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 | Monday, 21 September 2026 SPORTS WORLD Ed Sheeran says situation in Gaza ‘catastrophic and unjustifiable’ EDITORIAL NORTH-EAST The north-east needs a new peace compact Oil and leverage Page 9 Page 6 BRIEFLY IT Bombay professor named accused in student suicide case: Mumbai: The investigation into the death of a 22-year-old IIT Bombay student has been handed over to the Mumbai Police Crime Branch after his parents alleged institutional harassment and caste-based discrimination, officials said. An IIT Bombay professor has been named as an accused in the case, under provisions relating to abetment of suicide, and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. The student, Sahil Ravindra Wakode, was found hanging in his room at Hostel Number 4 on the institute’s Powai campus on Friday evening. Wakode, a secondyear BTech student in the Energy Science and Engineering department, was earlier caught allegedly using a mobile phone and ChatGPT during a mid-semester examination. Page 11 New Delhi, 20 September The Tata Trusts have said that there was no deadlock at the Tata Sons board meeting on 17 September and qustioning the validity of the resolution for the reappointment of N Chandrasekaran (photo) as chairman. According to the Trusts, Tata Sons’ Articles of Association (AoA) require the affirmative STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE I didn’t imagine, that a party which was in power for nearly six decades would turn into such a circus who are busy entertaining their own shrunk supporters. New Delhi, 20 September T he Opposition Congress and the ruling BJP traded barbs over a stand-up comedian impersonating Prime Minister Narendra Modi at Rahul Gandhi’s ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ event in Indore on Saturday. Union minister Kiren Rijiju said the Congress has become “a party of comedians and jokers.” “I didn’t imagine, that a party which was in power for nearly six decades would turn into such a circus who are busy entertaining their own shrunk supporters. Indians are proud that our Prime Minister Narendra Modi is the most popular elected leader of the world!” Mr Rijiju said in a social media post. Taking to the stage during the student-focused programme, stand-up comedian Pulkit Mani mimicked PM Modi’s KIREN RIJIJU, UNION MINISTER mannerisms and speaking style in interactions with foreign leaders, and made apparent references to the PM’s late mother and a coin trick he had performed for children. Having performed a similar act on social media which went viral, Mr Mani repeatedly used the phrase “my friend”, mimicking the PM’s interactions with foreign leaders while Mr Gandhi played along and the audience cheered. The comedian also referred to “Galgotias”, refreshing memories of the controversy surrounding a Chinese humanoid robot showcased by the university at the India Global AI Summit. The act included a reference to “maa” with Mr Mani saying “Maa ko kursi do, maa.” Congress leaders shared clips of the interaction on X. The party’s handle posted one with the captions, “Narendra support of a majority of directors nominated by the Tata Trusts for certain decisions. They hold approximately 66 per cent of Tata Sons. Since there are two Tata Trusts-nominated directors on the board, both would need to support the resolution for the requirement to be met, the statement said. The Trusts said one of their nominated directors voted against the resolution at the 17 September meeting. As a result, the condition under the AoA was not fulfilled and the resolution failed, according to the statement. The Trusts also disputed the argument that the situation amounted to a board deadlock that could be resolved through the chairman’s casting vote. It said the casting vote applies when there is an equality of votes at the overall board level and does not override the separate requirement concerning Tata Trusts’ nominee directors. They cited Tata Sons’ earlier legal position in the dispute involving former chairman Cyrus Mistry. It said the voting rights of Tata Trusts’ nominee directors under Articles 104B and 121 had been challenged before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal. According to the statement, Tata Sons had defended those provisions before the Supreme Court as legitimate protections for the Trusts as the majority shareholder. The Supreme Court subsequently set aside the finding that the provisions were oppressive. The Trusts argued that Tata Sons therefore cannot now disregard the same protections contained in its AoA. The Trusts also rejected the suggestion that a potential listing of Tata Sons is necessary to strengthen corporate governance. It pointed to existing provisions in Tata Sons' AoA covering independent directors, audit and nomination and remuneration committees, related-party transactions, retirement of directors by rotation and insider-trading controls. The statement comes amid the ongoing dispute over the leadership and governance of Tata Sons, with the reappointment of N Chandrasekaran at the centre of the latest