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 Sensex settles 281 pts lower amid negative global cues Page 10 BRIEFLY SC seeks Centre’s response on child abuse content, reporting lapses: New Delhi: The Supreme Court has expressed concern over the alleged availability of child abuse content on social media and sought a response from the Centre over alleged violations by intermediaries in reporting such cases. A bench of Justice J.B. Pardiwala and Justice K.V. Chandran sought replies from the government while hearing petitions seeking criminal action against platforms that fail to comply with mandatory POCSO reporting requirements.The petitions, filed by Just Rights for Children Alliance (JRCA) and the Bachpan Bachao Andolan, also alleged the presence of paid advertisements on social media platforms promoting Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse Material (CSEAM).Listing the matter for next hearing on September 24, the apex court sought to know the Centre’s stand on the petitioners’ suggestions. Iran working to finalise Strait of Hormuz plan with Oman STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE LAUDING THE COUNTRY'S SECURITY AGENCIES AND FORCES, SHAH SAID THEY HAD RIPPED APART THE NETWORK BY LAUNCHING COORDINATED OPERATIONS AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS ACROSS 14 STATES, SETTING A BRILLIANT EXAMPLE OF INDIA'S ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICY TOWARDS TERRORISM. New Delhi, 17 August H Ranchi, 17 August conducted by TDPL, along with the results and selections arising from them. The Chief Minister said all examinations conducted in Jharkhand since 2014 would be investigated to identify any irregularities. The students have been demanding scrapping of examinations allegedly affected by irregularities and a CBI probe into the recruitment examination system. Ordnance Factory markings, pistols, live cartridges and CCTV cameras allegedly used for espionage, Shah stated, adding that the network was involved in several terrorist activities. According to officials, around 253 people were detained across 14 states, while more than 80 FIRs were registered and over 200 arrests were made against SBN as part of the government's 'zero tolerance' While the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL and TDPL-conducted examinations addresses major demands of the protesters, their demand for a CBI probe remains unresolved. Soren said investigations by the SIT and CID had brought out several facts in the CGL case and announced a comprehensive inquiry under a retired judge. He also said a committee headed by IPS officer Amitabh Kaushal would work on reforms in the examination system. The students have been protesting at the stadium for more than three weeks. They had announced a gherao of the Chief Minister's residence on August 20 over their remaining demands. SC defers Allahabad HC proceedings in Rahul assets case; restrains CBI, ED from submitting reports PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 17 August The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Allahabad High Court to defer its August 20 hearing in a petition alleging that Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and members of his family possessed assets disproportionate to their known sources of income, and asked the CBI and the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) not to submit any report to the High Court in the meantime. Questioning how directions could be issued to investigating agencies without affording Gandhi an opportunity of hearing, the top court also asked why the agencies, if they considered the allegations serious, had not proceeded suo motu instead of awaiting orders from the High Court. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohana passed the interim order while hearing Gandhi’s challenge to various orders of the High Court on a petition filed by BJP worker S. Vignesh Shishir. Flagging the requirement of natural justice, CJI Kant observed that investigating agencies did not require permission from a court to act where an offence was disclosed. However, where a court proposed to issue directions affecting an individual, it was Page 12 Page 5 Jharkhand CM Hemant Soren cancels JSSC CGL, all exams conducted on behalf of TDPL Students protesting against alleged irregularities in Jharkhand's recruitment examinations celebrated at the Jaipal Singh Munda Stadium here on Monday after Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced the cancellation of the JSSC-CGL examination. The announcement came after a special Cabinet meeting convened amid the students' prolonged agitation. As news of the cancellation reached the protest site, students raised slogans and celebrated what they described as a major victory for their movement. Soren also announced the cancellation of all examinations Rahul, Jairam Ramesh target NTA over faulty papers ‘Govt thwarted ISI-backed attack plans ahead of I-Day’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Jadeja, Suthar shine as India take 178-run lead NATION Page 9 ome Minister Amit Shah on Monday stated that the country's security agencies had carried out a major, multi-state crackdown against the ISI-backed Shahzad Bhatti Network (SBN) and busted its entire terror syndicate. He said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government had dismantled the terror group ahead of Independence Day and thwarted its plans for subversive attacks with the arrests of more than 200 