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 | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR | SPORTS WORLD We, the People Iran warns US troops & Israel if America strikes over protests Page 6 Page 9 EDITORIAL BRIEFLY Police arrest Mamkootathil over fresh rape charges: Thir uvananthapuram: Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who faces multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, was arrested in connection with a fresh rape complaint filed by a woman against him. Rahul Mamkootathil, who was taken into custody from a hotel in Palakkad late on Saturday night, was taken to the Pathanamthitta AR camp. The arrest was then recorded. A police team comprising eight officers, including Shoranur DySP and a woman police officer, reached the KPM Hotel in the heart of Palakkad around midnight on Saturday and took the Congress MLA into custody from his room. According to reports, the police team, which arrived at the hotel in two jeeps, upon reaching the premises, first seized the mobile phones of the reception staff before proceeding to the room where the MLA Mamkootathilwas staying. Page 4 Amit Shah: Those who failed Sabarimala can’t protect faith Page 4 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 11 January P and yet we were taught that it was only about loot,” he said. The Prime Minister alleged that the “contractors of appeasement” had raised objections when the temple was being reconstructed in 1951. “The contractors of appeasement bowed before radical thinking. When India was freed from the shackles 1st ODI: Kohli 93, Rahul 29 give India 1-0 lead NATION ‘History of Somnath one of victory & reconstruction’ rime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said that the attacks on the Somnath Temple were not merely about economic loot, as the attackers would have stopped after the first major plunder if that had been the case. Addressing a gathering on the final day of the four-day Somnath Swabhiman Parv, PM Modi said: “If the attacks on Somnath were only for economic loot, they would have stopped after the first major plunder a thousand years ago. But that did not happen.” He said that after Independence, efforts were made to “whitewash” foreign attacks and present them as routine acts of plunder. “The temple was attacked again and again, its idols were broken, its form was altered repeatedly, Monday, 12 January 2026 of slavery, and when Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel took the oath for the reconstruction of Somnath, attempts were also made to stop him. In 1951, objections were also raised when Dr Rajendra Prasad, the then President of India, visited the temple,” he said, in a veiled attack on former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. “Unfortunately, even today, forces remain active in the country that opposed Somnath’s reconstruction,” Mr Modi added. The Prime Minister said that the history of Somnath is not one of destruction and defeat, but of victory and reconstruction. “A thousand years ago, those tyrants thought they had conquered us. But even today, a thousand years later, the flag fluttering atop the Somnath Mahadev Temple proclaims to the entire world the power and might of Hindustan,” he remarked. PM Modi said that the Somnath Swabhiman Parv, held to mark 1,000 years since the first invasion of the Somnath Temple in 1026 by Mahmud of Ghazni, is a commemoration of continuity. “This festival is not merely a remembrance of the destruction that occurred a thousand years ago. It is a celebration of a thousand-year journey, and of India’s existence and pride,” he added. Page 12 India rapidly advancing towards becoming3rd-largest economy STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 11 January Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded India’s rapid rise towards becoming the world’s third-largest economy at the Vibrant Gujarat Regional Conference (VGRC) in Rajkot, highlighting Gujarat’s pivotal contribution to this achievement. “Gujarat has been a cornerstone in India’s journey, fostering growth from MSMEs to attracting global financial institutions,” PM Modi said during his keynote address. “This summit unites government, corporates, startups, and investors to fast-track India’s development.” Pointing to India’s strong economic fundamentals, the Prime Minister stated: “India is the world’s fastest-growing major economy with inflation under control. Our agriculture sector consistently sets new records, and we lead globally as the largest milk producer and a top manufacturer of generic medicines.” PM Modi also underscored India’s expanding global presence: “We are the third-largest startup ecosystem and aviation market in the world, with metro rail networks ranked among the top three globally.” He credited recent reforms—including next-generation GST changes, insurance sector liberalisation, and modernisation of the Income Tax Act—for strengthening the economy and benefiting millions. Global institutions are increasingly optimistic about India’s growth and stability, PM Modi noted. “The IMF calls India the world’s growth engine. After 18 years, S&P upgraded our credit rating, and Fitch has praised our fiscal credibility. Despite global uncertainties, India remains politically stable with a growing middle class and a strong foundation for sustained progress.” Highlighting Gujarat’s role in India’s future, the Prime Minister announced key projects: “India’s first semiconductor fabrication plant is coming up in Dholera, supported by a predictable policy environment. In Kutch, a hybrid power park five times the size of Paris is under development, and Jamnagar is emerging as a hub for green energy.” EAM S Jaishankar discusses defence, security cooperation with French President X blocks 3,500 posts, deletes 600 accounts over Grok AI controversy after govt notice STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 11 January External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar discussed with French President Emmanuel Macron growing cooperation between their two countries in strategic areas like defence, security space, nuclear cooperation and maritime security and economy. The French President is scheduled to visit India in February for the upcoming AI Summit. Mr Jaishankar paid an official visit to France and Luxembourg from 4-9 January, reflective of India’s growing engagement with Europe. During the visit, the EAM called on French President Macron. He also held bilateral discussions with his French counterpart Jean Noel Barrot on the progress in bilateral ties in key areas and upcoming high level political engagements. In view of the India-France Year of Innovation, they explored ways to diversify ties in areas of innovation and technology, startups, health, education and mobility, as well as discussed growing cooperation in strategic areas of