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 | Alliance strain | Monday, 06 April 2026 SPORTS NATION EDITORIAL SILIGURI Ramesh accuses PM Modi of misleading on LS expansion PERSPECTIVE Shami’s early strikes, Pant’s unbeaten 68 seal LSG win From bells to billions Page 5 Page 7 Page 12 Page 6 Modi slams TMC over Malda incident, alleges ‘Jungle Raj’ Decoding AAP’s purges: Trust deficit, misplaced trust or political stress? MANAS R. BANNERJEE New Delhi, 5 April Siliguri, 5 April P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a wide-ranging attack on the Trinamul Congress at an election rally in Cooch Behar, citing the recent Malda incident involving members of the judiciary to question the law-and-order situation in Bengal. Referring to the episode, the Prime Minister said that “two to three days ago in Malda, judges were gheraoed and assaulted,” and questioned the state administration. “What kind of government is this? What kind of system cannot ensure the protection of constitutional processes?” he asked. Mr Modi described the present dispensation as a “ruthless regime” and alleged a state of “jungle raj,” claiming that democracy is being “suppressed every day” in the state. He further accused the Trinamul Congress of showing disregard for constitutional institutions and undermining the rule of law. Raising once again the issue of infiltration, the Prime Minister alleged that the state government was reluctant to support efforts to identify illegal immigrants. He said that while the Centre had initiated steps to detect and deport illegal infiltrators, the situation in Bengal remained Another India-flagged tanker safely crosses the Strait of Hormuz AGENCIES New Delhi, 5 April An India-flagged vessel, Green Asha, has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, making it the ninth Indian tanker to transit the crucial maritime corridor since the onset of the ongoing West Asia conflict. According to reports, Green Asha is an LPG carrier. The transit follows a series of similar crossings by Indian vessels navigating the conflict-hit region under heightened surveillance. Prior to Green Asha’s journey, at least eight Indian vessels had already crossed the corridor. Among them were LPG carriers BW TYR and BW ELM, which transported around 94,000 tonnes of cargo through the conflict zone. In late March, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers, including Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, delivered more than 92,600 tonnes of LPG over a three-day period. Earlier, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi had carried close to 92,700 tonnes of LPG to Gujarat’s Mundra and Kandla ports in mid-March. Other shipments included crude and refined fuels. “contrary.” “Across the world, countries identify and deport illegal entrants. But in West Bengal, the ruling party supports them,” he claimed, adding that such elements were being used as a “vote bank.” He further alleged that this was the reason the state opposed the SIR process and its proper implementation. Referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Mr Modi said that while the Centre aims to grant citizenship under the Act, the state government was opposing it. He also expressed concern over what he termed a “dangerous demographic change,” raising questions over the security of both the state and the country. “Hindus are finding it difficult to live peacefully in Bengal, and there is a conspiracy behind it,” he alleged. Without naming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he accused her of attempting to alter Bengal’s identity and culture, asserting that the people were “ready to respond” in the elections. "Those who have done this will be ousted," PM Modi added. The Prime Minister further alleged that the situation in the state had compelled even the Supreme Court of India to intervene in matters related to the electoral process, claiming that “the entire country is watching how the Trinamul Congress disrespects the rule of law.” VIBHA SHARMA The evolution of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) from an anti-corruption movement into a regional political force has been marked by a recurring pattern of high-profile exits and sidelining of key leaders ~ episodes that raise a broader question: do they reflect a deficit of trust within the leadership, an initial overreliance on individuals that later turns into suspicion, or simply the pressures that emerge when a party faces political headwinds? The latest instance is the sidelining of Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha, once considered among the closest aides of party chief Arvind Kejriwal. Seen as one of AAP’s prominent faces and a key strategist in its Punjab victory, Chadha’s removal as Deputy Leader of the party in the Rajya Sabha signals a familiar pattern ~ where influential leaders Jammu, 5 April Jammu and Kashmir is losing its lifelines of water at an alarming pace, with nearly half of its lakes disappearing over the years in what experts describe as a looming ecological disaster. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), tabled in the Assembly by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, reveals that out of 697 lakes, 315 have vanished entirely while 203 have shrunk ~ together these account for a massive loss of 2,851 hectares of water area. Flagging the major environmental setback, the CAG has warned that iconic lakes are quietly fading away, leaving behind a growing environmental void. Significantly, the disappearance of lakes cuts across administrative jurisdictions. Of the 315 vanished lakes, 80 were under the Forest Department, while a perceived as potential challengers. Conversely, some analysts contend that the pattern reflects not a lack of trust, but perhaps an excess of it in AAP’s formative years. Leaders ~ many of whom were relatively unknown earlier ~ were elevated rapidly and entrusted with significant responsibilities. Their subsequent prominence, however, remained closely tied to the leadership of Arvind Kejriwal. As AAP evolved from a movement into a structured political organisation, Kejriwal became the central figure around whom the party revolved. In such a framework, any perceived deviation can be interpreted as a breach of trust. Chadha’s absence during Kejriwal’s arrest in 2024, reportedly due to medical reasons, was viewed by some within the party as a lack of solidarity during a difficult phase. Such episodes, particularly during periods of setbacks, tend to magnify internal tensions and deepen existing fault lines. US rescues missing airman from deep inside Iranian territory Trump warns Iran to ‘open the F****n’ strait’ or face ‘hell’ Wreckage