www.thestatesman.com | FOLLOW US: India’s National Newspaper since 1818 @TheStatesmanLtd | Pages 12 Editorial | @thestatesmanltd ` 5.00 | People’s Parliament, Always in Session thestatesman1875 KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR Perspective Cities must learn to tackle heat Balancing act Page 6 Page 7 BRIEFLY Govt notifies single day Bakri Eid holiday: Kolkata: The West Bengal government on Saturday issued a notification declaring only a single day’s government holiday on 28 May, Thursday, for Bakri Eid, in a departure from the previous Trinamul Congress dispensation’s practice of granting two days of state government holidays for Eid celebrations. Earlier this year, the former chief minister had announced holidays on 26 and 27 May for the festival, but in a fresh notification issued from Nabanna on Saturday, the new administration revised the schedule and declared only a single holiday on 28 May, Thursday, for Bakri Eid. According to administrative sources, the change has been made in line with the actual lunar calendar followed for Eid celebrations, as the festival date depends on the sighting of the moon. The revised notification, officials said, reflects the updated religious calendar. PM Modi, Rubio hold talks on strategic ties, security SHAHID K ABBAS New Delhi, 23 May P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday held wideranging discussions with visiting US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, focusing on strengthening the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and reviewing key regional and global security challenges, including developments in West Asia and the Indo-Pacific. Mr Rubio is understood to have extended an invitation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on behalf of US President Donald Trump to visit the White House in the near future. The meeting underscored the growing strategic convergence between New Delhi and Washington as both countries seek to deepen cooperation in defence, trade, critical technologies, energy security and regional stability amid shifting geopolitical realities. Prime Minister Modi described the interaction as productive and reaffirmed India’s commitment to closer coordination with the United States on issues of international importance. In a post on social media platform X after the meeting, Mr Modi said he was “happy to receive” Secretary Rubio and highlighted the expanding scope of bilateral engagement. “We discussed sustained progress in the India-US Comprehensive Global Strategic Partnership and issues related to regional and global peace and security,” the Prime Minister said. He added that India and the United States would continue to cooperate closely on matters of shared global concern. “India and the United States will continue to work closely for the global good,” he said. According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, Secretary Rubio briefed Mr Modi on the progress made in bilateral cooperation across a broad spectrum of sectors, including defence, strategic technologies, trade and investment, connectivity, education, energy security and people-to-people ties. The statement said Mr Rubio also shared the United States’ perspective on several regional and global developments, including the evolving situation in West Asia. During the talks, Prime Minister Modi reiterated India’s longstanding position in favour of dialogue and diplomacy in resolving international conflicts. He reaffirmed India’s support for global peace initiatives and stressed the need for peaceful solutions through engagement and negotiations. The meeting reflected the continuing momentum in India-US relations, which have expanded significantly over the past decade across strategic, economic and technological domains. | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | 24 May 2026 S P O RT S Playoff permutations hover over season’s final league clash between KKR and DC Page 12 State government plans new recruitment legislation STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 23 May The newly formed Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal is considering the introduction of a fresh recruitment legislation in the next Budget Session of the Assembly, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced today. Mr Adhikari was speaking at the Centre’s flagship Rozgar Mela organised by Eastern Railway at Sealdah, where appointment letters were handed over to 188 recruits as part of a nationwide initiative. He said the new recruitment policy would be discussed in the upcoming Budget Session and added that a symposium of all recruitment