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 | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW NDA’s Kerala manifesto promises `2.5k dole, AIIMS Russian FM Lavrov plans to visit India on 14-15 May for BRICS meeting NATION BJP Assam manifesto vows UCC and end to ‘Love Jihad’ Page 5 Page 4 Page 8 CM flags ‘voter hijacking’, writes to ECI over fraud bids STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 31 March A day after TMC All India General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee approached CEO Monoj Agarwal and complained about inclusion of ‘outside voters’ in the electoral roll, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee wrote to the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday, alleging a “grave conspiracy” to undermine the democratic rights of voters in the state. The Chief Minister accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of attempting large-scale electoral manipulation. In her letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, Miss Banerjee alleged that the BJP agents in a coordinated effort were submitting thousands of fraudulent Form 6 applications to include non-residents in Bengal’s electoral rolls. She alleged that these applications were being filed at the office of the Chief Electoral Officer in a bid to “smuggle outsiders” into the voter list. Alleging “voter hijacking,” the Trinamul Congress chairperson said: “Similar tactics had been used by the BJP in other states such as Maharashtra and Delhi. This is a serious threat to free and fair elections in Bengal.” Miss Banerjee also raised concerns over the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, stating that over 60 lakh claims and objections remain under adjudication following the publication of the final voter list on 28 February 2026. She said that the Supreme Court of India had directed that such cases be decided by judicial officers, with a provision for appeal. In her communication, the Chief Minister alleged that despite the ongoing adjudication process, the ECI was “rushing” to process bulk Form 6 applications without proper notice to political parties or adequate scrutiny. She termed the move “illegal” and contrary to the Supreme Court’s orders, asserting that decisions on voter inclusion or deletion cannot be taken solely by administrative officers. Miss Banerjee further pointed to a recent state memo allowing additions through Form 6 and corrections via Form 8 until the last date of nominations, calling it “unfair” and beyond the statutory framework of electoral rules. In a parallel social media post, she intensified her attack, claiming that more than 200 people had lost their lives due to the flawed SIR process and accusing the ECI of failing to respond humanely. Stampede at Bihar temple leaves 8 dead, several injured; CM Nitish announces `6 lakh ex-gratia for kin of deceased IMRAN MOJIB Patna, 31 March A stampede at the Sheetla Mata Temple in Bihar’s Nalanda district has claimed the lives of eight women and left more than a dozen people injured, officials said. The incident occurred on Tuesday, a day when large numbers of devotees gather at the temple for worship. Being the final Tuesday of the Chaitra month, the turnout was significantly higher than usual. Nalanda SP Bharat Son told the media: “There was a massive crowd at the temple. The weather is very hot. When women were entering the temple premises after taking a holy dip in cold water, they started collapsing due to dehydration and suffocation. This led to the unfortunate incident. Our personnel were already deployed there. But there was no prior information of such a massive crowd. We have formed an SIT. FSL has reached the spot and CCTV footage is being examined. We will take action against those who are found to be negligent. Eight people died and eight were injured.” Eyewitnesses said people began running in different directions, leading to chaos inside the temple complex. Several women were trapped in the crowd and were crushed to death. More than a dozen injured individuals were rushed to nearby hospitals, where they are receiving treatment. Chief Minister Nitish Kumar expressed deep grief over the incident and extended condolences to the victims’ families, while also confirming Trump may end operation against Iran without opening Strait of Hormuz: Reports UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Washington (DC), 31 March US President Donald Trump has told aides he is ready to end the operation against Iran even if the Strait of Hormuz remains largely closed, leaving a complex operation to reopen it for a later date, The Wall Street Journal newspaper reported, citing US administration officials. The move is likely to extend Tehran’s firm grip on the waterway. In recent days, Mr Trump and his aides assessed that a mission to open the chokepoint would push the conflict beyond his timeline of four to six weeks. He decided that the US should achieve its main goals of hobbling Iran’s navy and its missile stocks and wind down current hostilities while pressuring