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, 05 October 2026 SPORTS EDITORIAL The last mile WORLD NATION Neha Bora detained at Jantar Mantar protest UAE had shared Flydubai pilots’ names, nationalities with Israel Page 6 Page 5 2027 Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas Convention to be held in Kolkata STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 4 October The next Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas (PBD) Convention will be held in Kolkata. The Ministry of External Affairs announced that the 19th editionofthethree-dayconvention will be held from 7 to 9 January in Kolkata. It will be organised by the MEA in partnership with the Government of West Bengal. The convention will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while President Droupadi Murmu will confer the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Awards and preside over the valedictory session. The convention will also feature a Youth PBD segment. The event will bring together members of the Indian diaspora, young diaspora leaders, entrepreneurs, professionals, academics, innovators and other stakeholders from across the world. The PBD is celebrated to pay tribute to Mahatma Gandhi, who returned to India from South Africa on 9 January 1915. Page 12 Page 9 EAM calls for stronger ties among emerging powers External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar addresses the Munich Leaders Meeting on emerging and middle power cooperation in New Delhi on Sunday. IANS STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 4 October E xternal Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar on Sunday laid out a comprehensive roadmap for cooperation among emerging and middle powers in various sectors like international security, trade, resilient supply chains, healthcare, talent mobility, connectivity, climate action and defence. “What could be the agenda for emerging and middle powers? I would share my thoughts in terms of a few ideas that occurred to me. One obviously would be international peace and security. That if conflicts are going on, if there are frictions, if there are tensions, other than the biggest countries, can other nations pool their resources, back each other, and try to do something out there,” he said, addressing the opening session of the Munich Leaders Meeting 2026. In this connection, Me Jaishankar spoke about the increasing cooperation between India and the European Union as there was a realisation on both sides that deepening economic engagement was needed in the transforming world. “Another obvious area, of course, is investment and trade itself. And a good example is what happened this year between India and the European Union, that we had almost 25 years of negotiation and that negotiation came to a head because I think there was a realisation on both sides that in the transforming world it was essential that our economic engagement was intensified and the barriers to it removed. But, there are different domains, I would argue, enough cause for middle and emerging and middle countries, middle players to come together,” he said. The minister said the reality of the world today is that demand is not where there are demographics and said that the best way to level that out is through the flow of talent and skills. He said that advanced manufacturing also requires a certain amount of mobility to remain sustainable. He stressed that emerging and middle powers can cooperate in supply chain resilience. “Supply chain resilience is one. As I said, different countries have different strengths. You don’t have to be the biggest country in the world to dominate the world of chips or to even produce the machines which are necessary today for semiconductor production. You can have areas like health. Today, health security warrants a much more diversified production of APIs and pharmaceuticals.” India were organised & made it difficult for us: Brazil Coach Ancelotti Give me 6 months: CM Adhikari promises UCC implementation STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 4 October West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari on Sunday promised to introduce the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) in the state within six months and bring stringent laws against what he described as “love jihad”, “land jihad” and religious conversion. “I am giving you my word. Very soon, after Uttarakhand and Gujarat, UCC will be implemented in West Bengal. I am giving you my word, give me six months,” Mr Adhikari said. He added: “After UCC, love jihad, land jihad and religious conversion. Strict, tough laws will be brought, and the work of stopping them will be done.” Addressing an event organised by the Vishwa Hindu Parishad to mark the birth centenary of late VHP leader Ashok Singhal, Mr Adhikari paid tribute to Singhal and said his ideology and struggle for the protection of religion should continue to inspire people. Recalling Singhal’s role in the Ram Janmabhoomi movement, Adhikari said: “The Ram temple in Ayodhya has been built after a long struggle,” and recalled Singhal’s leadership in the movement. Mr Adhikari said the Hindu community had not been formed through the use of force, and said those who insulted Hinduism and Hindu society had eventually faced consequences. He said his government would protect Sanatan traditions, temples and India's cultural heritage while functioning within the framework of the Constitution. “You can remain assured. The government will function keeping the Constitution at the forefront. But the government will not allow attacks on Indian culture, Sanatan traditions, maths and temples, and our heritage,” Mr Adhikari said. He also said the government would protect cows and ensure people could freely distribute the Gita, revive the practice of studying the Vedas and serve Tulsi Mata. “Openly distribute the Gita. Openly bring back the habit of reading the Vedas. Openly tell people to serve Mata Tulsi. No one will stop you. It is the government's responsibility,” he said. On Durga Puja, Mr Adhikari said: “I have said that no Durga Puja inauguration will take place during Pitru Paksha.” He also said he would send a card to the Vishwa Hindu Parishad for a programme on Mahalaya. He further said that alcohol consumption would be completely prohibited in the state on Ashtami and that puja rituals would be conducted according to the timings prescribed in the panchang. “Puja will be according to the scriptures. Puja will be according to the time given in the panchang,” he said.