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 EDITORIAL Andy Burnham becomes the UK’s seventh Prime Minister Changing guard Page 9 NEET protests overshadow Bihar Assembly Session P that an efficiently functioning Parliament strengthens democracy and serves the interests of every citizen. Calling for consensus and constructive engagement, Modi appealed to all political parties to ensure that parliamentary proceedings are guided by dialogue rather than disruption. He said Parliament must continue to serve as the country’s foremost platform for discussion, deliberation and decision-making on issues of national importance. Mr Modi said the smooth functioning of both Houses was a shared responsibility and expressed confidence that members would participate positively in discussions on key legislative matters. The Monsoon Session, the eighth session of the 18th Lok Sabha, commenced on Monday and will continue until 13 August, with 19 sittings scheduled over the course of the session. The government is expected to pursue an ambitious legislative agenda, while the Opposition is preparing to raise a range of contentious political and governance issues. Among the major Bills lined up for introduction are the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026, which aims to strengthen the oversight and management of foreign contributions and assets, and the Viksit Bharat Shiksha Adhishthan Bill, 2025, which proposes a new regulatory framework for the education sector. The legislative agenda also includes the Income Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2026, the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development (Amendment) Bill, 2026, and the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, which seeks to replace an ordinance increasing the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37. The session is expected to witness sharp political exchanges, with Opposition parties planning to target the government over the formation of the Nationalist Citizens Party of India (NCPI), comprising 20 rebel Trinamul Congress MPs who have joined the NDA, bringing the ruling alliance closer to a two-thirds majority in the Lok Sabha. The Opposition is also expected to press for discussions on the alleged NEET-UG examination paper leak and allegations of financial irregularities related to donations for the Ayodhya Ram Temple. Opposition heat sparks stormy start to Monsoon Session VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 20 July The Monsoon Session of Parliament got off to a stormy start on Monday, with disruptions inside both Houses and protests outside reflecting the intensifying confrontation between the Opposition, protesters and the Narendra Modi government. While sloganeering by unrelenting Opposition members forced multiple adjournments in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, police fired tear gas shells outside Parliament to disperse Cockroach Janta Party (C JP) supporters attempting to march towards the fortified complex from Raisina Road. Ahead of the session, INDIA bloc leaders met in Congress President and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s chamber to finalise their strategy and vowed to hold the government accountable over issues such as the alleged Ram Temple donation embezzlement, the NEET paper leak, and “the collapse of the education system”. In a post on X, Kharge claimed there had been 152 paper leak incidents since 2015 and alleged that 25 students had died by suicide, demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. Later, speaking in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge strongly criticised the government over the alleged lathi-charge on protesting students, accusing it of trying to silence the youth instead of addressing their concerns. “You have allowed me to speak about the NEET examination scandal, which concerns the future of lakhs of students. Thousands have gathered at Jantar Mantar. A lathi-charge has taken place 41 restaurants face CCPA action over default service charges STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 20 July The Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has initiated action against at least 41 restaurants across the country for allegedly adding service charges to customer bills without obtaining explicit consent, following a series of complaints received through the National Consumer Helpline (NCH). Among the establishments that have come under the consumer watchdog’s scanner are Chaayos, Fiesta Barbeque Nation, L’Opera French Bakery, China Gate Restaurant Pvt. Ltd., FOO Ahmedabad Restaurant, Cafe Blue Bottle in Patna, and Zorro ~ The Luxury Night Club. The Ministry of Consumer Affairs said the action was based on complaints from customers who submitted invoices showing that service charges had been added to their bills automatically. Page 12 Page 5 PM urges Parl to embrace dialogue over disruption rime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday urged all political parties and Members of Parliament to work together to ensure a constructive and productive Monsoon Session, asserting that meaningful debate and cooperation in Parliament are essential for advancing national development and public