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 Iran braces for financial pressure Saturday, 22 August 2026 SPORTS SATURDAY INTERVIEW WORLD | ‘Disease serious, operation a must’ NATION Rajnath hits out at Congress over Vande Mataram row Page 7 Page 9 BWF: Treesa-Gayatri upset Chinese fourth seeds to ensure medal Page 12 Page 5 Bangladesh-origin refugees to get citizenship within 6 months: Shah MANAS R BANNERJEE Centre taking steps to secure Chicken’s Neck corridor: Siliguri, 21 August U nion Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said citizenship would be granted within the next six months to eligible refugees from Bangladesh who had come to West Bengal after being forced to leave their country because of persecution on religious grounds. Speaking at the inauguration of an exhibition on the implementation of the three new criminal laws in Siliguri, Mr Shah said eight district collectors in West Bengal had been empowered to complete the citizenship process. He said the government would complete the process of granting citizenship to eligible refugees within six months. “Those who came to India from Bangladesh after being forced to leave their country to protect their religion will be given citizenship,” Mr Shah said, while explaining the implementation of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Mr Shah also launched a strong attack on former Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee over the implementation of the new criminal laws and the CAA. Referring to Miss Banerjee’s earlier opposition to the CAA, he said she had criticised the legislation and tried to create resistance when the Centre announced its decision to implement it. “But today, what has happened? Didi, what has happened today? You did not accept it. But where are you today? You have gone and your government has also gone. Today, there is a BJP government in West Bengal,” Mr Shah said. Siliguri: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday said the Centre had taken all necessary measures to ensure the continued security of the strategically important “Chicken’s Neck” corridor in north Bengal, which connects the north-eastern states with the rest of the country. Addressing a programme organised by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) at Ranidanga near Siliguri, Mr Shah said security arrangements were being strengthened from three key locations ~ Chopra in Uttar Dinajpur district of West Bengal, Kishanganj in Bihar and Dhubri in Assam. Bases had already been established at these locations, he said. Mr Shah said land was a major requirement for strengthening security infrastructure and noted that 560 acres required for the purpose had been handed over by the Bengal government. Mr Shah said land had not been made available despite repeated requests during the tenure of former chief minister Mamata Banerjee. He said that after the BJP-led government came to power in the state, 1,129 acres had been handed over within 45 days for setting up infrastructure and establishments for the BSF and SSB. Page 2 He also accused the previous state government of deliberately delaying the implementation Police register FIR over pellet gun injuries after Rahul dharna; desperation, says BJP STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 21 August Delhi Police on Friday registered an FIR against unknown persons in connection with pellet gun injuries suffered by a youth during the 20 July protest at Jantar Mantar after a seven-hour 'dharna' by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and party workers outside the Parliament Street Police Station. ''This is the first step towards justice,'' Mr Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, said as he addressed party workers and the media outside the police station following the registration of the FIR in the pellet gun injury suffered by a young protestor. The Congress leader, brought along with him Sahil, the victim of the alleged pellet gun injuries, to the police station to enquire regarding his complaint. Later, he headed to the New Delhi DCP Office where he met the senior officer. When the FIR was not registered immediately, Mr Gandhi staged a sit-in outside the DCP’s office. Addressing reporters, he described how the victim got injured, and also referred to his medical report, citing an eye injury. Police sources earlier said that they were still examining the matter, and an FIR will be registered only after that. Earlier in the day, Mr Gandhi, in a post on social media, stated that the 20-year-old had been severely injured by the pellets, calling it a crime, adding that an explanation from the government was still to come on the serious issue. Meanwhile, the ruling BJP slammed Mr Gandhi, calling his protest “cheap, attentionseeking politics” and a sign of “political desperation” . Union minister J P Nadda said Mr Gandhi’s sit-in was neither for students nor for justice, but reflected the Congress’s “political desperation” and Mr Gandhi’s “hunger for media attention”. “The entire nation is once again witnessing the kind of cheap, attentionseeking politics that Rahul Gandhi displayed today outside the Sansad Marg police station,” Mr Nadda said. He also accused Mr Gandhi of being selective in raising issues related to examination paper leaks, pointing to alleged incidents in states ruled by the Congress and other opposition parties. “The Congress party is bent on ruining the future of children and students as well. Rahul Gandhi must realise that the public has clearly recognised his ‘hit-and-run’ attitude and political hypocrisy,” he said. (Photo: Subrata Dutta) PM Modi calls for India to become global magnet for space talent STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 12 August Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday interacted with the CEOs and founders of 20 Indian space startups, calling for wider applications of space technologies to improve people’s lives and urging the industry to work closely with other sectors to unlock new opportunities. According to a PMO release, the interaction, held at Seva Teerth, brought together leaders of startups working across a range of areas, including rockets, reusable semi-cryogenic launch vehicles, avionics, satellites, advanced propulsion systems, space and defence intelligence, spacedebris removal and artificial intelligence-powered hyper-local weather and climate intelligence. The CEOs highlighted the rapid growth of India’s private space industry and said the opening of the space sector to private participation had created significant new opportunities for companies. They also pointed to growing interest from organisations across the world in adopting and leveraging technologies developed by India’s emerging private space industry. Congratulating the entrepreneurs for taking the lead in a new and challenging area, the Prime Minister said their confidence had strengthened the vision behind opening the space sector to private participation. Mr Modi noted that many countries either lack the ability or do not wish to make large investments in the space sector, and said this presented India with a major opportunity to strengthen its position in the global space economy. He encouraged space companies to look beyond their existing applications and explore ways in which their technologies could make everyday life easier for citizens. He also stressed the need for greater collaboration between space companies and organisations working in other sectors. The Prime Minister also called for the creation of an ecosystem in which India becomes a preferred destination whenever the world thinks about space technology. He said the country’s space sector had the potential to become a “magnet” for global talent, companies and investment. of the new criminal laws. He said that the previous government had not issued the required notification for implementing the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the other new criminal laws because it wanted to protect what he described as “syndicate raj, cut money, toll tax and an empire of fear”. He said the implementation of the new criminal laws marked the beginning of a new system of justice in West Bengal. Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s slogan of a government based on trust rather than fear, Mr Shah said the new laws would ensure “fear-free” governance and strengthen the rule of law. He said the three new criminal laws would protect citizens, safeguard their property and enhance their dignity. The new system would also make the criminal justice process faster. Investigations, prosecution and judicial proceedings would be supported by technology so that cases could be disposed of within a much shorter period. India rejects USCIRF report on RSS: New Delhi: India on Friday rejected a United States Commission for International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report recommending sanctions on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), calling USCIRF a “biased organisation lacking credibility”. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, in response to a media query, said: “We are all aware that the organisation~ or entity ~ you are referring to is biased; for years, it has been making disparaging and inflammatory remarks about India... we should steer clear of such organisations, as they operate with their own agendas and lack any credibility or trustworthiness.”