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 | BHUBANESWAR | MUMBAI | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI ‘Telecom companies cannot defer payment of spectrum dues’ SATURDAY INTERVIEW ‘Vital to balance population growth’ Speed vs Sense Page 11 Page 6 Today’s Matches Ireland v Oman England v Scotland New Zealand v S Africa BRIEFLY SC seeks CBI status report on Manipur cases: New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday directed the Central Bureau of Investigation to file a status report within two weeks on its probe into 11 FIRs related to the 2023 ethnic violence in Manipur, after concerns were raised about gaps on the central probe agency’s part. The top court also suggested that the Gauhati and Manipur High Courts could be entrusted with the task of monitoring the proper conduct of trials in cases tied to clashes that took place in Manipur in 2023. New Delhi/Dhaka, 13 February T banned from the polls, creating a void in the politics of the South Asian nation of 170 million people. For decades, politics in this country revolved around the rivalry between Hasina and former premier Khaleda Zia, a contest popularly known as the 'Battle of the Begums'. From 1991 to 2024, the two leaders alternated in power, shaping more than three decades of governance. Mr Rahman (60), son of former premier Khaleda Zia and former President Zia ur Rahman, led the BNP's resurgence following years of political wilderness under Hasina's rule. With more than two-thirds majority in the 300-seat Jatiya Sangsad, BNP party leaders feel they can cherry pick from the referendum which was also voted along with the parliamentary elections. The referendum was on a proposed reform charter aimed at introducing prime ministerial term limits, establishing a new upper house, strengthening Govt to go with Dubey’s motion against Gandhi MR DUBEY’S NOTICE ACCUSES MR GANDHI OF USING “UNPARLIAMENTARY LANGUAGE” AGAINST PM MODI AND OTHERS. THE NOTICE ALSO ALLEGES THAT MR GANDHI HAS ASSOCIATED WITH “ANTINATIONAL FORCES” AND SEEKS CANCELLATION OF HIS LOK SABHA MEMBERSHIP, ALONG WITH A LIFETIME BAR ON CONTESTING ELECTIONS. MR RIJIJU SAID DISCUSSIONS WOULD BE HELD WITH SPEAKER OM BIRLA TO DETERMINE WHETHER THE NOTICE SHOULD BE REFERRED TO THE PRIVILEGES COMMITTEE, THE ETHICS COMMITTEE, OR BROUGHT DIRECTLY BEFORE THE HOUSE. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 February Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday said the government has Mr Gandhi of using “unparliamentary language” against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and others. The notice also alleges that Mr Gandhi has associated with “anti-national forces” and seeks cancellation of his Lok Sabha membership, along with a lifetime bar on contesting elections. Mr Rijiju said discussions would be held with Speaker Om Birla to determine whether the notice should be referred to the Privileges Committee, the Ethics Committee, or brought directly before the House. Zimbabwe stun Australia by 23 runs in WC upset TRIDIB BAPARNASH New Delhi, 13 February Zimbabwe scripted the biggest upset of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2026 so far, thumping former champions Australia by 23 runs in Colombo on Friday. The African team revived memories of the upset win in 2007, when they beat Australia by five wickets in the T20 World Cup. The African side, unbeaten in the competition so far, climbed to second place in the Group B standings, while Australia slipped to third. Only the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super 8 stage. Australia’s decision to field after winning the toss, backfired almost immediately as Zimbabwe produced an assured and commanding batting display to post 169/2 in 20 overs, their highest score against Australia in T20 Internationals. Their previous best against the Australians had been 151/9 in Harare in July 2018. From the outset, Zimbabwe’s batters looked confident and composed, putting the opposition under sustained pressure. They carried that momentum into the field, striking early Page 12 PM says he looks forward to working with new B’desh leader ASHOK TUTEJA New Delhi, 13 February JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY/ ARTI BALI decided to shelve its plan to move a privilege motion against Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, after a BJP MP submitted a notice for a “substantive motion” on the same issue. Mr Rijiju said the government will now proceed with the motion filed by BJP member Nishikant Dubey with the Lok Sabha Secretariat. As a private member has already initiated the process, the government will refrain from introducing a separate motion, he said. Mr Dubey’s notice accuses ‘Abhishek Sharma will likely be available for Ind-Pak clash’ Page 7 BNP sweeps Bangladesh polls, Tarique