welfare. Speaking to the media at Hans Dwar inside the Parliament House complex ahead of the opening of the Monsoon Session, Modi compared the rainy season with the functioning of Parliament, saying both are most beneficial when they are active and productive. “Be it the monsoon or the Monsoon Session ~ if both are proactive, they prove to be highly productive,” the Prime Minister said, adding Rohit blocks out noise, concentrates on his job NATION Page 6 New Delhi, 20 July Tuesday, 21 July 2026 SPORTS WORLD STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE | After examining the complaints, the CCPA concluded that the practice of levying service charges by default amounts to an unfair trade practice under the Consumer Protection Act, 2019, as consumers have the right to decide whether or not they wish to pay such charges. The authority also cited the Delhi High Court’s 28 March 2025 judgment, which upheld the validity of the CCPA’s guidelines on service charges. The court ruled that restaurants cannot make service charges mandatory and directed them to comply with the consumer protection norms. In one of the final orders, the CCPA imposed a penalty of Rs 50,000 on Sunshine Teahouse Pvt. Ltd., which operates the Chaayos chain. The company has been directed to refund the service charge collected from the complainant and modify its billing software across all outlets to ensure that service charges, or any similar fee, are not automatically included in customer bills. It has also been instructed to ensure that future invoices fully comply with the consumer protection guidelines. The consumer watchdog has also issued final orders against Fiesta Barbeque Nation, China Gate Restaurant Pvt. Ltd., L’Opera French Bakery Pvt. Ltd., FOO Ahmedabad Restaurant, Cafe Blue Bottle, and Zorro ~ The Luxury Night Club. Proceedings against the remaining restaurants are still in progress. The CCPA reiterated that service charges are entirely voluntary and cannot be imposed as a mandatory component of a customer’s bill. Under its 2022 guidelines, businesses are prohibited from automatically adding service charges to food bills or recovering them under any other name. there. The government is using force to suppress their voices instead of addressing their concerns,” he said. The government, which on Sunday had cautioned its rivals that any disruption of the legislature was bound to cost them politically, appeared to be on the back foot as pressure mounted inside and outside Parliament. Proceedings in both Houses were repeatedly disrupted as Opposition MPs demanded discussions on the NEET controversy, the alleged Ram Temple donation scam, the CJP protest at Jantar Mantar and the E20 petrol issue. The government attempted to push ahead with its legislative agenda, but sustained protests prevented much substantive business from being transacted on the opening day. Amid the Opposition’s protests, Union Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal managed to introduce the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha. The Bill seeks to amend the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Act, 1956, replacing the ordinance promulgated by the Centre to increase the sanctioned strength of Supreme Court judges from 33 to 37. Speaking to the media, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra echoed the demand for a debate. “There are serious issues with the education system. Instead of discussing them, the government is using tear gas and force against students. They are our children,” she said. Congress MP Manish Tewari asserted that the Opposition wanted a productive Monsoon Session, but issues affecting public aspirations required urgent discussion. Four Indians killed in attack on cargo vessel: New Delhi: Four Indian nationals were killed while one suffered serious injuries as vessel MV Golden Leo came under attack on Sunday while departing the port of Odesa in war-ravaged Ukraine, the Ministry of External Affairs said on Monday. “On the evening of 19 July 2026, the vessel MV GOLDEN LEO was attacked while departing the port of Odesa. At the time of the incident, there were 17 crew members on board, including 5 Indian nationals,’’ the MEA said in a statement. CM tables 21 July commission report, alleges police firing unjustified STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 20 July On the eve of the 33rd anniversary of the 21 July 1993 firing, Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Monday tabled in the West Bengal Legislative Assembly the long-pending report of the Justice Sushanta Chattopadhyay Commission, describing its findings as a significant step towards uncovering the truth behind one of the state’s most contentious political episodes. Presenting the report before the Speaker, the Chief Minister said the commission had concluded that the police firing on Youth Congress demonstrators could not be justified and that the deaths resulting from the firing had not been established as legally warranted. According to Mr Adhikari, the report states that the firing was carried out on the instructions of the then Home Secretary, Manish Gupta. He further claimed that the commission found no convincing evidence to justify the use of lethal force