operatives. Lauding the country's security agencies and forces, Shah said they had ripped apart the network by launching coordinated operations at different locations across 14 states, setting a brilliant example of India's zero-tolerance policy towards terrorism. Substantial recoveries were made from the ISI-funded group, including improvised explosive devices (IEDs), grenades bearing Pakistan Tuesday, 18 August 2026 SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | expected to follow the principles of natural justice and afford the person concerned an opportunity of hearing. Justice Bagchi similarly questioned why the agencies had not acted independently if the material disclosed disproportionate assets. “If it is so serious, why has your agency kept quiet? Do you need a direction from the Court, Mr Raju? Have you taken any suo motu action? No, right?” he asked Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, appearing for the CBI. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Gandhi, questioned RSS man Shishir’s locus and alleged that the proceedings amounted to a witch hunt. policy towards cross-border terrorism. The SBN, a Pakistan-based and ISI-backed terror syndicate, is linked to grenade, IED and petrol-bomb attacks, as well as targeted killings across the country. It has also been paying local conduits to conduct reconnaissance of police, defence and religious sites and install CCTV cameras for espionage, officials added. In a bid to counter SBN-linked disruptions that were allegedly planned around the Independence Day celebrations, a coordinated multi-state operation was carried out on August 12, during which a real-time intelligence-sharing system was put to use with state police forces. The entire exercise led to 253 detentions across 14 states, including Uttar Pradesh (62), Haryana (52), Delhi (51), Punjab (44), Rajasthan (15), Maharashtra (8), Uttarakhand (5), Karnataka, Gujarat and Bihar (3 each), and Telangana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Kerala (2 each). Fresh FIRs were registered in Delhi and Karnataka. At least seven dead, several injured in stampede at Bihar’s Ashok Dham Temple STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Patna, 17 August At least seven devotees died and over a dozen others were injured in a stampede that broke out at the famous Ashok Dham Temple in Lakhisarai, Bihar, on Monday morning. There are fears that the death toll may rise. The incident reportedly occurred on the route from Ashok Dham railway station to the temple. According to initial information, an electric pole along with wires had fallen on the road during the night. On Monday morning, a rumour spread that the fallen p ole was carr ying live electricity, triggering panic among the devotees. As soon as the incident was reported, police and administrative officials rushed to the spot. Efforts were also initiated to send the injured to the hospital for treatment. In a post on X, Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said that the incident at Ashok Dham in Lakhisarai was “extremely tragic and heartbreaking.” “I am deeply saddened by the news of devotees losing their lives in the accident . My hear tfelt condolences are with the b ereave d families. The administration has been directed to ensure proper and prompt treatment for the injured. May God grant peace to the departed souls and a speedy recovery to those injured,” he added. Nitin Nabin unveils new team with eight general secretaries, focus on Uttar Pradesh polls VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 17 August Putting an end to a long wait and speculation, BJP president Nitin Nabin on Monday unveiled his new national team, appointing 13 vice-presidents and eight general secretaries, combining experienced leaders with younger faces ahead of a crucial round of Assembly elections. The team, which reflects the BJP’s focus on poll-bound states, will work towards the Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur next year, followed by Himachal Pradesh and Gujarat, before the big one-the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Among the prominent appointments is former Union minister Smriti Irani, who returns to an active organisational role as one of the eight national general secretaries in the team that maintains caste and regional balance. Two Muslims have also been given prominent organisational roles—former Aligarh Muslim University SMRITI IRANI MAKES COMEBACK; RAM MADHAV ALSO GETS A ROLE IN NEW TEAM. DEEPAK MHASKEY REPLACES AMIT MALVIYA AS BJP’S SOCIAL MEDIA CONVENER vice-chancellor Tariq Mansoor as national vice-president and Kunwar Basit Ali as head of the Minority Morcha, both from Uttar Pradesh. In fact, around eight leaders from the UP have been included in the new team, including general secretary Harish Dwivedi and vice-president Rekha Verma. Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the newly appointed office-bearers and those given responsibilities in the party’s various morchas. Nabin, the BJP’s youngest national president, has also replaced Amit Malviya as head of the party’s IT cell with relatively low-profile Chhattisgarh leader Deepak Mhaskey, who brings to the table a trait that both PM Modi and senior leader Amit Shah admire-keeping a low profile while working for the party. Gujarat Lok Sabha MP Hemang Joshi has been appointed chief of the BJP’s Yuva Morcha and tasked with connecting the party with politically crucial Gen Z. Dharmendra Pradhan, whose name had been in focus after he resigned amid the youth protests at Jantar Mantar, does not figure in the new team. Union minister Piyush Goyal has been appointed national treasurer, while Uttarakhand MP Anil Baluni has been retained as media convener. Goyal’s appointment has raised questions over whether he will continue in the Union Cabinet, given the BJP’s stated “one man, one post” principle. The vice-presidents include former Rajasthan chief minister Vasundhara Raje Scindia, former Uttarakhand chief minister Tirath Singh Rawat, Ram Madhav, Baijayant Panda, D Purandeshwari, Rekha Verma, Varshaben Doshi, Bharti Pravin Pawar, Manpreet Singh Badal, Lal Singh Arya, M Nagaraja, Tariq Mansoor and Madhuchandra Kar. Fadnavis meets PM in Delhi to speed up Maharashtra projects STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Mumbai, 17 August Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi on Monday to speed up various projects in the state of Maharashtra. After meeting the PM, Fadnavis tweeted on X, “Met the successful Prime Minister of the country and India’s global leader, Honourable Narendra Modi, in New Delhi today and discussed various issues in detail.” “Gave him detailed information about various development projects in Maharashtra and also sought cooperation in the schemes and projects being implemented in coordination with the Central Government. As always, his visit gives new energy. I am extremely grateful to him for his valuable guidance on development issues and strong support to Maharashtra,” Fadnavis tweeted on X. On being asked by media persons about his possible shift to Delhi, he said, “There are discussions when I am in Delhi and there are discussions even when I am in Mumbai. Many idle people like to talk about me. Let them do it. I am in Maharashtra and will continue to serve Maharashtra”. Fadnavis stated that he met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and discussed various administrative matters and development projects in Maharashtra. “I informed the Prime Minister about some important projects like highways, railways, metro and river linking projects being implemented in the state with central government assistance. We had a positive discussion on how to speed up these projects,” he added. Besides speeding up administrative projects in Maharashtra, the visit by Fadnavis to Delhi is also seen in political quarters to be crucial for the BJP’s political strategy at the national and state levels, especially since a cabinet expansion is expected in Maharashtra. After meeting the Prime Minister, Fadnavis also met Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. PM’s ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark triggers war of words STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 17 August Two days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘dimagi Naxal’ remark in his Independence Day address, the political slugfest over it continued with BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi (photo right) on Monday hitting back at former Union minister P Chidambaram (photo left) over his response. Addressing the media, the BJP Rajya Sabha MP questioned Chidambaram’s “prompt” response that he was “proud to be a dimagi Naxal” and invoked former Prime Minister Monmaohan Singh’s views on Naxalism. “PM Modi raised a very important topic of ‘dimagi Naxal’ on Independence Day. We are surprised that within 24 hours of this, Congress leader P Chidambaram has said that he is proud of being a ‘dimagi Naxal’,” Trivedi said. Invoking Manmohan Singh’s description of Naxalism as the country’s biggest internal security challenge, Trivedi also asked the Congress whether it endorsed Singh’s assessment or Chidambaram’s latest remark. According to Trivedi, Chidambaram, by identifying himself with the term used by the Prime Minister, effectively proved him correct. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, meanwhile, described Chidambaram as a “pure Naxal” and sought an inquiry into why he did not take steps to end Naxalism during his tenure as Union Home Minister. In his Red Fort address on 15 August, the Prime Minister said the government had succeeded in eliminating armed Naxals from forests but warned that “dimagi Naxals” continued to exist. He alleged that people with a Maoist mindset had earlier occupied positions of influence, including in government committees and policy-making bodies, and urged citizens to identify and isolate what he described as an ideological threat. The remark triggered a political controversy, with Chidambaram responding on social media “I am proud to be a dimagi Naxal!” Former chief minister Mehbooba Mufti also said she was a “dimaagi Naxal” as she supports Article 370 of the Constitution, which granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. “I support Article 370. I’m a dimagi Naxal,” Mehbooba posted on social media in response to a post by Union Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, who said that the Prime Minister did not call opposition leaders “dimagi Naxal”. “Very unfortunate & highly damaging statement by a respected former Home Minister of India, the Prime Minister didn't say opposition leaders are dimagi Naxals,” said Rijiju as he went on to explain who all can be called that. “Only the following are dimagi Naxals: 1. Who support Maoists and reject the Indian Constitution. 2. Who stand with separatists and support Article 370. 3. Who want to cut the chicken neck to separate the North-East from India,” Rijiju said.