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 Saturday, 27 June 2026 SPORTS SATURDAY INTERVIEW Ecuador stun Germany to qualify for knockouts ‘Illegal buildings will go’ BUSINESS Page 7 India must not settle for 5-10 pc export growth: Goyal EDITORIAL Changing mandate | Page 6 Page 12 Page 10 Operation Amistad: India races aid to quake-ravaged Venezuela Taratala collapse: Bengal govt blacklists builder, architect JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY The West Bengal government on Friday blacklisted the construction firm Ayan Traders and the architect and planner associated with the ill-fated Taratala warehouse project, and expanded the state’s special structural audit of underconstruction high-rises to cover additional municipal areas. Addressing a Press conference at the PWD tent, Bengal Chief Minster Suvendu Adhikari clarified that the earlier order to stop work till 31 July applies only to under-construction private commercial high-rise (commercial buildings of G+5 and above) buildings and will have no bearing on Railway and Metro Railway projects, national and state highway projects or any other Central or state government infrastructure. Government offices, educational institutions, emergency service facilities and routine home renovations have also been exempted. New Delhi/Caracas, 26 June I ndia on Friday launched ‘Operation Amistad’, dispatching a specialised paratrooper medical contingent to earthquakestricken Venezuela as rescuers continued a frantic search for survivors beneath collapsed buildings and the death toll from the Latin American nation’s worst natural disaster in decades climbed to almost 600. In a swift humanitarian response, New Delhi on Friday sent a 41-member Indian Army medical team from the 60 Para Field Hospital to support relief operations in northern Venezuela, where twin powerful earthquakes have left thousands injured and tens of thousands homeless. “‘Compartimos su dolor. Estamos con ustedes’ (We share your pain. We stand with you),” India’s Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement announcing the mission. The contingent, comprising nine medical officers and specialised support staff, departed aboard two Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft carrying nearly six tonnes of medical supplies and humanitarian assistance. The deployment includes the indigenously developed ‘Bhishm Cube’ under India’s Aarogya Maitri initiative, a rapidly deployable modular field hospital capable of treating up to 200 patients and providing advanced trauma care, emergency surgery and intensive care support. The mission comes as Venezuelan authorities struggle to cope with the scale of destruction caused by two major earthquakes that struck the country’s northern region, on Wednesday night (local time), less than a minute apart. According to the United States Geological Survey, a magnitude 7.2 earthquake struck approximately 160 kilometres west of Caracas, followed moments later by a stronger magnitude 7.5 tremor. Entire residential blocks collapsed across affected areas, trapping residents beneath concrete and twisted steel. Officials declined to estimate the number of people still missing, although fears remain that hundreds could be trapped. “The first 24 to 72 hours are crucial. Most of those who can be saved have to be found within this time frame. Though miracles have happened in the past and people have come out above even after a week,” said Indian doctors who have Cabinet expansion buzz reignites after HM Shah’s meeting with President Murmu STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 26 June Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s meeting with President Droupadi Murmu has sparked widespread speculation about the much-anticipated reshuffle of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers. The meeting, held after Union Minister George Kurian’s resignation, has been interpreted as a sign of major structural and portfolio changes ahead of the upcoming Monsoon Session of Parliament and Assembly elections in key states, particularly Uttar Pradesh, which goes to the polls next year. Earlier this week, Prime Minister Modi also met President Murmu on the day Kurian resigned. Although the meeting was officially described as routine, it too fuelled speculation about an impending Cabinet reshuffle before the Monsoon Session. The BJP follows a “one person, one post” policy that separates government and organisational responsibilities. According to party sources, Ravneet Singh Bittu, whose Rajya Sabha term has ended, may be shifted to Punjab in an organisational role ahead of the Assembly elections there. He could be replaced by Tarun Chugh, the RSSbacked Punjab leader recently elected to the Rajya Sabha. Political circles are also abuzz with speculation that former RBI Governor and Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Shaktikanta Das may be inducted into the Union Cabinet. There is also talk that Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman could be shifted to the Education Ministry, a move that would likely spell the end of Dharmendra Pradhan’s tenure as Education Minister. Pradhan has been under Champat Rai, Anil Mishra, resign from the Ram Temple Trust STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Ayodhya, 26 June In a major development in the Ram