Tehran diplomatically to resume the free flow of trade. If that fails, Washington would press allies in Europe and the Gulf to take the lead on reopening the strait, the officials told The Wall Street Journal. According to the administration officials, the President believes the US can declare victory by achieving its "core" military goals without being bogged down in a protracted maritime clearance mission, the WSJ reported. Mr Trump characterised the closure as a problem primarily for Asia and Europe, noting that 84 per cent of the oil through the strait is bound for Asian markets. He remained firm that the US is no longer as dependent on West Asian energy. SILIGURI | Wednesday, 01 April 2026 SPORTS NATION NATION | On 28 February, the United States and Israel launched strikes on targets in Iran, including in Tehran, causing damage and civilian casualties. Iran responded by striking Israeli territory and US military facilities in the Middle East. The escalation around Iran has led to the de facto blockade of the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for deliveries of oil and liquefied natural gas from the Persian Gulf countries to the global market, and has also affected the level of oil exports and production in the region. As a result, fuel prices are rising in most countries around the world. Despite the talk of ending the war, the US military footprint in the region continues to grow, creating a contradictory picture of the administration's "exit". The USS Tripoli and the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit have arrived, with elements of the 82nd Airborne and 10,000 additional ground troops under consideration. financial assistance. The families of those who lost their lives will each receive compensation of Rs 6 lakh. Following the incident, police and administrative officials took control of the situation, and security was increased at hospitals treating the injured. Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary described the incident as deeply painful and extended his condolences to the affected families. He stated that the government is providing all possible assistance and has ensured proper medical care for the injured. He also prayed for peace for the deceased and a speedy recovery for those hurt. Expressing grief over the tragic incident, Leader of the Opposition in the Bihar Assembly Tejashwi Yadav blamed local authorities for failing to manage the crowd of devotees. We wanted to control the powerplay: Vaibhav Sooryavanshi Page 12 PM says India handled W. Asia crisis well, accuses Cong of spreading fear STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 31 March Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday said India has handled the West Asia crisis well but the Opposition is continually spreading rumours 'to create an atmosphere of fear'. He was speaking at a public gathering at Vav-Tharad in Banaskantha district, where he inaugurated and laid the foundation stones for development projects worth approximately Rs 20,000 crore for North Gujarat. As the ongoing conflict in West Asia continues to impact energy flows, PM Modi asserted that the Government of India has managed to keep prices of diesel and petrol in the country under control. Referring to the present global situation, the Prime Minister noted that while many countries are grappling with war, instability, and soaring fuel prices, with diesel and petrol prices rising by 10 to 25 per cent even in superpower nations, India has kept the situation under control through its successful foreign policy and the unity of its people. “In nearly every country around the world, the prices of diesel and petrol have risen. However, India has managed to keep these prices under control, protecting its citizens from the impact of these increases. The Congress party is unable to accept this, and as a result, continually spreads rumours to create an atmosphere of fear and cause unnecessary panic, leading people to queue for petrol, diesel, and LPG cylinders,” PM Modi said. IndiGo names aviation heavyweight Willie Walsh as new CEO: Kolkata: Low-cost carrier IndiGo has appointed Willie Walsh as its new Chief Executive Officer, the company said on Tuesday. The appointment of Walsh, currently Director General of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), is subject to regulatory approvals. His tenure at IATA will conclude on 31 July 2026, and he is expected to join IndiGo no later than 3 August 2026. Walsh will succeed Pieter Elbers, who stepped down as CEO on 10 March. Walsh brings decades of leadership experience in global aviation. Page 10 India braces for hotter summer, IMD forecasts above-normal temperatures and more heatwaves STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 31 March Major parts of India are expected to experience above-normal temperatures and an increased number of heatwave days during the upcoming hot weather season from April to June 2026, according to the latest seasonal outlook from the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Most parts of