is shown at what Iran’s state TV claimed was the site of a downed American transport plane and two helicopters involved in a rescue operation. AGENCIES UNITED NEWS OF INDIA New Delhi, 5 April US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that in a ‘miraculous search and rescue operation’, the US had rescued and safely 'retrieved' from deep inside Iranian territory the second service member who was missing after Iranian forces shot down an F-15E jet. Washington (DC): US President Donald Trump on Sunday again issued a strong warning to Iran to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as the conflict in West Asia escalates, threatening severe consequences if it fails to do so. In a post on Truth Social, Trump unusually used expletive-laden language to convey his message, reminding Tehran of his deadline to 'make a deal' or to 'open the Strait', declaring that Tuesday will be the day when Washington will strike all of Iran's energy and civil infrastructure. "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F****n' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah," he stated. “WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans. The pilot is now SAFE and SOUND. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine,” Trump posted on Sunday 315 vanished lakes: CAG report reveals alarming ecological loss in J&K SP SHARMA gradually fall out of favour. He joins a growing list of former insiders whose exits or marginalisation have made headlines. Rajya Sabha MP Swati Maliwal, a long-time loyalist and former Delhi Commission for Women chief, publicly broke ranks with the party following an alleged assault incident involving Kejriwal’s aide. Maliwal accused the leadership of targeting her, marking a shift from ardent supporter to vocal critic. In fact, AAP’s relatively short history has been punctuated by internal rifts. The earliest major rupture came around 2015, when founding members Yogendra Yadav and Prashant Bhushan were expelled after raising concerns about internal democracy and the emergence of a “personality cult.” Ashutosh, a former journalist-turnedpolitician, resigned reportedly over dissatisfaction with leadership decisions. Kumar Vishwas, once a key campaigner and crowd-puller, fell out with the leadership over differences in style and direction. Kapil Mishra exited alleging corruption and later joined the Bharatiya Janata Party. Similarly, Shazia Ilmi distanced herself from the party. Political observers argue that these recurring fallouts point to a leadership style that prioritises loyalty and centralised control. When decision-making is concentrated within a small inner circle, a trust gap can emerge with those outside it. Another perspective suggests that leaders who begin to build independent political identities or public profiles may be majority ~ 235 lakes ~ fell under the Revenue and Agriculture Departments, highlighting fragmented governance and lack of coordinated oversight. Presenting a grim picture, the CAG has said that in total, nearly three-fourths of J&K’s lakes ~ 518 in number ~ have either vanished or degraded. This large-scale decline is not natural but largely man-made. The audit identifies rapid land use changes ~ conversion of lake beds into agricultural land, urban expansion, and encroachments ~ as the primary drivers behind the disappearance. Satellite-based analysis of 63 lakes between 2014 and 2020 confirmed a steady reduction in open water areas, replaced by built-up zones, horticulture, and fallow land. Even iconic lakes such as Dal and Wular ~ once symbols of Kashmir’s natural heritage ~ are struggling due to poor implementation of conservation programmes. Issues such as untreated sewage discharge, malfunctioning sewage treatment plants, encroachments, and ineffective weed control continue to plague Dal Lake, preventing restoration of its open water area. Environmental damage is already visible. Key water bodies like Anchar Lake and Khushal Sar Lake are shrinking rapidly, with portions turning into land due to unchecked human activity. This ecological decline has led to the loss of biodiversity, disruption of aquatic ecosystems, and depletion of essential environmental services provided by these water bodies. Expansion of built-up areas, agricultural activities, horticulture, and encroachments have steadily eaten into lake territories. Ground verification and satellite mapping using Google Earth Pro further validated the findings. Seven lakes from the audit sample were found to have either dried up or become nearly invisible. The report also exposes systemic gaps in lake conservation efforts. Despite multiple departments ~ including Forest, Revenue, Agriculture, Housing & Urban Development, and Tourism ~ being involved, there is no centralised authority to ensure integrated lake management. In Dal Lake, issues such as malfunctioning sewage treatment plants, inadequate waste management, unchecked urbanisation, and failure to rehabilitate lake dwellers have hindered restoration efforts. Similarly, lack of monitoring bodies has impacted conservation work in Wular Lake. The audit links the loss of these natural water reservoirs to increased flood vulnerability, citing their crucial role as flood buffers ~ particularly during the devastating 2014 Jammu and Kashmir floods. morning on his social media platform. Iran had shot down a US F15 fighter jet on Friday. One service member was rescued while a hectic search was mounted by both the US and Iranian militaries for a second. An Iranian Army spokesman claimed on Sunday that they had ‘foiled’ a US attempt to rescue the downed pilot. A spokesman of the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters of Iran also claimed that two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport plane of the US were shot down in a coordinated operation by Iranian forces in Isfahan in Central Iran. However, a regional intelligence official briefed on the mission told news agencies that the US military blew up two transport planes because of a technical malfunction and brought in additional aircraft to complete the rescue. The rescue followed an intense search after Friday’s crash of the F-15E Strike Eagle, while Iran promised a reward for anyone who turned in an “enemy pilot.” Tr ump said that the service member was “seriously wounded and really brave” and rescued from “deep inside the mountains.” He said a second crew member was rescued in “broad daylight” within hours of the crash. The jet was the first known American aircraft to crash in Iranian territory since the US and Israel launched the war with strikes on Iran on 28 February. Iran also shot down another US warplane, a A-10 attack aircraft, the same day.