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 | SILIGURI Iran targets Kuwait in retaliation against US strikes Missing voters Page 7 Why is there speculation? BCCI backs Rohit Sharma amid World Cup doubts Page 9 EDITORIAL India Post could rejuvenate rural India Page 12 WORLD Page 6 India, Belgium deepen ties in defence, energy, semiconductors Diamonds have long been a link between India and Belgium. Today, we are transforming this historic connection into a new and more comprehensive relationship. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 September I (Photo: Subrata Dutta) terrorism in all its forms. Welcoming Mr De Wever on his first visit to India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Belgian Prime Minister had a longstanding association with India from his years as Mayor of Antwerp, where he supported the large Indian community and the IndiaBelgium diamond trade. “The roots of India-Belgium relations run deep in history,” PM Modi said, recalling the courage and sacrifice of thousands of Indian soldiers in Belgium during the First World War. He said democratic values, market economies and strong people-to-people ties had made India and Belgium “natural partners”. PM Modi recalled his own visit to Belgium a decade ago and said the partnership had made “remarkable progress” since then. Rajasthan HC’s acting CJ submits response to CJI, refutes allegations STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NARENDRA MODI, PRIME MINISTER On defence cooperation, PM Modi said India and Belgium were working together on advanced defence equipment, including the Zorawar tank, and announced that the two countries had agreed to enhance military exchanges and training cooperation. Intelligence sharing and cooperation between the two countries' agencies to combat crime would also be strengthened. Defence Minister Former minister Satyendar Jain gets bail in DJB case STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Jaipur, 3 September New Delhi, 3 September Rajasthan High Court Acting Chief Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma (photo, left) has written to Chief Justice of India Surya Kant refuting the allegations of irregularities recently levelled by sitting Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta. “I have submitted my position to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) with proper evidence. The allegations by the honourable judge of the Supreme Court are false and baseless, I have refuted them,” the acting CJ said in a statement here Wednesday evening. Justice Sharma said that the allegations were meant to tarnish his image and spoil the opportunity for a possible elevation in his position. In his statement, Justice Sharma appealed to members of the bar and other quarters, including the media, to exercise restraint until the CJI decides on the allegations and his written response. “I have full faith in our judicial system,” he said, adding that he would appear before the media to duly clarify his position once the CJI gives him permission to speak to the media. Justice Sharma has been functioning as the acting Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court for nearly a year. Sitting Supreme Court judge Justice Sandeep Mehta has written three letters to the CJI last month levelling allegations against Justice Sharma, including of manipulation of case listings and misuse of administrative powers. Amid lawyers’ protests for Justice Sharma’s removal as Acting Chief Justice, the Supreme Court Collegium this week recommended Justice Sanjay K Agarwal’s appointment as Chief Justice of the Rajasthan High Court. After Justice Mehta’s communications to the CJI were reported by the media, the CJI released a statement revealing that the Collegium was examining the allegations and that Justice Sharma would be given an opportunity to respond before any conclusion was reached. A Delhi court on Thursday granted bail to Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi minister Satyendar Jain in a corruption case involving alleged irregularities in the tendering of sewage treatment plant (STP) projects of the Delhi Jal Board (DJB). Special Judge Digvinay Singh of the Rouse Avenue Courts directed Jain’s release on a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh and two sureties of the same amount. The court’s detailed order is awaited. Mr Jain was arrested by the Anti-Corruption Bureau (ACB) on 18 August along with four others in the case. He and three other accused were subsequently sent to 14 days’ judicial custody, while former DJB contractual consultant AnkitShrivastavawasremanded to two days of ACB custody. Page 2 Rajnath Singh and Belgian Defence and Foreign Trade Minister Theo Francken, who is part of the Belgian delegation, separately reviewed bilateral defence and industrial cooperation, with multiple MoUs and contracts signed aimed at combining Belgian technology with Indian skills and scale. Clean energy and critical minerals figured prominently in the discussions, while semiconductor cooperation was identified as another promising frontier. On economic coope ration, PM Modi said India had set up an Investment FastTrack Mechanism for Belgian companies and would make the India-Belgium Business Forum a