board-level disagreement. Modi ki Foreign Policy” and “My friend!! Great Harassment!!” The BJP slammed Mr Gandhi and the Congress, particularly over the reference to Mr Modi’s late mother, accusing him of endorsing “uncouth” and “third-rate antics” Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said it was “extremely shameful and painful” to see objectionable remarks made STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 20 September The F-2A aircraft were ferried to Jodhpur from Tsuiki Air Base in Japan, marking the first time that JASDF fighter aircraft are operating from Indian soil as part of a bilateral exercise. During Sunday’s sortie, Air Chief Marshal A P Singh, Chief of the Air Staff, flew a fighter aircraft and led the formation, while General Morita, Chief of Staff, JASDF, flew in a trainer aircraft with Group Captain I Samrat, Commanding Officer of the Tejas squadron, as captain. The formation flew over the airfield before carrying out a peel-off manoeuvre for landing. The sortie gave General Morita an opportunity to experience the indigenous Tejas aircraft and its systems, while also facilitating professional interaction between the senior leadership of the two air forces. Speaking during a joint press interaction, General Morita described the experience as a symbol of the growing ties between the two countries. “I will remember it not only as a truly valuable experience, but also as a powerful symbol of trust, confidence, and friendship,” he said. Gen. Morita said the partnership between the two air forces had moved beyond merely conducting exercises and was now focused on increasingly sophisticated training and tactical cooperation. “Our partnership has progressed beyond simply conducting exercises about Modi’s late mother and Gandhi laughing at them. “A mother is not a subject of politics,” he said. Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav criticised Mr Gandhi, describing his attitude as “shameful”. The episode, meanwhile, added to bitter exchanges between the two parties on the PM’s mannerisms. At an earlier Congress event, Mr Gandhi and party leader Sandeep Dikshit had hugged to take a dig at PM Modi’s foreign policy. The Indore incident also comes amid the intensifying social media battle between the Congress and BJP, which has resulted in AI-generated images targeting leaders of both parties. While Congress’ Keralam unit had shared AI-generated images targeting BJP leaders, BJP state units retaliated with images of senior Congress leader Sonia Gandhi. • Related report: Page 5 Jaishankar to lead Indian delegation at UNGA meet STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 20 September External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar will lead the Indian delegation for the High-Level Week at the 81st Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York, the Ministry of External Affairs announced on Sunday. Mr Jaishankar’s address at the High-Level Session is scheduled for 26 September. During the visit, Mr Jaishankar will also attend various plurilateral meetings. He will also have bilateral talks with a number of foreign ministers on the margins of the UNGA. The 81st session of the UNGA opened on 8 September. The general debate at the UNGA kicks off on Tuesday. World leaders will convene in New York to discuss solutions to the world’s most pressing global issues, from climate change to global health to p eace, security, and humanitarian response. Theu are expected to address various comp ounding international crises, including ongoing geopolitical conflicts, climate change pressures, technological transformations, and global funding deficits. This year during UNGA 81, the race for UN Secretary-General is certain to dominate the conversation as momentum builds toward the selection of the organisation’s next leader. The UNGA is also expected to give a critical push to the Sustainable Development Goals and drive collective action for peace, dignity and equality on a healthy planet. Four new airports to come up in Bengal under UDAN scheme: CM Adhikari STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Purulia, 20 September West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday announced that the state government will sign an MoU with the Airports Authority of India (AAI) on 28 September for the development of four airports under the Centre’s regional connectivity scheme, UDAN. The proposed airports will come up at Chharra in Purulia, Balurghat in South Dinajpur, Hasimara in Alipurduar and Kalaikunda in West Midnapore. The state government will hand over the required land to the AAI for the projects. A Rs 2,000-crore investment has been earmarked for the development of the Chharra airport near Purulia town. Mr Adhikari said the Transport Secretary and senior AAI officials have already visited the site and held meetings on the proposed domestic airport. IAF, Japanese Air Force chiefs fly Tejas formation sortie at Jodhpur In a display of growing India-Japan air force cooperation, Air Chief Marshal AP Singh and his Japanese counterpart General Takehiro Morita on Sunday participated