment to promoting integrity and transparency in international trade. India takes over as KP Vice Chair from 25 December 2025, before assuming the chairpersonship in the new year. This will be the third time India has been entrusted with the chair of the Kimberley Process. As Vice Chair in 2025 and Chair in 2026, India will work closely with all participants and observers to reinforce confidence in the Kimberley Process, ensure rule-based compliance, and enhance its credibility, in line with its core objectives and evolving global expectations, while working towards making the KP a more inclusive and effective multilateral framework.