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 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI ‘Future of sovereignty at stake’ Alliance arithmetic Page 10 US grants ‘temporary waiver’ for Indian purchase of Russian oil Govt directs refiners in India to maximise production of LPG: STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 6 March A mid the ongoing conflicts in West Asia leading to a surge in the crude oil prices, the United States has issued a temporary waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil. In a post on X, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (photo) said: “To enable oil to keep flowing into the global market, the Treasury Department is issuing a temporary 30-day waiver to allow Indian refiners to purchase Russian oil.” “This deliberately short-term measure will not provide significant financial benefit to the Russian government as it only authorises transactions involving oil already stranded at sea,” the post stated. “India is an essential partner of the United States, and we fully anticipate that New Delhi will ramp up purchases of U.S. oil. This stop-gap measure will alleviate New Delhi: The Centre has directed refiners in India to maximise the production of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and prioritise domestic supply in order to prevent a shortage of the cooking fuel amid supply disruptions caused by escalating tensions in West Asia. According to an order issued by the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas (MoPNG), oil refiners in the country will be asked to ensure that critical gases such as propane and butane are prioritised for LPG production for households. The Ministry has directed oil refining companies to maximise production of LPG and make the fuel available to the three state-run oil marketing companies ~ Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum ~ to be sold to consumers for domestic consumption only. pressure caused by Iran’s attempt to take global energy hostage,” Mr Bessent said. The licence covers transactions related to the sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels before 5 March, so long as it’s delivered to India and purchased by an Indian firm. The measure expires 4 PM Modi highlights government initiatives to secure farmers’ livelihoods & drive agricultural growth STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 6 March Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday emphasised that various government initiatives have reduced risks for farmers and provided them with basic economic security, affirming that agriculture will remain a foundational pillar of India’s long-term development. Speaking at the third post-Budget webinar focused on agriculture and rural prosperity, Mr Modi underscored the impact of flagship welfare schemes and urged greater efforts to transform the farm sector through diversification, exports, and sustainable practices. “Various government schemes have lowered risks for farmers and given them basic economic security,” Modi said, noting that the Centre has disbursed more than Rs 4 lakh crore to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. He stressed that agriculture plays a strategic role in India’s development journey and affirmed the government’s commitment to increasing farmers’ income and strengthening the rural economy. “Agriculture is a strategic pillar for India’s long-term development journey,” he said. Mr Modi also highlighted the government’s focus on rural prosperity and women’s empowerment, sharing the goal of significantly increasing the number of rural women earning sustainable incomes through self-help groups. “Our government is focused on rural prosperity, and India has set a goal to add another three crore ‘Lakhpati Didis’ by 2029,” he said, referring to the initiative aimed at enabling women from self-help groups to earn an annual income of Kolkata, 6 March Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday launched a sharp attack on the Election Commission of India (ECI), alleging that many voters who are alive have been wrongly recorded as deceased during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral roll. Speaking as she launched an indefinite sit-in protest at Esplanade East in central Kolkata, she said that some of the affected voters were present at the protest venue to demonstrate that they are still alive. “The Commission should feel ashamed. It has marked voters as dead even though they are alive. Some of them are here today to prove that they are very much living,” she said. She further accused the poll body of functioning like an agent of the Bharatiya Janata Party, describing the party as a “shameless political force.” Miss Banerjee also wished the affected voters long lives and said her party had been closely monitoring the revision process. According to her, 22 voters had been identified whose names were allegedly removed after being classified as deceased despite being alive. “We are examining the issue inch by inch. We have already traced 22 such voters. I would also request the media to highlight these cases where people are alive but the Commission’s records show them as dead,” she added. The Chief Minister warned that the upcoming Assembly elections later this year could turn into a farce if genuine voters are prevented from exercising their franchise. Senior leaders of the ruling Trinamul Congress, along with members of an association of booth-level officers aligned with the party, were present at the protest site. at least Rs 1 lakh. Underlining the importance of crop diversification to boost farmers’ earnings and ensure sustainable agricultural growth, Mr Modi said: “We are focusing on crop diversification and need to encourage states to increase their focus on the farm sector.” He called for a shift toward environmentally sustainable farming methods and stressed that India must strengthen chemical-free and natural farming practices, especially with an eye on global markets. “We need to strengthen chemical-free farming and natural farming with a focus on exports,” he added. The Prime Minister further emphasised the need to expand high-value agriculture while improving the quality, branding, and standards of Indian agricultural products. April at 12:01 a.m. Washington time. Notably, India became the single most important buyer of Russian crude after the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. However, after coming under the US pressure that eventually led to tariffs, India has been cutting back. • A narrow window: Pg 10 India to be freed of LWE by month-end, Amit Shah reiterates STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Bhubaneswar, 6 March Union Home Minister Amit Shah asserted that security forces will eliminate Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and their dream of a ‘Red Corridor’ from Tirupati to Pashupatinath by 31 March. Addressing the 57th Raising Day celebration of the CISF at Mundali in Cuttack district on Friday, Mr Shah lauded the CISF for its role in anti-Maoist operations in Odisha, Chhattisgarh and Telangana. Mr Shah said the CISF has emerged as a crucial pillar of the country’s industrial and infrastructure security and has become indispensable to India’s vision of rapid industrial development. He said the force has consistently evolved with modern technology while upholding its traditions and has proven its mettle in safeguarding Parliament, major national institutions and critical infrastructure across the country. Mr Shah announced that the Ministry of Home Affairs has decided to entrust the security of all ports in the country to the CISF, further expanding its mandate, and added that the force, which currently secures 361 vital installations including 70 airports, has also been designated as the government’s nodal agency for drone security. It will also be engaged in the coal mining sector. In the coming days, he said, the CISF will also extend security services to private industrial groups through a hybrid model using modern equipment. Highlighting the force’s achievements, he said CISF personnel have received over 13,000 medals for gallantry and distinguished service over the years, reflecting their commitment and professionalism. On the occasion, Mr Shah laid the foundation stone for three CISF residential complexes at Kamrup, Nashik and Sehore to be built at a cost of Rs 890 crore and inaugurated two completed residential complexes at Rajarhat and Delhi. The annual CISF journal Sentinel was also released at the ceremony. Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi, senior officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs and the CISF Director General Praveer Ranjan were among those present at the event. RSP sweeps Nepal polls with leads in 101 out of 165 seats in first election after Gen-Z revolt JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY Kathmandu/New Delhi, 6 March The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) appeared to be heading for a sweep in Nepal's first elections since a Gen-Z revolt in September last year toppled the Communist-led coalition headed by Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. With two of four seats declared and leads in 101 constituencies out of 165 where direct elections are held, the newbie RSP party led by former Kathmandu Mayor Balendra 'Balen' Shah (photo) looks set to form the government. The Nepal Congress, often called the 'Grand old party of Nepal' has won one seat and is leading in 11 more seats as of 6.30 pm. “The two Communist parties ~ Nepali Communist Party led by Prachanda Oli's CPN (UML) ~ which dominated the country for more than a decade are really fighting for the third spot with 12 and 10 leads as of now,” said Kuvera Chalise, Consulting Editor of Nepalkhabar. The two winners from RSP are 30-year-old Ranju Neupane (Darshana) who won against her nearest Nepal Congress candidate from Kathmandu-1 by 15,455 votes and Biraj Bhakta Sreshta, who has won by more than 24,000 votes from Bagmati. From Nepal Congress, 32-year-old Yogesh Gauchan Thakali has won by 3,307 votes from Gandaki in Mustang. “This victory in Nepal is really the net result of the anger and frustration of the younger generation because of the poor governance and lack of efforts by the old guard to create employment opportu- nities within Nepal even as rampant corruption and its fruits became more and more visible,” added Chalise, a wellknown political analyst. The momentum suggested that the RSP's bell symbol had resonated across the country, from major urban centres to remote mountain districts and the plains of the Terai, turning the party's signature blue colour into the dominant feature of the electoral map, analysts said. Interestingly, the results in Nepal were just the opposite of Bangladesh's. “It needs to be studied why Bangladesh rejected the parties born out of the students' movement, while Nepal supported the new party RSP,” pointed out Pinak R Chakravarty, former Secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs. Decoding