in a Tejas formation sortie during the ongoing Exercise Veer Guardian-2026 at Air Force Station Jodhpur. The second edition of the bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) is being conducted from 9 to 22 September, with the participation of frontline Indian fighters, including the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas, Su-30MKI and Rafale, and Japan’s F-2A fighters. Page 12 ‘Party of jokers’: Rijiju as PM mimicry sparks BJP-Cong row Tata Trusts doubles down on position in Chandrasekaran reappointment row STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE India make strong shooting start as Elavenil wins silver double together to refine our tactical capabilities at practical level,” he said, adding that the enhanced cooperation would contribute to peace and stability and help strengthen regional deterrence. He said India and Japan shared a common vision of a “free and open” Indo-Pacific, while noting that the bilateral engagement covered exercises, exchanges at various levels and subject matter expert interactions, with scope for cooperation in the space domain. Air Chief Marshal A P Singh said the relationship between the two air forces was based on “mutual respect, professional trust, and shared commitment to peace and stability”. West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari attends the Karam festival at the Karadi ground in Purulia on Sunday. SNS “The new aviation infrastructure will significantly boost tourism, trade and industrial growth in the district,” Mr Adhikari said. Addressing the first administrative meeting of the BJP government in Purulia, the chief minister also announced several development and tourism initiatives for the district. The Surulia Mini Zoo will be expanded into a larger zoo with dedicated leopard enclosures, he said. The government also plans to establish a conservation zone in the Jungle Mahal region of Purulia. Mr Adhikari said the state had already given its approval and that a formal announcement would be made soon. The government also plans to promote religious tourism in Purulia. Mr Adhikari said the district was increasingly being integrated into the state’s tourism network, with the Vande Bharat Express already connecting the ‘Rupasi Bangla’ circuit. On industrial development, Mr Adhikari announced a plan to attract investments worth Rs 1 lakh crore to Purulia over the next five years. Steel, cement, defence and solar energy have been identified as key sectors, with the chief minister describing Purulia as having significant potential for solar power generation. “We have already received numerous solar project proposals, and land availability will not be an obstacle,” he said. The chief minister also referred to the recent foundation stone laying for a Rs 4,000-crore greenfield steel plant by Amit Metaliks at Raghunathpur. Mr Adhikari said the government would protect the hills and forests of Purulia and announced a ban on commercial excavation in the region, contrasting the policy with that of the previous administration. ECI issues SIR notices to LK Advani, Manish Sisodia, Kailash Gahlot in Delhi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 20 September The Election Commission of India (ECI) has issued notices for “discrepancies” to Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) veteran LK Advani, former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia, and BJP MLA Kailash Gahlot under the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in Delhi. Nearly three weeks after the ECI published the draft electoral roll of voters, the office of the Delhi chief electoral officer (CEO) on Friday published the list of those served notices under the roll revision exercise. The 98-year-old Mr Advani, his daughter Pratibha Advani, and his daughter-in-law Geetika have been issued notices for ‘no mapping’, a category covering voters who could not be linked to the electoral roll from the previous revision. Mr Gahlot, a former minister in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government and presently a BJP MLA, and his wife Moushamu Mishra Gahlot were also issued similar notices. Former deputy CM Manish Sisodia was also among those issued a notice, but the reason was not specified. His wife, Seema, and son, Meer, are also on the list. His wife has been flagged for a self-name mismatch, while Meer has been flagged for a parent-name mismatch. Earlier, the Election Commission of India (ECI) had also issued SIR notices to AAP convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and his family. The notices were sent to Arvind Kejriwal, his wife Sunita Kejriwal, his son Pulkit Kejriwal, and his parents, Gobind Ram Kejriwal and Gita Devi. Mr Kejriwal and his family members are voters in the New Delhi-40 Assembly constituency. The Delhi Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), meanwhile, clarified that the notices being issued to certain electors during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls are part of the verification process and do not by themselves mean that the names of those voters will be deleted.