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 | Thursday, 11 December 2025 SPORTS NATION NATION AIADMK asserts NDA leadership in TN Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers file bail plea in Delhi court New Delhi: A Delhi court will hear the anticipatory bail plea of Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, owners of the Goa nightclub where a devastating fire claimed 25 lives, on Thursday. The Luthra brothers have sought four weeks of anticipatory bail in the Rohini Court in connection with the Goa restaurant fire deaths. They argued that they want to be able to return to the country and pursue their legal proceedings in the Goa court. “It’s true that people died,” they said, adding, “We seek 4 weeks of anticipatory bail. We want to return to India and approach the court. How can the State Council oppose this, when we want to come and participate in the legal process ourselves?” New Delhi, 10 December Congress leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday submitted a formal note of dissent during a high-level meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah convened to finalise appointments to major transparency and anticorruption institutions. The nearly 90 -minute Thailand-Cambodia border fight displaces thousands Shah defends SIR, poll reforms; Oppn walks out of Lok Sabha UNITED NEWS OF INDIA New Delhi, 10 December T he Lok Sabha witnessed a stormy debate on election reforms on Wednesday, with a robust and detailed response from Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while the Congress-led Opposition staged a walkout in protest. Opening his reply, Amit Shah sharply criticised the Opposition, particularly Congress, for spreading “one-sided lies” and “falsehood” about the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls. He stressed that the SIR exercise is a constitutional responsibility of the Election Commission of India (ECI), which functions independently and is not answerable to the government. “Parliament is not the right place to debate the SIR,” Mr Shah asserted, emphasising that the government welcomes discussions on electoral reforms but SIR lies within the ECI’s purview. Mr Shah defended the SIR as a “necessary process to cleanse the voter lists,” aimed at removing the names of deceased individuals, foreign nationals, and illegal infiltrators from the rolls. He questioned the integrity of democracy itself if infiltrators influenced the appointment of India’s Prime Minister or Chief Ministers. closed-door meeting focused on filling key vacancies, including the Chief Information Commissioner (CIC), up to eight Information Commissioners, and the Central Vigilance Commissioner (CVC). Officials present confirmed that Mr Gandhi formally recorded his oppo sition in writing to the names proposed by the government for these posts. The meeting was held by the statutory selection committee for the Central Information Commission (CIC), which, as per Section 12(3) of the Right to Information Act, comprises the Prime Minister as Chairperson, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, and a Union Cabinet Minister nominated by the Prime Minister (Home Minister Amit Shah in this instance). A similar committee structure is followed for the CVC. The CIC is the final appellate authority for all complaints and appeals filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, acting as the watchdog for government transparency. The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) is the apex body for overseeing vigilance administration and ensuring integrity in government functioning. The urgency of the appointments is underscored by the current state of the Central Information Commission. The Chief Information Commissioner post has been vacant since mid-September following the retirement of the previous incumbent. Addressing Opposition allegations, Mr Shah highlighted what he called their double standards: “When they win, the Election Commission is great; when we win, they say it is flawed.” He pointed out that the BJP lost elections in states like Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Tamil Nadu without questioning the ECI’s credibility, yet the opposition accuses the EC only after BJP victories. He also recalled that EVMs were first used in 2004 and 2009 when Congress won, but complaints about them began only after 2014. Turning to Congress’s charges of political motivation behind voter deletions, Mr Shah asked, “If electoral rolls were corrupted, why did you contest elections?” and accused the Opposition of tarnishing the ECI’s image globally. He noted that Congress has not made any suggestions to the ECI on electoral reforms since May 2014. The Opposition, led by Congress, raised serious concerns throughout the day. Congress leader K C Venugopal accused the EC of partisanship, alleging it enables “vote chori” and systematically undermines democracy. Opposition MPs flagged irregularities in voter lists in states like Bihar and Haryana, citing duplicate entries and suspicious cases such as the “Brazilian woman” appearing multiple times on rolls. Modi speaks to Netanyahu, leaders discuss ways to strengthen strategic partnership STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 10 December Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday received a telephone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. During their conversation, the two leaders strongly condemned terrorism and reiterated their zerotolerance approach towards terrorism in all its forms and manifestations. “Both leaders expressed satisfaction at the continued momentum in India-Israel Strategic Partnership and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthening these ties for mutual benefit,” the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) said in a statement. PM Modi reaffirmed India’s support for efforts towards a just and durable peace in West Asia, including early implementation of the Gaza Peace Plan, the statement added. PM Oman visit: Prime Minister Modi and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal are expected to travel to Oman next week to sign a free trade agreement with that country. The exact dates and the composition of the delegation will be confirmed after the Union Cabinet gives its approval. Gill, Surya under spotlight as India face South Africa in second T20I Page 12 Page 9 Rahul submits dissent note on CIC, CVC appointments in meeting with PM Modi STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE WORLD Page 4 Page 8 BRIEFLY ‘Inclusive growth to mark Chhattisgarh’s next 25 years’ IndiGo crisis: DGCA forms oversight team, summons CEO STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 10 December Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday constituted an eightmember special team to monitor IndiGo's operations as the airline battles sustained disruptions across its network. The DGCA also summoned IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers to appear before it on 11 December afternoon. This comes a day after the Ministry of Civil Aviation issued an order cutting the number of flights that IndiGo can operate by 10 per cent after the massive cancellation of flights by the crisis-ridden airline due to an acute pilot shortage under the new flight duty limitation rules. The DGCA on Wednesday issued an order stating that in view of passenger inconvenience caused due to large-scale disruptions in the operations of IndiGo Airlines at various airports across the country, it has been decided to constitute an Oversight Team comprising eight members. As per reports, two officials from the team would be stationed at IndiGo's corporate headquarters and look into daily processes to identify gaps that are affecting flight operations. As the disruption of IndiGo's services continued to cause passenger congestion, the Ministry of Civil Aviation earlier started a thorough, round-the-clock evaluation of airport operations nationwide. Senior officials have been sent to key airports, according to Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, to evaluate ground conditions and make sure that passengers who are stuck or delayed have their issues promptly addressed. Meanwhile, the DGCA has directed Mr Elbers to appear before the regulator on 11 December afternoon, officials said. The DGCA has also directed Elbers to submit comprehensive data and updates regarding the airline's recent operational disruptions. According to the DGCA directive, the CEO, along with senior officials from all relevant departments, has been instructed to attend the meeting and present detailed information across key operational areas. SC reserves verdict on bail pleas of six accused in Delhi riots case PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 10 December The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the bail petitions filed by six accused, Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, and Mohd Saleem Khan in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case of 2020. A Bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria concluded the extensive hearing. It directed the parties to compile and submit all documents by 18 December, making it clear that the Court intends to decide the matter before the winter recess beginning 19 December. During the hearing, ASG SV Raju, appearing for Delhi Police, argued that the acts of one conspirator could be attributed to others, submitting that Sharjeel Imam’s speeches could be considered as evidence against Umar Khalid as well. When the ASG placed reliance on a separate 2016 FIR filed over alleged “tukde-tukde” slogans at JNU, the Bench questioned its relevance. “Why are you showing a prior FIR for riots that happened in 2020? What has it got to do with it?” the Bench asked. The Court also expressed concern over the excessive number of documents being handed over by both sides. “Your instructing counsel seems to have adopted a policy either to convince the judge or confuse the judge,” Justice Kumar remarked. Directing both parties to file a single, consolidated compilation of all materials, the Bench said the exercise must be completed by 18 December. ASG Raju submitted that the prosecution was not responsible for delays and that the accused could not insist on waiting for further evidence.He also alleged that Umar Khalid deliberately left Delhi before the riots to distance himself from the events. UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Deepavali enters UNESCO cultural heritage