FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 16 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW Gold rises 1 pc as Indian stocks slide on Iran tensions Page 12 Today Doljatra, being a holiday in the offices of , there will be no issue of this edition dated 04 March 2026. Longer than expected war or a move towards peace? Page 5 I will win even if margin is slender, says Mamata Kolkata, 2 March Indian national killed after oil tanker attacked in Gulf of Oman: New Delhi: An Indian national was killed on Monday when an oil tanker MKD Vyom was reportedly targetted in the Gulf of Oman amid escalating Iran-Israel tensions. "The Embassy of India expresses its deepest condolences on the tragic demise of an Indian national on board MKD Vyom. The Embassy is in close coordination with the local authorities in Oman to facilitate the safe and early repatriation of our nationals on board the vessel," the Embassy of India in Oman posted on X. Tuesday, 03 March 2026 Aravalli SanrakshanYatra ends STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE BRIEFLY | C Bhawanipore. Expressing faith in the electorate she has long represented, she said: “They will make me victorious once again.” Striking a defiant note, she said: “Despite all these e f f o r t s by t h e E l e c t i o n Commission of India, at the instance of the ruling dispensation at the Centre, nothing can deter me from winning Bhawanipore. I will win even if the margin is as Sanju is a world class player: Gambhir NATION Page 11 hief Minister Mamata Banerjee today expressed confidence of emerging victorious once again from the Bhawanipore Assembly constituency, stating that she would win, e ve n i f t h e m a r g i n i s “wafer-thin”. Sharpening her criticism of the ongoing Special Intensive Review (SIR) by the Election Commission of India, she alleged that nearly 60,000 voters’ names had been deleted from the Bhawanipore Assembly constituency. Despite this, she maintained that she would secure victory, defying all odds. Ad d re s s i n g a government-sponsored Holi programme at Netaji Indoor Stadium, Ms Banerjee also made it clear that she would file her nomination from SILIGURI SPORTS WORLD BUSINESS | slender as one vote.” Criticising the SIR process, she accused the Commission and the Union government of acting in tandem. “I am shocked and pained at the way such a large number of voters’ names have been deleted. This is inhumane and vindictive. People will give a fitting reply through democratic means,” she said. Escalating her attack, the Chief Minister alleged that nearly 1.2 crore voters across the state could be disenfranchised. She claimed that in several cases, married women had their names deleted while their husbands’ names remained on the rolls, despite proper documentation being submitted. While she praised the work of BLOs and EROs, she alleged that micro-observers, acting at the behest of the BJP, were re sp o n s i b l e for the deletions. At the event, Ms Banerjee also announced that the state government would extend assistance to the Jain community for setting up a temple on five acres of land in New Town, near the Biswa Bangla Convention Centre. She further inaugurated an international-standard linking road project worth Rs 3.5 crore, which will connect Kalyani in North 24-Parganas with Kolkata. Page 16 Modi, Carney ink landmark $2.6 billion uranium deal: New Delhi: Seeking to reset ties, India and Canada on Monday signed a landmark $ 2.6 billion uranium deal, agreed to fast-track negotiations on a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) to increase bilateral trade to $ 50 billion by 2030 and launch a defence dialogue between them. Apart from the uranium deal, the two nations inked seven pacts, including one on India-Canada-Australia cooperation for technology and innovation. “India and Canada strongly believe in democratic values. We celebrate diversity. The welfare of humanity is our shared vision. This vision inspires us to move forward in every area. Today, we also discussed how we can take this vision to the next level of partnership,’’ PM Modi said at a Press interaction with his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney. PM Modi advocates dialogue and diplomacy to end West Asia crisis: New Delhi: PM Modi on Monday expressed deep concern over the escalation in hostilities in West Asia and said India continues to support the resolution of all disputes through dialogue and diplomacy. “The current situation in West Asia is a matter of grave concern for us. India has always supported dialogue and diplomacy for the settlement of all disputes. We will continue to work with all nations for the safety of all Indian nationals in the region,’’ he said. Modi said India’s position has been very clear on all ongoing tensions in the world. “We have always called for peace and stability,’’ he added.