organisations in West Bengal would be held on 6 June. Criticising practices under the previous regime, the Chief Minister noted that carbon copies of OMR sheets were not provided to candidates in recruitment examinations. He described this as a “bad practice” that encouraged nepotism and corruption. Referring to the teachers’ and municipal recruitment scams, he said: “The name of West Bengal has been badly damaged. The Supreme Court and Calcutta High Court had to intervene. Around 26,000 jobs were cancelled. We must bring our dear West Bengal out of this situation.” Mr Adhikari added that because examination centres in the state had been tainted, Eastern Railway, South Eastern Railway and Northeast Frontier Railway had shifted their recruitment exams to Bihar, Odisha and Assam. He emphasised that carbon copies of OMR sheets should be given to candidates and that the weightage of viva (oral) examinations should be reduced. He also announced that candidates’ scores would be published on recruitment organisations’ websites. The Chief Minister reiterated that the previous government had failed to follow constitutional obligations regarding the 100-point roster of reservations for OBCs, SC/STs, persons with disabilities and economically weaker sections. Petrol, diesel, CNG prices raised again Centre publishes draft rules for VB-G RAM G STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 23 May In the third hike in 10 days, petrol prices were raised by 87 paise and diesel by 91 paise on Saturday. The price of petrol now stands at Rs 99.51 per litre in Delhi, while diesel costs Rs 92.49 per litre. Kolkata recorded one of the steepest hikes, with petrol up 94 paise to Rs 110.64 per litre and diesel up 95 paise to Rs 97.02 per litre. Mumbai saw petrol increase 90 paise to Rs 108.49 per litre and diesel rise 94 paise to Rs 95.02 per litre. In Chennai, petrol moved up 82 paise to Rs 105.31 per litre while diesel increased 87 paise to Rs 96.98 per litre, sources said. Natural Gas (CNG) prices were also increased by Rs 1 per kg with effect from Saturday. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE The government on Saturday released draft rules under the Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) Act, 2025 (VB-G RAM G) for public consultation, ahead of the law’s rollout across all states and Union Territories from 1 July. The draft rules, framed under Section 33 and other provisions of the Act, have been placed in the public domain to allow stakeholder feedback before being finalised. The proposed framework covers transitional provisions, the National Level Steering Committee, the Central Gramin Rozgar Guarantee Council, administrative expenses, grievance redressal, payment of wages and unemployment allowance, and expenditure beyond normative allocations, This is the third increase in rates since 15 May, when state-owned oil companies started passing on the elevated energy prices arising from the Middle East conflict in a calibrated manner. Prices were hiked by Rs 3 a litre on 15 May, followed by a 90 paise increase on 19 May In all, rates have gone up by almost Rs 5 per litre. ‘Cockroach Janta Party’ website shut down, cops posted outside CJP founder’s house STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Mumbai, 23 May The government has taken down the Cockroach Janta Party’s website, the satirical online movement’s founder, Abhijeet Dipke, alleged on Saturday, even as police personnel were posted outside his family home in Hingoli district of Maharashtra. Dipke, who is still in the United States, where he is a student, had earlier revealed online that he had received a death threat. The meme-driven political movement became an Internet sensation in India, with around 10 lakh followers having signed up to the CJP’s social media accounts in just a few days. “The government has taken down our iconic website http://cockroachjantaparty.org,” Boston-based Dipke wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “10 Lakh cockroaches had signed up on our website as members. 