regular mechanism. The two sides will also strengthen coordination among financial, fintech and regulatory institutions. “Through all these initiatives, we will realise our goal of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years,” he said. STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 September As a senior scientist and technocrat, he firmly believes that one of the most powerful opportunities before India presently is in creating a stronger connect between agriculture and energy security. Dr Gupta, while addressing the 6th International Climate Summit on Energy Security and Food Security, at New Delhi on Wednesday, stated that replacing LPG with ethanol should also be a priority. He said that the country has commercially proven technologies, operating plants, and an ecosystem that can support this transformation. He noted that corn is not just a food crop, but, can be an important substitute for crude oil, and feedstock for ethanol, bio-ethylene, sustainable aviation fuel, chemicals, thermoplastics, e-methanol, hydrogen, and other products. According to Dr Gupta, India’s achievement in advancing ethanol blending is incredible and represents crucial step in reducing dependence on imported petroleum. "As a Scientist and Technocrat, I certify apprehensions regarding the negative effects of ethanol blending are largely 'factually incorrect' and ill-founded," Dr Gupta said. Dr Gupta said that Bio-ethylene can offer economic advantages over petro-ethylene, and should BCI has no disciplinary jurisdiction over NALSAR law students: SC PARMOD KUMAR New Delhi, 3 September The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that the Bar Council of India (BCI) has no jurisdiction to take disciplinary action against students pursuing legal education, holding that such power rests with the university or educational institution in which they are enrolled and that the statutory body’s regulatory authority over an individual comes into play only after a law graduate enrols as an advocate. A bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V Mohana said the Advocates Act, 1961, under which the BCI has been constituted, conferred no express or implied power on it to initiate disciplinary proceedings against law students. Considering that the BCI had already withdrawn its circular against students of NALSAR’s 2026 batch, the court closed the matter, declaring its 13 August communication and subsequent modified communications to have been issued “without jurisdiction”. It also made absolute its earlier direction restraining the BCI from taking punitive action against NALSAR, its students or faculty, or any other national law university. The bench said that while the BCI could prescribe and enforce standards of legal education under the statutory framework and applicable regulations, disciplinary control over students remained with their respective university or educational institution. CJI Surya Kant observed that, as far as the conduct of law students was concerned, the BCI had neither jurisdiction nor statutory competence. Its role in regulating an individual as an advocate arose only after the student graduated and enrolled with the statutory body, he said, pointing out that none of the NALSAR students concerned had enrolled as advocates. Justice Bagchi drew a distinction between disciplinary control during legal education and scrutiny at the stage of enrolment as an advocate. He observed that even where a student’s conduct involved moral turpitude, it was for the university to decide whether the student should be permitted to continue pursuing legal education. Grateful to India for its commitment to ending war: Zelenskyy after meeting Jaishankar NIKHIL VYAS New Delhi, 3 September Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Thursday met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in Kyiv and said Ukraine is grateful to India for its commitment to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war, which has entered its fifth year. After meeting Mr Jaishankar, Mr Zelenskyy, in a post on X, said: “I met with India’s Minister of External Affairs @DrSJaishankar. We discussed important issues. We are grateful to India for its commitment to ending this unjust war - Russia’s war against Ukraine. This certainly must not be a time of war. Peace is needed. This is India’s clear position." “Today, while the Minister was here with us in Kyiv, Russia once again launched jet-powered ‘shaheds,’ which were developed not without Iran’s help. Thanks to our combat aviation, the delegation was safe, because it is Ukrainian fighter jets that shoot down most of these ‘We need an ecosystem in which energy & food security reinforce each other’ Dr J P Gupta (photo), Chair of the Environment and Climate Change Committee at PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) has called for a ‘Corn Revolution’ on a war-footing, saying the country can create an integrated ecosystem in which energy security, and food security reinforce each other. He said the ongoing conflict in West Asia has exposed serious vulnerabilities in energy security, adding that selfreliance in this domain has become a matter of national security. He also suggested ways to give a push to self-reliance in the energy