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 EDITORIAL Trump says US-Iran talks to begin after halting planned strikes Price of promise Page 9 BUSINESS Goyal pitches doubling India, Uzbekistan trade in 3 years Page 6 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 August I throughout the competition, the Prime Minister said their success was the result of exceptional skill, determination and unwavering dedication, adding that their achievements would inspire young Indians to pursue excellence in sport. “Throughout the Games, our talented athletes have displayed exceptional skill, determination and dedication. Their hard work will keep inspiring our youngsters,” he said. n a major political setback, the BJP on Monday lost two crucial Assembly bypolls in party-ruled Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, including the Bankipur seat represented by BJP state president Nitin Nabin since 2010. While the party retained Manjalpur in Gujarat’s Vadodara district, a result that was widely expected, the defeats in Bankipur and Datia are being seen as significant blows to the saffron party in two BJP-ruled states and a shot in the arm for the opposition. Notably, Nabin retained Bankipur in the 2025 Assembly election with nearly 50 per cent of the vote. However, the bypoll less than a year later saw the BJP’s Neeraj Kumar Sinha lose to Jan Suraaj Party founder Prashant Kishor, marking one of the most dramatic reversals in recent years in a constituency considered a BJP bastion. “Bankipur was one of the safest seats in the country for the BJP,” a senior party leader in Delhi said on condition of anonymity. The victories in Bankipur and Datia will not affect the stability of the BJP govern- Opposition seeks Shah’s statement over student crackdown, Ram Temple row STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 August Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav and several INDIA bloc MPs, assembled in the Parliament complex carrying placards and banners questioning the Home Minister’s continued absence from both Houses. The protesters raised slogans demanding that Shah come to Parliament and answer questions on the issues dominating the ongoing session. The Opposition alleged that the Centre was deliberately avoiding a discussion on the Delhi Police’s handling of student protests over the NEET controversy and the allegations of misappropriation of donations meant for the Shri Ram Mandir. Inside Parliament, MPs continued their protests, resulting in repeated interruptions to proceedings in both Houses. Congress general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal intensified the attack on the government through a post on social media platform X, accusing the Home Minister Delhi Court acquits Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in wrestlers’ sexual harassment case New Delhi, 3 August A Delhi court on Monday acquitted former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) president and former BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, along with former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar, in the sexual harassment case filed by six women wrestlers, bringing to a close one of the country’s most closely watched legal procee- Tuesday, 04 August 2026 Aquib Nabi replaces injured Bumrah for SL Tests Page 12 BJP loses two key seats, including Bankipur VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 3 August STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE | Page 10 PM Modi salutes India’s Glasgow games heroes after 39 medal haul The confrontation between the government and the Opposition escalated sharply on Monday as INDIA bloc parties staged a massive protest inside and outside Parliament, demanding that Union Home Minister Amit Shah appear before both Houses to respond to questions over the alleged police action against student protesters and the alleged irregularities in donations made to the Shri Ram Mandir. The protests triggered repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, leading to multiple adjournments during the third week of the Monsoon Session. Senior Opposition leaders, including Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, Congress general secretary SILIGURI SPORTS WORLD Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday applauded the Indian contingent for its outstanding performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, congratulating the athletes after the country wrapped up its campaign with an impressive haul of 39 medals, including 13 gold. In a post on social media platform X, the Prime Minister said the nation’s athletes had made India proud through their remarkable performances and commended the medal winners for their achievements on the international stage. “Proud of our contingent’s performance at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Delighted that India has won 39 medals, including 13 Golds. Congrats to the medal winners,” Mr Modi wrote. Highlighting the commitment shown by the athletes | dings involving Indian sport. Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Ashwini Panwar of the Rouse Avenue Courts delivered the judgment after reserving the verdict on 2 July following the completion of final arguments. The proceedings were conducted in camera. The case arose from allegations made by six women wrestlers, including Olympian Vinesh Phogat, who accused Singh of sexually harassing them during his tenure as WFI chief. The alleged incidents were said to have occurred between 2016 and 2019 at the federation's office, Singh’s official residence and during overseas events. Singh consistently denied all the allegations. The court also acquitted co-accused Vinod Tomar, who had faced charges relating to criminal intimidation in connection with one of the complainants. During the framing of charges in May 2024, the court had discharged Singh with respect to one complainant and dropped several charges against Tomar, while allowing the trial to proceed on the remaining allegations. The prosecution was represented by Senior Advocate Rebecca John on behalf of the complainants, while Senior Advocate Rajiv Mohan appeared for Singh. of refusing to face Parliament. “As we enter the 3rd week of this Parliament Session, we still wait for Amit Shah to break his cowardly silence and give an answer to Parliament on the brutal assault on peaceful protesters,” he said. He further alleged that the government was also avoiding discussion on the Ram Temple donation controversy. “This Government has also maintained radio silence on the Chanda Chori at Ram Temple, to shield the high and mighty involved,” he said. Rahul Gandhi also targeted the Home Minister, accusing him of lacking the courage to answer questions raised by the Opposition regarding the alleged police excesses against students and the Ram Temple donation issue. The BJP, however, hit back, accusing INDIA bloc parties of deliberately disrupting Parliament. LS passes Bill to raise SC judges’ strength from 33 to 37: New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Monday passed the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Bill, 2026, increasing the sanctioned strength of judges in the Supreme Court of India from the present 33 to 37, excluding the Chief Justice of India. The Bill, which seeks to replace the Supreme Court (Number of Judges) Amendment Ordinance, 2026, promulgated by President Droupadi Murmu, was introduced in the Lok Sabha by Union Minister of Law and Justice Arjun Ram Meghwal on 20 July. When the House reassembled after its second adjournment at 2 p.m., Meghwal moved the Bill, stating that the increase in the Supreme Court’s judicial strength is essential to address the growing backlog of litigation. ments in Bihar and Madhya Pradesh, but they could reshape the political narrative. The results are also being viewed as a verdict on BJP chief ministers ~ Samrat Choudhary in Bihar and Mohan Yadav in Madhya Pradesh. Bankipur has given Jan Suraaj its first electoral victory after the party failed to win any seat it contested in the November 2025 Assembly election. Trinamul Congress leader Derek O’Brien described Kishor’s victory as the “beginning of the end” for the BJP. The Congress’ victory in Datia and Kishor’s breakthrough in Bihar are also being viewed as a reflection of growing public discontent over governance issues, including alleged paper leaks. Political observers also point to changing caste equations and a possible erosion of the BJP’s traditional upper-caste vote base. In Datia, Congress’ Kuwar Ghanshyam Singh defeated the BJP’s Ashutosh Tiwari. A day before the results, the BJP suspended former MLA Rajendra Bharti, whose disqualification had necessitated the bypoll. Despite the controversy, the Congress managed to retain the seat. • Related reports: Page 5 Zuckerberg should apologise: Dubey New Delhi: Meta’s apology for removing a video of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not enough and accountability must be fixed through appropriate legal action, members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology said on Monday. The panel, chaired by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, also questioned Meta over child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on its platforms. Dubey said Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg should apologise for the removal of the PM’s video, warning that the company could lose “safe harbour” protection in certain cases. The meeting was attended by representatives of Meta, Google, YouTube, the Union Home Ministry and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY).