FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 20 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW Asha Bhosle passes away BOBBY ANTHONY Mumbai, 12 April L egendary playback singer Asha Bhosle passed away at the age of 92 due to cardiac arrest as well as multiple organ failure at South Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital on Sunday afternoon. She was admitted to the hospital on Saturday evening after extreme exhaustion and a chest infection. The 92-year-old singer’s career spanned over eight decades in which she sung songs in many languages and for different actors, including Meena Kumari, Madhubala, Zeenat Aman, Kajol, Urmila Matondkar, Padmini and Vyjayanthimala Bali. Known for her versatility, Asha recorded over 12,000 songs in languages as different as Marathi, Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil and Bengali. She also had an international English hit number, ‘Bow Down Mister’ which she sang with British pop star Boy George in 1991. Some of her well known Hindi songs are ‘Dum Maro Dum’, ‘Abhi Na Jao Chhod Kar’, ‘In Ankhon Ki Masti’, ‘Dil Cheez Kya Hai’, ‘Piya Tu Ab to Aaja’, ‘Duniya Mein Logon Ko’ and ‘Zaara Se Jhoom Loon Main’, among many others. In her career, Bhosle, who was the younger sister of the legendary late Lata Mangeshkar, received numerous awards and honours, including the prestigious Dadasaheb Phalke Award, in 2000, and the Padma Vibhushan, which is India's second-highest civilian award, in 2008. She was also acknowledged by the Guinness World Records in 2011. She also won two National Film Awards. Asha Bhosle is survived by her son Anand Bhosle who told media persons here: “My mother Asha Bhosle has passed away. All those who wish to pay their last respects may come to Casa Grand Lower Parel at 11 a.m. Her last rites will be held at 4 p.m at Shivaji Park (electric crematorium at Dadar West”. Bhosle is also survived by her granddaughter Zanai Bhosle, who is a singer. Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences on Bhosle’s passing on his X account, “Deeply saddened by the passing of Asha Bhosle Ji, one of the most iconic and versatile voices India has ever known. Her extraordinary musical journey, spanning decades, enriched our cultural heritage and touched countless hearts across the world. Be it her soulful melodies or vibrant compositions, her voice carried timeless brilliance. I will always cherish the interactions I’ve had with her. My condolences to her family, admirers and music lovers. She will continue to inspire generations and her songs will forever echo in people’s lives”. Paying tribute to Asha Bhosle, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that she is profoundly saddened by the singer's demise. In an X post, Miss Banerjee tweeted: “Asha Bhosle has been an inspiring and mesmerising singer who reigned over our hearts for generations. She sang many Bengali songs too, and is incredibly popular in Bengal as well. We conferred our highest civilian award 'Banga Bibhushan' on her in 2018”. • The song never ends: Page 19 | SILIGURI | Monday, 13 April 2026 Mamata vows to unseat BJP from Centre STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 12 April Trinamul Congress chairperson and West Bengal Chief Minister, Mamata Banerjee, addressing a series of election rallies, vowed to remove the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led government from the Centre after winning the upcoming Assembly elections in Bengal. Speaking at an election rally in Bankura district’s Onda, Miss Banerjee said: “We will conquer Bengal and remove the BJP government from Delhi. This is our resolution. The Bengali New Year is coming. On the first day of Baishakh, we will resolve to bid farewell to the BJP.” At a rally in Khandaghosh in East Burdwan district, Miss Banerjee accused the BJP and former Trinamul Congress legislator Humayun Kabir of conspiring to divide minority votes, though she did not directly name anyone. “You have seen how they entered into a Rs 1,000 crore deal to divide the minority voters. Now they are claiming that the video clip concerned is fake and Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated. But the person who made the video claims that it is not fake. How much will you try to cover up things? You have a lot of money. But why are you not reducing the prices of petrol, diesel, and cooking gas?” said the Chief Minister. Speaking about the Trinamul Congress government’s achievements, she said: “We (Trinamul Congress) have made 1 crore 30 lakh pucca houses. This time our resolution is that in the future, we will make all the raw houses that are there pucca so that people get a shelter. Water taps will reach all the houses. No matter how much they (BJP) campaign and lie, our achievements are there for the people to see.” Miss Banerjee charged that