Rahman set to be PM he Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) swept to victory in a low-voterturnout elections to Bangladesh's parliament, winning 213 of the 296 declared constituencies and catapulting party chief Tarique Rahman to become the country's next prime minister. The landslide win marks a dramatic return to power for the BNP after nearly two decades in opposition and 17 years in self-imposed exile for Mr Rahman with a decisive mandate that will hopefully bring political stability to Bangladesh, which has been going through chaotic times ever since the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government was toppled in August 2024. This was the first election when the Awami League was Saturday, 14 February 2026 SPORTS BUSINESS EDITORIAL | blows to leave Australia reeling at 29/4 inside the first five overs. The early damage proved decisive, as Australia were forced onto the back foot for much of the chase. Glenn Maxwell (31) and Matt Renshaw (65) attempted to steady the innings with a fighting partnership. While Maxwell tried repeatedly to break free and lift the scoring rate, he found it difficult to dominate consistently. Renshaw, in contrast, compiled a mature and measured knock, scoring 64 off 44 deliveries as he worked to rebuild the innings. The pair added 77 runs for the fifth wicket, briefly reviving Australian hopes. However, the turning point came when Maxwell dragged a delivery from Ryan Burl back onto his stumps. His dismissal triggered a lower- order collapse, as Australia slid from 106/5 to 146 all out. Zimbabwe’s bowlers maintained relentless discipline, ensuring there was no late twist in the contest. presidential powers, and enhancing judicial independence. Fifty additional seats reserved for women will be allocated from party lists; this too is expected to reinforce BNP’s hands. • The man who will be king: Page 9 With elections done and dusted in Bangladesh, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday took the lead in congratulating Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman after he led his party to a decisive victory. Though it came in the form of a post on the X social media platform, its significance was not lost because his message to the new leader in Bangladesh came much before China or Pakistan reacted in the rapidly-changing regional dynamics of South Asia. “I convey my warm congratulations to Mr Tarique Rahman on leading BNP to a decisive victory in the Parliamentary elections in Bangladesh. This victory shows the trust of the people of Bangladesh in your leadership. India will continue to stand in support of a democratic, progressive and inclusive Bangladesh. I look forward to working with you to strengthen our multifaceted relations and advance our common development goals,’’ the PM said. Hours later, the PM spoke to the Bangladesh leader on the phone. He wrote on ‘X’: “Delighted to speak with Mr Tarique Rahman. I congratulated him on the remarkable victory in the Bangladesh elections. I conveyed my best wishes and support in his endeavour to fulfil the aspirations of the people of Bangladesh. As two close neighbours with deep-rooted historical PM Modi says ‘Seva Teerth’ will stand as a symbol of duty, compassion, commitment to India First STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 13 February “These things have not yet been decided,” he said, adding that a final decision would follow consultations with the Speaker after the motion is admitted. and cultural ties, I reaffirmed India’s continued commitment to the peace, progress, and prosperity of both our peoples.’’ Though it is too early to say what kind of policy the new leadership in Bangladesh would pursue vis-à-vis New Delhi, Indian officials are quite hopeful that the turmoil witnessed in bilateral ties during the last 18 months after Sheikh Hasina was dislodged in August 2024 will steadily be over in the larger interest of both nations and their peoples. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday unveiled the name of the building complex ‘Seva Teerth’ here that houses the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the National Security Council Secretariat, the Cabinet Secretariat, all of which were previously located across different locations. PM Modi dedicated 'Seva Teerth' to the nation, reaffirming his unwavering resolve to serve the people of India and highlighting the sacred spirit of ‘Nagrikdevo Bhava’ as its guiding force. The Prime Minister said that ‘Seva Teerth’ stands as a radiant and powerful symbol of duty, compassion and commitment to the principle of India First. He expressed hope that it will inspire generations to walk the path of selfless service and tireless dedication to the welfare of all, and continue to motivate people to move forward with