6 Lakh cockroaches had signed a petition to demand the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan”. “Why is the government so scared of cockroaches? But this dictatorial behaviour is opening the eyes of India’s youth. Our only crime is we were demanding a better future THE PROPOSED FRAMEWORK COVERS TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS, THE NATIONAL LEVEL STEERING COMMITTEE, THE CENTRAL GRAMIN ROZGAR GUARANTEE COUNCIL, ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES, GRIEVANCE REDRESSAL, PAYMENT OF WAGES AND UNEMPLOYMENT ALLOWANCE, AND EXPENDITURE BEYOND NORMATIVE ALLOCATIONS, INCLUDING SPENDING FOR UNION TERRITORIES WITHOUT LEGISLATURES. New Delhi, 23 May THIS IS THE THIRD INCREASE IN RATES SINCE 15 MAY, WHEN STATE-OWNED OIL COMPANIES STARTED PASSING ON THE ELEVATED ENERGY PRICES ARISING FROM THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT IN A CALIBRATED MANNER. PRICES WERE HIKED BY RS 3 A LITRE ON 15 MAY, FOLLOWED BY A 90 PAISE INCREASE ON 19 MAY IN ALL, RATES HAVE GONE UP BY ALMOST RS 5 PER LITRE. for ourselves,” he wrote. “But you can't get rid of us that easily. We’re working on a new home right now. Cockroaches never die.” Meanwhile, confirming that policemen have been deployed outside the Dipke residence, Hingoli district Deputy Commissioner of Police Pankaj Atulkar told media persons on Saturday: “People are very curious about Abhijeet Dipke and his Cockroach Janta Party. Policemen have been deployed near his residence to prevent anything from happening. The police deployment will continue at his house for the next few days”. After the CJP website, Instagram and X accounts of the political outfit was shut down, its supporters had warned of protests. However, CJP founder Diple had advised his supporters to avoid any such mistake. He also clarified that if any such protests take place, he has no connection with it. including spending for Union Territories without legislatures. Officials in the Ministry of Rural Development said the rules are intended to establish the institutional, administrative, financial and governance framework for implementation of the Act nationwide. They said the consultation process seeks to ensure participatory governance and enable constructive feedback from states, institutions, experts, civil society organisations, and the public. The draft Transitional Provisions Rules outline the framework for shifting from MGNREGA to VB-G RAM G, the new rural employment guarantee scheme that will replace the existing programme. These provisions ensure ongoing work, settlement of liabilities, transfer of records, the validity of e-KYC-verified job cards, and the continuation of workers' rights during the transition period until States notify the new scheme. All dressed up and nowhere to go: The curious case of the AIADMK rebel group in Tamil Nadu VIBHA SHARMA DESPITE THE AIADMK WHIP DIRECTING MLAS TO VOTE AGAINST THE TVK GOVERNMENT, 25 REBEL LEGISLATORS DEFIED IT AND VOTED IN FAVOUR OF THE CONFIDENCE MOTION, HELPING THE GOVERNMENT SECURE A COMFORTABLE MAJORITY. BUT WITH VIJAY SEEMINGLY SHUTTING THE DOOR ON THEM, THE REBEL GROUP LED BY FORMER MINISTERS VELUMANI AND SHANMUGAM APPEARS POLITICALLY STRANDED DESPITE HAVING HELPED SAVE THE TVK GOVERNMENT. THEY ARE NOW SAID TO BE CONTEMPLATING OTHER OPTIONS, INCLUDING RETURNING HOME. New Delhi, 23 May There is a popular phrase, “so close, yet so far.” In fact, the current situation of the AIADMK breakaway faction reminds one of another adage: “all dressed up and nowhere to go.” Reportedly, the AIADMK rebel faction, led by senior leaders S.P. Velumani and C.Ve. Shanmugam, is now attempting a climbdown and seeking reconciliation with the main party under General Secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS). Following the floor test of the new TVK-led government, the rebel faction was believed to be hoping for ministerial berths in Chief Minister Vijay’s new Cabinet. However, those hopes were dashed when Mr Vijay accommodated DMK's erstwhile allies, who supported him, in the Council of Ministers. Apparently, they had threatened to withdraw support if the AIADMK rebels were inducted. Despite the AIADMK whip directing MLAs to vote against the TVK government, 25 rebel legislators defied it and voted in favour of the confidence motion, helping the government secure a comfortable majority. But with Vijay seemingly shutting the door on them, the rebel group led by former ministers Velumani and Shanmugam appears politically stranded despite having helped save the TVK government. They are now said to be contemplating other options, including returning home. Velumani on Friday reportedly denied any intention to split the AIADMK and said the MLAs had extended support to TVK in line with the people’s mandate. He said the AIADMK should now work towards restoring the “Amma rule” associated with former Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, that EPS remained the party’s general secretary and stressed the need to preserve unity within the AIADMK. Following the rebellion, EPS removed several dissident leaders from party posts and initiated disqualification proceedings against the rebel MLAs under the anti-defection law.