the BJP fails to keep promises it made to people before the elections. “We keep our promises when we make them. And they (BJP) cheat. They go everywhere before the elections and promise to give money. But after the results of the elections are declared, they are nowhere to be found.” “Before the elections in Delhi, they said they would give Rs 3,000 to every woman. They have not given a single rupee yet. They are lying in Bihar. They are cheating women by lying. They said they would give Rs 8,000 in their bank accounts. They promised it before the elections. The next day they drove the bulldozer. They have finished the country. Many people went to Bihar to make a name for themselves. Now they understand. Women are saying, give us money.” • Related report: Page 3 TMC indifferent to issues of national security: Modi in Siliguri Bihar power shift looms: 14 April meet crucial for Nitish Kumar govt MANAS R BANNERJEE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Siliguri, 12 April Highlighting the strategic importance of the Siliguri Corridor, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday alleged that the Trinamul Congress was reluctant to act decisively on issues concerning national security. Addressing an election rally at Kawakhali Ground in Siliguri, Mr Modi spoke at length on national security, development, and the future of North Bengal, while launching a sharp attack on the state government. “The Siliguri Corridor is extremely important from the perspective of national security. It is a sensitive part of Maa Bharati. Some reactionary anti-India forces are conspiring to cut off this corridor and isolate the Northeast from the rest of the country. However, due to its appeasement politics, the TMC is indifferent to this threat and is even supporting such forces up to the Parliament,” he said. He added: “The Siliguri Corridor is important not only for the country’s security but also for its prosperity.” Referring to connectivity projects, the Prime Minister said: “Rail connectivity from Sevoke to Rangpo is progressing rapidly. This will enhance connectivity between Siliguri and Sikkim, opening new avenues for trade and tourism. The people of Darjeeling, in particular, will benefit greatly.” Stepping up his attack on the state government, Mr Modi alleged: “In the past 15 years, the TMC government has done nothing for the development of North Bengal. Infrastructure, connectivity, industry, and tourism have all been neglected. Funds Talks between US and Iran fail, Trump threatens Strait of Hormuz blockade AGENCIES Islamabad, 12 April US President Donald Trump on Sunday said the US Navy would “immediately” begin a blockade to stop ships from entering or leaving the Strait of Hormuz, after historic U.S.-Iran peace talks in Pakistan ended without an agreement or next steps in sight. In his first public comments after the 21 hours of talks, Trump sought to exert strategic control over the waterway that was responsible for the shipping of 20 per cent of global oil supplies before the war, hoping to eliminate Iran’s key source of leverage. The prospect of a US blockade likely will further rattle global energy markets and prices for oil, natural gas and related products. It was not immediately clear how the blockade might be carried out or when. Trump said he has “instructed our Navy to seek and interdict every vessel in International Waters that has paid a toll to Iran. No one who pays an illegal toll will have safe passage on the high seas.” Other nations would be involved in the planned blockade, he said, but did not name them. Trump stressed that Tehran’s nuclear ambitions were at the core of the failure to end the war, and said the US was ready to “finish up” Iran at the “appropriate moment.” Face-to-face talks ended earlier Sunday, the highest-level negotiations between the longtime rivals since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Iranian officials blamed the US for their breakdown without specifying sticking points. Both delegations later left Islamabad. Neither side indicated what will happen after the 14-day ceasefire expires on 22 April. Pakistani mediators urged all parties to maintain it. Both sides said their positions were clear and put the onus on the other, underscoring how little the gap had narrowed. “We need to see an affirmative commitment that they will not seek a nuclear weapon, and they will not seek the tools that would enable them to quickly achieve a nuclear weapon,” Vice President JD Vance, leading the US side, said afterward. Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who led Iran in talks, said it was time for the United States “to decide whether it can gain our trust or not.” Iranian officials earlier said talks fell apart over two or three key issues, blaming what they called US overreach. Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar said his country will try to facilitate a new dialogue between Iran and the US in the coming days. allocated by the Centre have been siphoned off through syndicate raj instead of being properly utilised.” The central government has taken every possible measure to strengthen highway connectivity. However, due to the negligence of the TMC government, the road work from Salsalabari to Silchar is yet to be properly completed, he added. On allocations for madrassa development, he said: “The state government has allocated Rs 6,000 crore for madrasa development, but has not provided adequate funds for the overall development of North Bengal. This is purely vote-bank politics.” New Delhi, 12 April A crucial meeting of the Bihar cabinet has been convened on 14 April ahead of the outgoing Chief Minister Nitish Kumar formally submitting his resignation following his election to the Rajya Sabha setting the stage for the swearing in of his successor. According to highly placed sources, the meeting at the state secretariat is expected to not only review the continuation of key schemes initiated under Nitish Kumar’s leadership but also include in its agenda a proposal related to his resignation. While there is no change in Jaishankar discusses situation in West Asia with UAE leadership STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 12 April Amid the crisis in West Asia, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar has arrived in the United Arab Emirates and met top leaders of the Gulf country to discuss the situation in the region and bilateral issues. He called on President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and expressed gratitude to him for deepening the ties between New Delhi and Abu Dhabi. He also thanked the leadership of the country for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community during the West Asia conflict. In a series of posts on X, the minister said he called upon the UAE President and the UAE Deputy Prime Minister during the visit. “Deeply honoured to call on President of UAE HH @MohamedBinZayed in Abu Dhabi today. Conveyed warm greetings of Prime Minister @narendramodi and our gratitude for ensuring well-being of the Indian community during the West Asia conflict. Thank him for his guidance on further strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” he wrote on X. In another post, he said: “Good to see HH @HamdanMohammed during the call. C onveyed the appreciation of our government for ensuring the welfare of the Indian community in Dubai.” Mr Jaishankar also held talks on the evolving regional situation with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan. He conveye d India’s appreciation to Nahyan for ensuring the safety of the Indian diaspora in the region. In a post on X, he said: “A real pleasure to meet DPM & FM Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan of UAE in Abu Dhabi this evening. Our conversation focused on the evolving regional situation and its implications. C onveye d o u r d e e p appreciation for ensuring the well-being of the Indian community in the UAE. Confident that our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership will advance further.” government, the exit of JD-U strongman Nitish Kumar who has served a record 10 terms as Chief Minister to possibly make way for a BJP leader to assume office as the CM, will mark a significant transition in the state politics. JD-U workers are reported to be unhappy over Nitish Kumar moving to New Delhi. While no official confirmation has been made, speculation is rife that BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary is emerging as the frontrunner for the top post. Senior JD-U leader and minister Vijay Kumar Chaudhary acknowledged ongoing consultations among NDA allies, stating that such meetings are natural. He emphasis ed that the final decision on the new chief minister will be taken by the BJP, following which the NDA legislators will elect their leader. Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party has already moved into action mode appointing senior leader and union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan as the central observer to oversee the election of the BJP Legislature Party leader in Bihar. Party General Secretary Arun Singh confirmed in a release that Chouhan will soon arrive in Patna to complete the process, which is being seen as a critical step toward finalising the next Chief Minister. Sources indicate that the swearing-in ceremony of the new government may take place on 15 April at Lok Bhavan. In the past 12 hours, Samrat Choudhary has reportedly met Nitish Kumar twice, underlining the intensity of behind-the-scenes negotiations. Senior leaders, including Sanjay Jha, JD-U MP, have also held consultations with the Chief Minister.