dedication for the well-being of every citizen. PM Modi posted on X: “With an unwavering resolve to serve the people of India and guided by the sacred spirit of Nagrikdevo Bhava, Seva Teerth is humbly dedicated to the nation. May Seva Teerth always stand as a radiant symbol of duty, compassion, commitment to the principle of India First. May it inspire generations to walk the path of selfless service and tireless dedication to the welfare of all.” In his first acts after shifting to Seva Teerth, he signed important files relating to the decisions that reflect the spirit of Seva. These included the PM RAHAT Scheme, under which initiative, accident victims will get cashless treatment of up to Rs 1.5 lakh, ensuring that no life is lost due to lack of immediate medical help. Further, the target for the Lakhpati Didi scheme has been doubled to 6 crore. The government has already crossed the landmark of 3 crore Lakhpati Didis, more than a year ahead of the original March 2027 timeline. The PM has now set a new, ambitious target of 6 crore Lakhpati Didis by March 2029, doubling both scale and aspiration. In a move aimed at strengthening India’s entire agriculture value chain, the PM announced the doubling of the loan target of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund from Rs 1 lakh crore to Rs 2 lakh crore. Additionally, with an aim to power India’s innovation ecosystem, especially in deep tech, early-stage ideas, advanced manufacturing and breakthrough technologies, the PM has approved the Startup India Fund of Funds 2.0 with a corpus of Rs 10,000 crore. Amid acrimony, Parliament break begins VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 13 February The first part of a very acrimonious Budget session that saw heated exchanges over the India-US trade deal and an unpublished memoir of former Army chief M M Naravane concluded Friday. Congress MPs protested in the Parliament House complex, demanding the resignation of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in connection with his name appearing in the infamous Epstein Files. A key question now is whether the Opposition’s attempt to link the India-US trade deal with Mr Puri’s mention in the Epstein Files has put the BJP-led NDA on the defensive and whether this pressure can be sustained to test Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the politically sensitive issue of farmers once again. Led by Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, the Opposition in the Lok Sabha continued to corner the government on issues, including the Epstein Files, in this session ~ charges that the BJP rejected, describing them as baseless political mudslinging. Even if there was discomfort, there was no visible sign of embarrassment within the ruling ranks. Refuting Mr Gandhi’s allegations in multiple interviews, Mr Puri accused him of “peddling innuendo”, acknowledging that he had met disgraced American financier Jeffrey Epstein on “a few occasions” and asserting that his interactions had no connection with the crimes committed by the convicted sex offender. Observers believe the real political test may lie in whether the Opposition can successfully frame the India-US trade deal as a threat to farmers’ interests ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections in key states ~ West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Kerala, and UT of Puducherry. On Thursday, farmers and trade unions staged a nationwide Bharat Bandh against the deal, with protests reported from several states. Agriculture is not only a key economic sector but also a politically sensitive constituency with deep emotional resonance. Although the government has assured safeguards for sensitive agricultural products, any perception that domestic producers could face unfair foreign competition may gain traction across party lines. Union ministers, including Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, have repeatedly assured that the deal is the best agreement in the national interest and that farmers have been fully safeguarded. But Mr Gandhi, who has been accusing PM Modi of “opening the doors” of the agriculture sector to foreign players at the cost of Indian farmers and selling out under pressure from US President Donald Trump, says he was prepared to face FIRs or motions in Parliament, but his party would oppose the deal at every level. Political debates rarely hinge solely on economic logic, and if the narrative shifts from macroeconomic benefits to concerns over livelihood security for soybean, cotton and fruit growers, the discourse could sharpen. Memories of the earlier farm laws are still fresh in public consciousness, the observers say. But the point is also whether Congress has the power to sustain the pressure. Ultimately, in politics, it is the perceptions that matter.