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 | BHUBANESWAR | MUMBAI | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Thursday, 05 February 2026 SPORTS WORLD Understanding Liability EDITORIAL BRIEFLY PM to embark on two-day visit to Malaysia from Saturday: New Delhi: As part of India’s “Act East Policy”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will pay an official visit to Malaysia on 7-8 February at the invitation of his Malaysian counterpart Dato’ Seri Anwar Ibrahim, it was officially announced on Wednesday. This would be the PM’s third visit to Malaysia, and the first after the elevation of the India-Malaysia bilateral relationship to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’, in August 2024. During the visit, he will hold bilateral discussions with the Malaysian PM and interact with members of the Indian community, as well as industry and business representatives. The 10th India-Malaysia CEO Forum is also scheduled to be held coinciding with the visit of the PM. Page 9 Parl turmoil: LS adjourned ahead of PM Modi’s speech VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 4 February T he Lok Sabha on Wednesday again witnessed fierce political confrontation amid accusations of double standards in parliamentary conduct by Opposition parties over Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi “not being allowed to speak”, and ‘Govt has protected farmers’ interests in India-US deal’ STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 4 February Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Wednesday asserted in the Lok Sabha that the government has protected the interests of Indian farmers in the India-US trade deal. He said India has successfully protected sensitive sectors such as agriculture and dairy while giving full attention to food and farming concerns in the pact. The partnership, the minister said, will create new opportunities for MSMEs, skilled workers, and industry, strengthen bilateral ties, and ensure energy security, which remains a top priority for 140 crore Indians. Amid frequent interruptions by Opposition members, Mr Goyal said the trade deal “will simplify the reach to advanced technologies and help in realising India's 'Make in India for the World', 'Design in India for the World' and 'Innovate in India for the World'.” He said the agreement was the result of nearly a year of detailed discussions between negotiators from both sides and had been structured to balance the core interests of India and the US, "keeping the important interests of both sides in mind". "It is natural that each side would want to safeguard its sensitive areas and ensure the best possible outcomes,” he said. the suspension of eight MPs. Matters escalated after alleged derogatory remarks by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey against late Congress prime ministers Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi and senior leader Sonia Gandhi. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to respond to the ongoing motion of thanks to the President’s Address in the Lok Sabha around 5 p.m. However, amid sustained and heated exchanges, the Lok Sabha was adjourned just minutes before his address. The BJP alleged that opposition MPs were moving towards the PM's chair in an “attacking” mode. According to BJP MP Manoj Tiwari, several Opposition women MPs entered the well of the House and moved towards the chair used by the Prime Minister. “The opposition came with the intention to attack us at 5 p.m. sharp, (as the House assembled). They surrounded the Prime Minister’s chair,” he was quoted as saying. Mr Gandhi, however, said, “As I said, PM Modi will not come to Parliament because he is scared and doesn’t want to face the truth.” Earlier, speaking to the media outside the House, he had said that he would personally present former Army chief General MM Naravane’s memoir to the Prime Minister when 3 sisters jump to their deaths in Ghaziabad DEEPSHIKHA VERMA/UNI Ghaziabad, 4 February Three minor sisters allegedly committed suicide after jumping from the ninth floor of their residential building in Ghaziabad early Wednesday morning in an incident suspected to be linked with a Korean task-based online gaming app that they got obsessed with, police said. A suicide note was recovered from the crime scene in which the girls wrote, "Sorry, Mummy. Sorry, Papa." The police confirmed this, telling UNI that "the three sisters also made a crying emoji on the suicide note." Officials said: “It was heartrending ... and also a revelation to us how this new generation is straying into dangerous acts just based on gaming apps.” The sisters, aged 12, 14, and 16, allegedly took the extreme step following a disagreement with their parents at home over their increasing addiction to an online task-based game. Keshav Chaudhary Additional Commissioner of Police Ghaziabad told newspersons, "All three girls were influenced by Korean culture. They were addicted to mobile phones. There has been no confirmation that they were addicted to Korean games. The family had stopped giving them mobile phones, and upset over this, they took the step of suicide." The trio lived in Ghaziabad along with their parents. The father of the girls is reportedly a foreign exchange trader. “The girls were deeply obsessed with a Korean task-based game and believed they were not Indian but Korean. ‘Even a layman knows prices are rising’: SC flags Hyatt Regency valuation, considers CBI-CVC probe STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 4 February Raising sharp questions over the valuation of Delhi’s iconic Hyatt Regency hotel, the Supreme Court on Wednesday asked why the five-star property was not auctioned at a time when real estate prices were clearly on the rise, and agreed to examine a plea seeking a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) into its alleged undervaluation under a One Time Settlement (OTS).