and observed that the firing had taken place without adequate provocation and on the basis of perceived rather than imminent threats. Mr Adhikari also released the list of witnesses examined by the commission. He pointed out that while 44 individuals had been summoned, former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee ~ who had led the Youth Congress march on 21 July 1993 and has long projected herself as the principal witness to the incident ~ was not examined by the commission. Mr Adhikari targeted Mamata Banerjee and the Trinamul Congress, alleging that the memory of the 21 July martyrs had been exploited for political and personal gain while the role of former Home Secretary Manish Gupta was deliberately concealed. “Many people have benefited by using 21 July. Some secured political positions, others enjoyed the privileges of power. Some travelled on chartered flights, underwent treatment at Johns Hopkins in the United States, or acquired extensive properties on Harish Chatterjee Street and Harish Mukherjee Street. Yet the people of West Bengal still do not know what really happened on 21 July, why the police opened fire, or who ordered the firing,” he said. Mr Adhikari questioned why she had not been called and suggested that the omission required an explanation. The 21 July incident occurred during a Youth Congress march to Writers’ Buildings demanding the introduction of voter identity cards. Police opened fire on demonstrators during clashes, leaving 13 Youth Congress workers dead. The incident subsequently became a defining political symbol for the Trinamul Congress. After assuming office in 2011, the then Trinamul Congress government constituted a commission of inquiry headed by retired Justice Sushanta Chattopadhyay to investigate the firing. Although the commission submitted its findings years ago, the report had never been made public until Monday. Adhikari announced that the state government would facilitate fresh legal action if the families of those killed or injured wished to lodge new First Information Reports against any of the individuals named in the commission’s findings. He also assured the Assembly that requests for additional financial assistance to affected families would be examined sympathetically. Violence mars Parliament march as police clash with protesters Amit Shah, Dharmendra Pradhan hold meeting amid CJP protest: PARWINDER SANDHU New Delhi, 20 July Several protesters were injured as the Cockroach Janta Party’s (CJP) protest march, ‘Chalo Sansad’, met with a heavy security crackdown in central Delhi on Monday. Clashes erupted after demonstrators attempted to push through police barricades while marching towards Parliament, prompting security forces to stop the procession. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the alleged NEET paper leak and calling for sweeping reforms to the examination system. The confrontation, triggering a bitter war of words between the protesters and the Delhi Police over the use of force, unfolded across Parliament Street, Raisina Road, Patel Chowk and the Shastri Bhawan area as demonstrators attempted to get past multiple layers of police barricades while marching from Jantar Mantar towards Parliament on the opening day of the Monsoon Session. Security personnel responded with baton charges, water cannons and tear gas shells to disperse the crowd. Police sources said the situation escalated around 11.25 a.m. when protesters attempted to force their way through barricades in the Parliament security zone. A scuffle followed in which both protesters and police personnel sustained minor injuries. Around 10 to 15 demonstrators were detained, while heavy deployment of Delhi Police, Rapid Action Force personnel and plain-clothes officers remained in place across central Delhi to prevent the march from reaching Parliament. Soon after the clashes, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das levelled allegations against the police in a post on X, New Delhi: Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Monday held a nearly four-hour meeting in the national capital amid the ongoing protest by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) over the alleged NEET exam paper leak. Meanwhile, a CJP delegation met Union Health Minister JP Nadda and demanded Pradhan’s resignation and conveyed their demands. In a post on X, CJP spokesperson Saurav Das wrote, “@AshutoshRanka and I have been at JP Nadda’s residence since 12 noon. The demands have been conveyed, including immediate resignation/sacking of Dharmendra Pradhan.” “The Minister assured us he will discuss this at the appropriate level. However, no commitments have been made so far. The peaceful protesters will not rest until the demand is met!” the post read. claiming that Sonam Wangchuk’s wife and activist Geetanjali had been assaulted during the police action. Images and videos showing bloodied protesters receiving first aid spread rapidly across social media, with several also showing police personnel using lathis against demonstrators. Volunteers of the CJP claimed tear gas shells were fired repeatedly to disperse protesters. The Delhi Police, however, categorically rejected the allegations and denied using excessive force.