Temple theft case, Temple Trust General Secretary Champat Rai (photo) and Trustee Dr Anil Mishra have resigned from the Trust. According to highly-placed sources, both the office bearers submitted their resignations to Trust President Mahant Nritya Gopal Das. Trustee Nripendra Mishra told reporters, “I have received information about Champat Rai and Anil Mishra’s resignations.” However, another source said that Rai resigned as the Trust’s general secretary, not as a member. Earlier, eight accused, including Ramashankar Yadav alias Tinnu, a close associate of Champat Rai, were arrested late Thursday night. Police will present all the accused in court on Friday and will seek 14-day remand. In fact, the first FIR in the case was filed late Thursday evening based on a comp- laint by trust member Krishna Mohan. However, the FIR does not name Champat Rai, Dr Anil Mishra, and other senior officials of the Trust. The theft case first came to light on 7 June. The UP government formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) on 13 June to probe the case The SIT submitted its preliminary report to Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Sanjay Prasad on 23 June. Meanwhile, former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal visited Ram Lalla on Friday. He said those who committed grave sins should be punished severely. “The FIR is a sham. An attempt is being made to protect prominent people,” he added. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, giving his first reaction on the Ram Temple offering theft case, has clarified that no one guilty will be spared in this matter involving public faith. pressure over the controversy surrounding the NEET examination. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri is also being mentioned as a possible casualty of the reshuffle. Meanwhile, the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena could be rewarded for facilitating the entry of six Shiv Sena (UBT) MPs into the NDA fold, with MP Shrikant Shinde emerging as a possible candidate for a Cabinet berth. There is also speculation about berths for former Union Minister Anurag Thakur and Meerut MP Arun Govil. A couple of AAP turncoats from Punjab are also said to be in line for ministerial positions. Apart from poll-bound states, West Bengal could also receive greater representation in the Union government. Japanese PM to visit India for annual summit with PM Modi: New Delhi: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will undertake an official visit to New Delhi from 1-3 July for the 16th India-Japan Annual Summit with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Friday. The summit was earlier scheduled to be held in Guwahati but the venue has now been shifted to New Delhi. The government has not given any reason for shifting the venue. The MEA said the summit will provide an opportunity for both sides to review and strengthen the full spectrum of bilateral cooperation as well as exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest. This would be the first official visit of PM Takaichi to India. earlier participated in earthquake and mine collapse rescues. India’s intervention underscores its growing role as a first responder to international humanitarian crises. Besides the Venenzuelan army and disaster control personnel, the main help has come from the United States which has sent a major general to direct rescue and relief operations being done by its Marine corps. Neighbouring Mexico has similarly sent a rescue mission to join in the efforts and help Venezuela in its hour of need. Officials described Operation Amistad as an expression of India’s long-standing commitment to the principle of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam ~ “The World is One Family” and a demonstration of solidarity with the Venezuelan people. • Venezuela rubble search continues as toll rises to 589: Page 11 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 26 June The government had earlier ordered the suspension of work in ongoing construction projects within the Kolkata Municipal Corporation area and adjoining Rajarhat, Sonarpur, Baruipur and Maheshtala, pending a comprehensive audit of sanctioned building plans for which a 11-member high-level panel has been formed. Mr Adhikari announced that South Dum Dum, Kamarhati and Baranagar municipalities have also been brought under the purview of the audit, while selected wards of Howrah Municipal Corporation and Bally would also be covered. “The areas along the banks of the Ganges where construction is underway will also be covered. The Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA), the Urban Development and Municipal Affairs Department and Howrah Municipal Corporation will jointly identify the wards,” he said. The chief minister said architects, planners, designers, their firms and everyone associated with them are responsible for supervising approved projects. “In this particular case, the construction firm and the architect and planner responsible for supervising the project are being blacklisted. They had given an undertaking that they would supervise the work. However, in the Taratala case, there was no supervision. Therefore, we are blacklisting the architect and planner from today,” he said, as the toll in the warehouse tragedy went up to 16. • Related report: Page 3