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 We, the People Iran warns US troops & Israel if America strikes over protests Page 6 Page 9 BRIEFLY X blocks 3,500 posts, deletes 600 accounts after govt notice: New Delhi: The Elon Musk-run social media platform X has blocked around 3,500 pieces of content and deleted more than 600 accounts following the Indian government issuing notice to X Corp on the generation of non-consensual sexual content by its Grok AI tool. Sources said X Corp, which runs the X platform (formerly Twitter), has acknowledged the presence of obscene imagery and given a commitment that it will comply with Indian laws and remove such content. Earlier, X Corp had submitted a written response to the government on the latter’s notice to the company for alleged failure to follow statutory due diligence and legal obligations in relation to sexually explicit content generated using its AI tools. NATION Amit Shah: Those who failed Sabarimala can’t protect faith Page 8 ‘History of Somnath one of victory & reconstruction’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 11 January P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the attacks on the Somnath Temple were not merely about economic loot, as the attackers would have stopped after the first major plunder if that had been the case. Addressing a gathering on the final day of the four-day Somnath Swabhiman Parv, PM Modi said: “If the attacks on Somnath were only for economic loot, they would have stopped after the first major plunder a thousand years ago. But that did not happen.” He said that after Independence, efforts were made to “whitewash” foreign attacks and present them as routine acts of plunder. “The temple was attacked again and again, its idols were broken, its form was altered repeatedly, and yet we were taught that it was only about loot,” he said. Monday, 12 January 2026 SPORTS WORLD EDITORIAL | People blow conch shells and play drums during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Shaurya Yatra,' procession organised as part of the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, in Gir Somnath on Sunday. ANI The Prime Minister alleged that the “contractors of appeasement” had raised objections when the temple was being reconstructed in 1951. “The contractors of appeasement bowed before radical thinking. When India was freed from the shackles of slavery, and when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took the oath for the reconstruction of Somnath, attempts were also made to stop him. In 1951, objections were also raised when Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India, visited the temple,” he said, in a veiled attack on former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. “Unfortunately, even today, forces remain active in the country that opposed Somnath’s reconstruction,” Mr Modi added. The Prime Minister said that the history of Somnath is not one of destruction and defeat, but of victory and reconstruction. “A thousand years ago, those tyrants thought they had conquered us. But even today, a thousand years later, the flag fluttering atop the Somnath Mahadev Temple proclaims to the entire world the power and might of Hindustan,” he remarked. PM Modi said that the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, held to mark 1,000 years since the first invasion of the Somnath Temple in 1026 by Mahmud of Ghazni, is a commemoration of continuity. “This festival is not merely a remembrance of the destruction that occurred a thousand years ago. It is a celebration of a thousand-year journey, and of India’s existence and pride,” he added. Kohli, Gill half-tons give India 1-0 lead in ODI series against Kiwis Page 12 A spectacular trip into the past: 55th Statesman Vintage Car Rally MOHUL BHATTACHARYA Kolkata, 11 January Kolkata witnessed a spectacular journey into the past as The Statesman Vintage & Classic Car Rally celebrated its 55th edition at the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Polo Grounds. On a bright Sunday morning, the city turned back the clock nearly a century, with more than 150 vintage and classic cars and motorcycles gracing its streets. Flagged off by Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari, GOC-in-C Eastern Command, the rally covered a 30-kilometre route from the Turf Club grounds through Shovabazar Grey Street crossing to Harish Mukherjee Road in south Kolkata. Pedestrians were enthralled as the timeless automobiles rolled past, transforming the cityscape into a living museum of motoring heritage. Dr Ananda Chanda hosted the event with enthusiasm, introducing each car as it set off. Adding to the festive spirit, the Nosey-Posey Crew ~ Suraj, Dipjyoti, and Madhurima ~ entertained the crowd. Among the standouts was Ananda Chowdhury’s parakeetgreen 1913 Gebrüder Stoewer, the oldest car in the rally. Other’s included SK Lahiri’s 1948 sapphire-blue Plymouth, fondly known as ‘Neelu’, and Anwesha Dutta’s 1963 Triumph. Other notable entries included the 1923 Panther Sloper, the 1940 Triumph 3HW, and several other rare beauties. Motorcycles also drew admiration, with the 1936 James Villiers, 1956 Vespa, 1951 Matchless, 1969 Jawa, and the iconic 1972 Rajdoot sharing the spotlight. Classic cars like the 1985 Range Rover, 1989 Mercedes, 1987 Land Rover, and 1986 MercedesBenz added to the nostalgic spectacle. Participants dressed in period costumes added a surreal charm. Tollywood star Prosenjit Chatterjee, accompanied by the crew of his upcoming Kakababu film Vijaynagarer Hirey, graced the occasion. Concluding the event, Ravindra Kumar, Editor and Managing Director of The Statesman, extended his gratitude to the Indian Army, Kolkata Police, sponsors, judges, participants, and the audience for their enthusiastic support. Vineet Gupta, Director of The Statesman Group, observed that the rally has been a source of pride for The Statesman for decades. • Results & more: Pgs 2, 3