domain. Friday, 04 September 2026 SPORTS PERSPECTIVE ndia and Belgium on Thursday moved to significantly broaden their bilateral partnership beyond their traditional diamond trade, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and visiting Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever agreeing to deepen cooperation in defence, clean energy, critical minerals, semiconductors, maritime affairs, technology and investment, while setting a target of doubling bilateral trade over the next five years. The two leaders held extensive bilateral talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi and witnessed the exchange of key memoranda of understanding and agreements. Both sides also backed dialogue and diplomacy for an early end to the conflicts in Ukraine and West Asia and reaffirmed their commitment to eliminating | be considered not just for carbon credits, but as an economically viable industrial opportunity. He strongly suggested through the forum that coal gasification projects should not be permitted to imported coal, adding that, Coal gasification technology suppliers should be required to carry out performance testing using Indian coal for a period of at least three months, so that it proves guaranteed performance. Dr Gupta said that the country has made notable progress in solar, hydro, wind, bioenergy, and green hydrogen, and now the renewable energy contributes nearly 20 per cent of the total power generation, registering year-on-year growth of over 30 per cent. drones. We hope that other major world powers will also take a clear stance that this war must end and that a reliable peace must be achieved," Mr Zelenskyy said in the post. The Ukrainian President said he and the visiting Indian minister also discussed the situation in the Black Sea. After meeting the Ukrainian President, Mr Jaishankar said: “Pleased to call on President Zelensky today. Apprised him of discussions with FM Andrii Sybiha on deepening our bilateral cooperation. Our conversation centered on approaches to end the ongoing conflict.” Earlier, Mr Jaishankar expressed India’s readiness to help “in any manner” to end the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. In his remarks after his meeting with Foreign Minister of Ukraine Andrii Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine, Mr Jaishankar said just two days ago in Bishkek, Prime Minister Narendra Modi declared that endless war must now give way to the end of war. “Every passing day of conflict only means more deaths and more destruction. Understandably, it is for the parties involved to find a way. But, if India can be of any help in any manner, we are ready, and this was the core of my discussion so far with Foreign Minister Sybiha,” the minister stated. “India has consistently maintained that this is not an era of war, and that solutions will not emerge from the battlefield,” he said. The EAM also drew attention to the vulnerabilities faced by commercial shipping and seafarers, pointing to the disproportionate impact on developing economies. “There were also some specific aspects of this conflict that came up in our discussion. Prominent among them were attacks on commercial shipping. Indian seafarers man ships of many flags and have been among the unfortunate casualties. The impact on shipping is also significantly affecting many nations of the Global South in a variety of ways, leading to fuel, fertiliser, and food shortages,” he added. Dipke’s CJP splits, ‘Democratic’ faction launched STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 3 September Political parties splitting is a part of democracy. On Thursday, satirical movement Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), too, witnessed a split after one of its leaders, Manish Brahmbhatt, expressing anger over the way the movement’s leadership team was constituted, announced the launch of the Cockroach Janata Party-Democratic (CJP-D). Mr Brahmbhatt accused the CJP leadership led by Abhijit Dipke of “selling out and politicising” the movement after its success and claimed that it had now turned into “Team Kejriwal”. saying that they would now demand accountability from the government. Several volunteers and protesters who had participated in the NEET-UG protests at Jantar Mantar joined the CJP-D. Mr Brahmbhatt, who accused the Dipke-led CJP of being a part of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), said they were launching the CJP-D because the CJP movement “belonged to the nation” and had succeeded because people had poured their blood and sweat into it”. HealsoaccusedtheCJPleadership of sidelining and neglecting the volunteers who had made the NEET protests a success in favour of a chosen few who had direct affiliations with the AAP. “After the movement’s success, not a single volunteer or protester was invited or consulted for their opinion. Nor were the people connected via social media or Instagram asked about the necessary criteria. Instead, theyformedtheteambyincluding eight people associated with the Aam Aadmi Party, along with a female friend and college friends. We wanted this to be a national team ~ one that included five people from every state, specifically selecting protesters and volunteers from those regions,” he said.