list, PM says 'soul of Indian civilisation' is recognised Thiruvananthapuram, 10 December STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 10 December Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today rejected the ‘Veer Savarkar International Impact Award 2025’, stating that he had never been informed about the honour announced by the Highrange Rural Development Society (HRDS India). The NGO had earlier included Mr Tharoor among six personalities selected for the inaugural award ceremony in New Delhi, reportedly in the presence of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. Mr Tharoor said he learned of the announcement only through media reports while he was in Kerala to cast his vote in the local body elections. Taking to X, the Thiruvananthapuram MP criticised the organisers for acting “irresponsibly” by announcing his name without consent. He said he had to issue a public clarification because some media houses Sharing the excitement of his country-men in the festival of Deepavali being recognised as an Intangible Heritage of the World by the UNESCO, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday that the event marked the recognition of the soul of Indian civilisation. UNESCO's intergovernmental committee for safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage, which has been in session in Delhi from Monday announced the decision. India’s Deepavali festival has been selected from a total of 67 nominations submitted by nearly 80 countries. On Wednesday morning, UNESCO, in a congratulatory post on X, announced the inscription of Deepavali on the Intangible Heritage List of Shashi Tharoor rejects ‘Veer Savarkar Award’, calls organisers irresponsible continued to question him even after he had already denied accepting the award. Mr Tharoor wrote that he was unaware of the nature of the award, the organisation presenting it, or any relevant details, and therefore the question of attending the event or accepting the honour “does not arise”. The announcement created unease within the Congress, given the political sensitivities surrounding Vinayak Damodar Savarkar. Senior Congress leader K. Muraleedharan openly said that no Congress MP should accept an award named after Savarkar, calling such an act unacceptable and deeply hurtful to the party’s values and history. Mr Tharoor’s rejection is widely seen as an effort to remain firmly aligned with the party’s ideological stand. HRDS India, however, disputed Mr Tharoor’s version of events. Aji Krishnan, the organisation’s secretary, claimed that representatives of the NGO, along with the jury Chairman, had met Mr Tharoor at his residence and briefed him in detail about the award. He said Mr Tharoor had asked for a list of all the honourees and had not given any formal refusal until his statement appeared online. Mr Krishnan suggested that the Congress MP may be backtracking under political pressure. the UN agency. Taking to the social media platform X, PM Modi wrote: “People in India and around the world are thrilled. For us, Deepavali is very closely linked to our culture and ethos. It is the soul of our civilisation. It personifies illumination and righteousness. " He added, "May the ideals of Prabhu Shri Ram keep guiding us for eternity." Mr Modi asserted that the inclusion of Diwali, the festival of lights, on the UNESCO cultural heritage list will increase the popularity of the festival across the globe. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, in an X post, said: "Proud moment for India as Deepavali enters into the UNESCO's intangible heritage list. This signifies the importance of our ancient cultural ethos even in the modern era. The festival of lights has inspired us since antiquity to believe in the victory of the good and the righteous. It is now profoundly heartening that it will now encourage global well-being. @UNESCO," Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also welcomed UNESCO’s decision, calling it a “historic day for India.” "This honour celebrates the universal message of our festival of lights: hope over despair, harmony over division, and light for all. My gratitude to UNESCO and to every custodian of our timeless traditions. Jai Hind," Shekhawat added in a post on X. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar hailed the UNESCO move, highlighting in an X post how this serves as a recognition of the festival's immense cultural, religious and spiritual significance and of its role in bringing people together. A laser show being tested on the eve of Dev Deepavali festival at Chet Singh Ghat in Varanasi in November. FILE PHOTO Describing the festival, UNESCO said on its official website, "Deepavali, also known as Diwali, is a light festival celebrated annually by diverse individuals and communities across India, that marks the last harvest of the year and the start of a new year and new season. Based on the lunar calendar, it falls on the new moon in October or November and lasts several days. It is a joyous occasion that symbolises the victory of light over darkness and good over evil. During this time, people clean and decorate their homes and public spaces, light lamps and candles, set off fireworks, and offer prayers for prosperity and new beginnings".