< A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul Pancholi was hearing a petition concerning Page 12 LAW PAGE Cautious Reset Page 6 For me, age is not a criteria: MSD on Ro-Ko’s 2027 ODI WC chances Page 11 US-Iran drone encounter casts shadow over talks the OTS entered into between Asian Hotels (North) Pvt Ltd, Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Bank of Maharashtra (BoM). Questioning the timing and manner of the settlement, the CJI remarked that “even a layman in Delhi can take notice of the fact that from 2023 to 2025, the value of real estate properties has been rising.” He added that when a settlement is entered into in January 2025, “the value of a five-star hotel in Delhi is bound to be high.” The plea, filed by NGO Infrastructure Watchdog, alleges that the OTS was contrary to banking norms and resulted in a massive undervaluation of the Hyatt Regency property, causing potential loss to public sector banks. Appearing for the petitioner, Advocate Prashant Bhushan contended that the OTS violated the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) mandate, which requires stressed loans exceeding Rs 100 crore to be resolved through auction. He pointed out that as of 1 September 2020, Asian Hotels’ outstanding dues stood at Rs 705 crore, while the market value of the Hyatt Regency was assessed at Rs 2,600 crore and Rs 2,651 crore by two independent valuers. However, when the OTS was finalised in 2024, the same valuer allegedly pegged the hotel’s value at Rs 970 crore, despite a significant post-Covid surge in Delhi-NCR real estate prices. The petitioner argued that this drastic reduction raises serious red flags and warrants an independent investigation. Taking note that the settlement was concluded in 2025, the Bench questioned why the property was not auctioned at that stage. Recalling a recent auction of a hotel property in Kerala that attracted multiple bidders, the CJI observed that a prime hotel property in Delhi would likely draw even greater interest. Opposing the plea, Senior Advocates N. Venkataraman and Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the respondent banks, submitted that Asian Hotels had attempted to auction the hotel and its assets on two occasions, but no buyers came forward. It was further argued that the banks had recovered 116 per cent of the loan amount, and that the petition amounted to seeking a “roving inquiry” into a concluded commercial transaction. The Supreme Court nonetheless issued notice to the Union of India, PNB, BoM and Asian Hotels (North) Pvt Ltd, and listed the matter for further hearing on 18 March. Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed the petition, holding that the plea was based on insufficient material and that OTS decisions fall within the realm of commercial wisdom, generally immune from judicial review. The Supreme Court will now examine whether the circumstances of the case justify judicial interference and an independent probe into the settlement. he speaks in the House. “I don't think the PM will have the guts to come to the Lok Sabha today because if he comes, I am going to give him this book. If the PM comes, I will go physically and hand him this book so he can read it and the country can get to know the truth,” he had said. A meeting of Opposition parties has been called for tomorrow morning to discuss strategy. The origins of the turmoil trace back to Monday, when Mr Gandhi was barred from quoting an article referencing Naravane’s memoirs concerning the 2020 India-China conflict, followed by the suspension of eight MPs. Congress MPs also strongly protested controversial comments made by Dubey during the motion of thanks to the President’s Address, in which he made “objectionable references” to Nehru and Indira Gandhi. BJP’s Y Khemchand Singh sworn in as Manipur CM UNITED NEWS OF INDIA Imphal, 4 February Veteran BJP leader Yumnam Khemchand Singh was on Wednesday sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Manipur, restoring a popular government nearly a year after President’s Rule was imposed in the troubled state. The sixty-twoyear-old Mr Singh, a former Speaker of the state Assembly, was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor A K Bhalla at the Imphal Lok Bhavan. The position of chief minister had remained vacant since Nongthombam Biren Singh resigned on 9 February 2025, in the wake of months of ethnic violence that destabilised Manipur. The state was brought under the President's rule on 13 February last year. BJP legislator Nemcha Kipgen, hailing from the Kuki community, and Naga People's Front lawmaker L Dikho took oath as Deputy Chief Ministers after Khemchand Singh at the solemn ceremony. Hours before Mr Singh’s swearing in, President Droupadi Murmu formally revoked President's Rule in the state, according to a gazette notification issued by the Minstry of Home Affairs. Earlier in the day, Mr Singh met the Governor at Lok Bhavan and formally staked his claim to form a BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in the state. Khemchand Singh was accompanied by BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh, BJP north-east coordinator Dr Sambit Patra, Manipur BJP state president Adhikarimayum Sharda Devi, and other NDA leaders during the meeting. Mr Singh was unanimously elected leader of the NDA legislature party on 3 February. Mr Singh has expressed confidence that the new Council of Ministers would work with peace and development as its guiding principles. "The political journey towards the vision of a developed India and a developed Manipur is not without challenges, but our priorities will remain firmly aligned with achieving these goals," Mr Singh said, while thanking the party leadership for reposing trust and responsibility in him.