eastern and north-eastern India, along with eastern sections of central India and adjoining peninsular regions, are likely to witness above-normal maximum temperatures during this period, the weather office said. Minimum, or night-time, temperatures during the season are also expected to be above normal across most regions, except parts of Maharashtra and Telangana, where they are likely to remain normal to below normal. For April, monthly maximum temperatures are forecast to be normal to below normal over many parts of the country. However, above-normal daytime temperatures are expected in several areas of eastern and northeastern India, as well as parts of northwest and southern peninsular India. During the month, night-time temperatures are also likely to remain above normal across most of India, barring a few isolated pockets in the southern peninsula where normal conditions are expected. The IMD outlook also indicates an increased frequency of heatwave days between April and June, particularly over parts of eastern, central, and northwest India, as well as the southeastern peninsula. In April specifically, above-normal heatwave days are likely across many coastal areas of Odisha, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andhra Pradesh, along with isolated regions of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka, the IMD said. On the precipitation front, rainfall across the country in April is most likely to be above normal, exceeding 112 per cent of the Long Period Average (LPA). Most regions are expected to receive normal to above-normal rainfall, except northeastern India, where below-normal rainfall is forecast in many areas. Assembly elections 2026: Star power surges as celebrities enter politics VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 31 March Ahead of the West Bengal Assembly elections, tennis legend Leander Paes on Tuesday joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), adding to the growing list of celebrity politicians and highlighting a familiar and rising trend in Indian politics ~ film and sports personalities entering electoral politics. In the upcoming 2026 Assembly elections in West Bengal, Assam, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry, several well-known names from cinema and television are contesting, underlining the continued appeal of celebrity status for political parties. While Tamil Nadu remains the most high-profile example ~ with actor Vijay and his new party, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), dominating public discourse ~ political parties across states are tapping into star power, using celebrity charisma to attract voters. Observers describe it as a win-win situation: for celebrities, politics offers a new career path, while parties benefit from their visibility and mass appeal. In fact, most parties now have prominent personalities in their ranks at both national and regional levels. Without delving into party alignments, in West Bengal, some of the prominent names in the fray include Bratya Basu, Arundhuti Maitra, Sayantika Banerjee, Soham Chakraborty and Hiran Chatterjee. Kerala, too, has an impressive line-up ~ actor-filmmaker and military veteran Major Ravi, Akhil Marar, Sudheer Karamana, Vivek Gopan and Anjali Nair ~ representing different political sides. While the spotlight is on Vijay’s political debut, there is also Seeman, chief of Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK), in Tamil Nadu, a state well known for its history of celebrity politicians such as MG Ramachandran and J Jayalalithaa. The trend is not limited to cinema. Cricketers such as Navjot Singh Sidhu, Gautam Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh, along with Olympians like Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore and PT Usha, have also had successful innings in politics. Other sportspersons, such as wrestlers Vinesh Phogat and Bajrang Punia, have entered the political arena as well. However, the effectiveness of celebrity candidates remains mixed. Their presence draws large crowds and media attention, and in some cases, fan loyalty translates into votes, particularly in states like Tamil Nadu and Kerala, where film culture is deeply entrenched. Yet, popularity alone does not guarantee political success. Many celebrities have become Members of Parliament but failed to fulfil their responsibilities effectively. “Star candidates often function as crowd-pullers and campaign amplifiers, but they are rarely grassroots leaders. While figures such as Hema Malini, Jaya Bachchan, Vinod Khanna and Shatrughan Sinha can be counted among serious politicians, there are also examples like Amitabh Bachchan, Dharmendra and Rajesh Khanna. The parliamentary track record of celebrities such as Rekha and Sachin Tendulkar has also been rather underwhelming,” observers say. However, despite criticism, particularly around absenteeism and limited political engagement, celebrity candidates remain a valuable asset for political parties due to their ability to draw attention and attract younger voters.