defence, security, space, civil nuclear and maritime security and economy. They also exchanged perspectives on key global and regional developments. At the invitation of the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs of France, Mr Jaishankar also addressed the 31st Conference of Ambassadors of France as Guest of Honour, underlining the contemporary global shifts in the world while highlighting the importance of strategic autonomy. The Indian minister is the first non-European Foreign Minister to be the Guest of Honour at the conference. Mr Jaishankar also participated in the first India-Weimar Foreign Ministers’ meeting, which included Foreign Ministers of France, Germany and Poland. During the meeting, he stressed the importance of deepening India-Europe and India-EU relations. EAM S Jaishankar also interacted with French parliamentarians, including members of India-France Parliamentary Friendship Groups and the Parliamentary Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee. He also held discussions with Executive Director of the International Energy Agency Fatih Birol and Director General of UNESCO Khaled El-Enany. In Luxembourg, EAM S Jaishankar had an audience with top leaders on the full spectrum of India–Luxembourg relations, including political cooperation, trade and investment, financial services, innovation, digital technologies, space and people-to-people ties, as well as to exchange views on regional and global developments of mutual interest. New Delhi, 11 January Elon Musk-run social media platform X has blocked around 3,500 pieces of content and deleted more than 600 accounts following the Indian government issuing notice to X Corp on the generation of non-consensual sexual content by its Grok AI chatbot. Sources said X Corp, which runs the X platform (formerly Twitter), has acknowledged the presence of obscene imagery and given a commitment that it will comply with Indian laws and remove such content. Earlier, X Corp had submitted a written response to the government on the latter’s notice to the company on the generation of “non-consensual sexual content by its Grok AI chatbot.” The government had at the time indicated that it was not satisfied with X Corp’s answer. The abuse of Grok by users to generate sexualised imagery, including deepfakes, particularly of women and children, had provoked a global backlash, with several governments pushing back and opening investigations. On 2 January, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) had issued a notice to X Corp for failing to prevent the generation and circulation of obscene, nude and indecent content on its platform. The government had directed X Corp to send an action taken report (ATR) “towards immediate compliance for prevention of hosting, generation, publication or transmission, sharing or uploading of obscene, nude, indecent and explicit content through the misuse of AI-based services like ‘Grok’ and xAI’s other services” within 72 hours. The government directive stated that “non-compliance with these requirements shall be viewed seriously and may result in strict legal consequences against your platform, its responsible officers and the users on the platform who violate the law, without any further notice, under the IT Act, the IT Rules, the BNSS, the BNS and other applicable laws". The ministry directed X to conduct a comprehensive review of Grok's technical and governance frameworks to prevent the generation of unlawful content. It said Grok must enforce strict user policies, including suspension and termination of violators. All offending content should be immediately removed without tampering with evidence, it said. X Corp has said it continues to take action against illegal content on its social media platform, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and is working with local governments and law enforcement agencies as necessary. Spectacular journey into the past: 55th Statesman Vintage and Classic Car Rally MOHUL BHATTACHARYA Kolkata, 11 January Kolkata witnessed a spectacular journey into the past as The Statesman Vintage & Classic Car Rally celebrated its 55th edition at the Royal Calcutta Turf Club Polo Grounds. On a bright Sunday morning, the city turned back the clock nearly a century, with more than 150 vintage and classic cars and motorcycles gracing its streets. Flagged off at 9:15 a.m. by Lieutenant General Ram Chander Tiwari, GOC-in-C Eastern Command, the rally covered a 30-kilometre route from the Turf Club grounds through Shovabazar Grey Street crossing to Harish Mukherjee Road in south Kolkata. Pedestrians were enthralled as the timeless automotive masterpieces rolled past, transforming the cityscape into a living museum of motoring heritage. The rally once again proved to be a landmark event for car and bike enthusiasts, offering not only a glimpse of Kolkata’s motoring legacy but also opportunities for photographs and close encounters with the vehicles. Dr Ananda Chanda hosted the event with enthusiasm, introducing each car as it set off, supported by crew members from The Statesman House. Adding to the festive spirit, the Nosey-Posey Crew ~ Suraj, Dipjyoti, and Madhurima ~ entertained the crowd with clown acts and humour. Among the standout vehicles was Ananda Chowdhury’s parakeet-green 1913 Gebrüder Stoewer, the oldest car in the rally. It was closely followed by SK Lahiri’s 1948 sapphire-blue Plymouth, fondly known as ‘Neelu’, and Anwesha Dutta’s 1963 Triumph. Other notable entries included the 1923 Panther Sloper, the 1940 Triumph 3HW, and several other rare beauties. Motorcycles also drew admiration, with the 1936 James Villiers, 1956 Vespa, 1951 Matchless, 1969 Jawa, and the iconic 1972 Rajdoot sharing the spotlight. Classic cars such as the 1985 Range Rover, 1989 Mercedes, 1987 Land Rover, and 1986 Mercedes-Benz added to the nostalgic spectacle. For many onlookers, seeing these vehicles on Kolkata’s streets was akin to reliving cherished memories, with cameras capturing every moment. Participants dressed in period costumes ~ sarees, umbrellas, and Victorian attire ~ added a surreal charm to the event, enhancing its historic ambience. Tollywood superstar Prosenjit Chatterjee, accompanied by the crew of his upcoming Kakababu film Vijaynagarer Hirey, graced the occasion. “This rally is the oldest in India, and I first attended it as a child. Even today, I feel the same excitement as I return to this extravagant automobile celebration,” he said. Concluding the event, Ravindra Kumar, Editor and Managing Director of The Statesman, extended his gratitude to the Indian Army, Kolkata Police, sponsors, judges, participants, and the audience for their enthusiastic support. Vineet Gupta, Director of The Statesman Group, added: “The rally has been a source of pride for The Statesman for decades, and the RCTC grounds allow us to relive this dream with warmth and ease.” PAGE-08