the mega Raj Bhavan ‘rejig’ Mamata Banerjee accuses EC of declaring living voters ‘dead,’ launches indefinite protest STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Page 12 SATURDAY INTERVIEW Page 6 New Delhi: Two Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots were killed after a Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft crashed following a mission from Jorhat in Assam, the IAF said on Friday. The IAF confirmed that Squadron Leader Anuj and Flight Lieutenant Purvesh Duragkar sustained fatal injuries in the incident. In an official statement, the IAF said all personnel of the force express sincere condolences and stand firmly with the bereaved families in this time of grief. Earlier, the IAF had reported that one of its Su-30 MKI aircraft was overdue after taking off from Jorhat. The aircraft was last in contact at 7:42 pm on Thursday evening. A search and rescue mission had been initiated to locate the aircraft after communication was lost. Further details regarding the circumstances of the crash are being ascertained. Stayed ready for the moment: Samson after guiding India to 2026 T20 WC final Page 7 Tehran hit by US-Israel airstrikes as Iran targets Israel EDITORIAL IAF pilots killed in Su-30 MKI crash: Saturday, 07 March 2026 SPORTS WORLD BRIEFLY | VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 6 March The Rashtrapati Bhavan on Thursday announced a major gubernatorial reshuffle involving several states and Union Territories, including Delhi, Ladakh, Telangana, Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland. The decision to place “experienced administrators and diplomats” in crucial states was seen as a reflection of the BJP-led Centre’s focus on key issues such as governance and security. At the same time, factors such as internal party management, rehabilitation and reward also appeared to be at play. The most notable move was the transfer of RN Ravi (photo) from Tamil Nadu to West Bengal ~ both Opposition-ruled states where the BJP is engaged in crucial Assembly elections. Mr Ravi replaced C.V. Ananda Bose, after whose resignation West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote on X: “I am shocked and deeply concerned by the sudden news of the resignation of Shri C. V. Ananda Bose, the Governor of West Bengal.” “The reasons behind his resignation are not known to me at this moment. However, given the prevailing circumstances, I would not be surprised if the Governor has been subjected to some pressure from the Union Home Minister to serve certain political interests on the eve of the forthcoming State Assembly elections. The Union Home Minister just informed me that Shri R.N. Ravi is being appointed as Governor of West Bengal. He never consulted with me as per the established convention in this regard. “Such actions undermine the spirit of the Constitution of India and strike at the very foundation of our federal structure. The Centre must respect the principles of cooperative federalism and refrain from taking unilateral decisions that erode democratic conventions and the dignity of states,” she said. Political observers see the appointment of Ravi ~ a former intelligence officer known for his “uncompromising” stance ~ in West Bengal ahead of the upcoming elections as an interesting move. Equally noteworthy is the decision to move him out of Tamil Nadu, where he had multiple confrontations with the M.K. Stalin-led DMK government. “The relationship between Ravi and Stalin was marked by historic breakdown in constitutional cooperation. During his tenure as Governor of Tamil Nadu, Ravi had multiple confrontations with the DMK government, including issues related to withholding bills, university appointments and his speeches in the Assembly. Therefore, his transfer may also be some sort of a peaceoffering,” an observer said. Meanwhile, Kerala Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, will discharge the additional functions of Governor of Tamil Nadu following Mr Ravi’s transfer. In Bihar, Lieut-Gen (Retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain succeeds Arif Mohammed Khan, bringing with him decades of public and administrative experience. He is widely regarded for his operational and strategic expertise. India’s former ambassador to the USA, Taranjit Singh Sandhu, has been appointed Lieutenant Governor of Delhi. He replaces Vinai Kumar Saxena, who has been moved to Ladakh. Mr Saxena takes over from Kavinder Gupta, who has been appointed Governor of Himachal Pradesh. Mr Gupta, a former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir and a senior BJP leader, had been serving as Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. The previous occupant of the Himachal Raj Bhavan, veteran BJP leader Shiv Pratap Shukla, has been appointed Governor of Telangana. He replaces Jishnu Dev Varma, who has been appointed Governor of Maharashtra. Mr Varma, a senior BJP leader from Tripura, played an important role in strengthening the party’s presence in the northeastern region. He also served as Deputy Chief Minister of the state, holding key portfolios. The post of Maharashtra Governor had been vacant after C. P. Radhakrishnan was elected Vice-President of India. Maharashtra had been under the additional charge of Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat. Nand Kishore Yadav, seven time member of the Bihar Legislative Assembly, has been appointed Governor of Nagaland. The post had been under the additional charge of Ajay Kumar Bhalla, Governor of Manipur.