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 | Pakistan’s apology to Dhaka overdue BRIEFLY T’gana Speaker dismisses disqualification petition against turncoats: Susie Wiles, criticises Bondi and opines on Trump in Vanity Fair EDITORIAL PAGE Thousand faces of poverty Page 9 Page 7 Page 6 PM Modi in Ethiopia reaffirms India’s commitment to Africa STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE PM Modi arrives in Oman New Delhi, 17 December U Hyderabad: Ahead of the hearing in the Supreme Court, Telangana Assembly Speaker Gaddam Prasad Kumar, on Wednesday dismissed the disqualification petitions filed by BRS against five of the ten turncoat MLAs. While the ruling came as a huge relief to the five MLAs who had denied joining the Congress following the filing of disqualification petitions against them, the BRS slammed Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, for preaching Constitutional morality in Delhi and violating it in Telangana. Page 8 nderlining that India and Ethiopia are “natural partners’’ in regional peace, security and connectivity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday thanked the African nation for expressing solidarity with New Delhi in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in April. “Ethiopia sits at a crossroads of Africa. India stands at the heart of the Indian Ocean. Our commitment to mutual security became stronger with the signing of the Defence Cooperation Agreement earlier this year,” he said and appreciated the African country for affirming its commitment to “Zero Tolerance’’ towards terrorism when an all-party Indian parliamentary delegation visited the country following the Pahalgam attack. Addressing the Joint Session of the Ethiopian Parliament, he considered a special honour accorded to the Indian leader. The PM expressed India’s deep commitment to Africa’s development and reiterated his proposal to launch an “Africa Skills Multiplier Initiative” for training one million trainers in the continent. He noted that it was a privilege for him to be addressing the Parliament and through this temple of democracy speaking to the common people in Ethiopia ~ farmers, entrepreneurs, proud women and young people who are shaping the future of the country. He thanked the people and Government of Ethiopia for India summons B’desh envoy, conveys concern over security environment New Delhi, 17 December bestowing on him on Tuesday the highest award ~ Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia. Recalling the civilisational ties between India and Ethiopia, PM Modi underlined that both the countries combine ancient wisdom with modern ambition. He noted that India’s national song “Vande Mataram” and the Ethiopian national anthem both refer to their land as the mother. Alluding to the shared struggle of the two countries, he highlighted the contribution of Indian soldiers who fought alongside Ethiopians for their liberation in 1941. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Muscat, Oman on Wednesday evening for a two-day visit, the third and final leg of PM Modi’s three-nation visit. The PM is visiting the Gulf nation at the invitation of Sultan Haitham bin Tarik. During the visit, the two leaders are expected to hold bilateral discussions on strengthening the Strategic Partnership and expanding cooperation in commercial and economic sectors. In a post on X, Mr Modi said, “Landed in Muscat, Oman. This is a land of enduring friendship and deep historical connections with India. This visit offers an opportunity to explore new avenues of collaboration and add fresh momentum to our partnership.” IPL 2026 auction: Franchises go young as KKR lead big-spend strategy Page 12 Goyal: India-Oman FTA to unlock new opportunities across key sectors STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 17 December The India-Oman Free Trade Agreement, expected to be signed during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing visit to the Gulf nation, will open up significant opportunities across sectors, including textiles, food processing, automobiles, gems and jewellery, agrochemicals, renewable energy and auto components, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal said on Wednesday. Mr Goyal was addressing the India-Oman Business Forum in Muscat on Wednesday. Mr Goyal highlighted Oman's strategic location as a gateway to the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Eastern Europe, Central Asia and Africa, which offers enhanced market access for Indian businesses. Minister of Commerce, Industry and Investment Promotion of Oman, Qais Al Yousef in his address said that India has emerged as Oman's third-largest trading partner and Oman continues to be a key destination for Indian investments across strategic sectors. He stated that Indian investments in Oman have more than tripled since 2020, reaching USD 5 billion, spanning sectors such as green steel, green ammonia, aluminium manufacturing and logistics. He emphasised that these investments reflect India's confidence in Oman as a long-term operating base. Mr Goyal also highlighted the forthcoming Free Trade Agreement between the two countries as a defining milestone in the bilateral relationship and noted that it would be the first Free Trade Agreement Oman is entering into in nearly two decades. He recalled the centuries-old maritime links between the two countries, including historical trade exchanges through ports such as Lothal, underscoring the enduring nature of India-Oman ties. The minister said that the visit of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi to Oman coincides with the celebration of 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Mr Goyal also underlined the potential for collaboration in services such as professional services, accounting, business process re-engineering, research and development, tourism, healthcare and education. SC clears action against old BS-IV-noncompliant vehicles in Delhi-NCR Lok Sabha passes landmark nuclear energy reform bill STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 17 December statement after the meeting. The MEA noted that India has close and friendly relations with the people of Bangladesh rooted in the liberation struggle, and strengthened through various developmental and people-to-people initiatives. ‘’We are in favour of peace and stability in Bangladesh and have consistently called for free, fair, inclusive and credible elections, conducted in a peaceful atmosphere,’’ it added. New Delhi said it expects the interim government in Bangladesh to ensure the safety of Missions and Posts in Bangladesh in keeping with its diplomatic obligations. Amid deteriorating ties between the two nations, the summoning of the Bangladesh envoy came after a leader of Bangladesh’s National Citizen Party (NCP) threatened that Dhaka would shelter forces hostile to New Delhi and help sever India’s “seven sisters’’ (the North Eastern states) from the rest of the country. No breach of Aadhaar card holders’ data has occurred so far: Govt STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 17 December Till date, no breach of Aadhaar card holders’ data has occurred from the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) database, the government claimed in Parliament on Wednesday. In a written reply in the Lok Sabha, Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Shri Jitin Prasada said Aadhaar is the world’s largest biometric identity system with approximately 134 crores live Aadhaar holders. It has completed more than 16,000 crore authentication transactions. The UIDAI, he said, has comprehensive measures in place to protect the personal data of Aadhaar number holders. Thursday, 18 December 2025 PARMOD KUMAR STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE India on Wednesday summoned Bangladesh High Commissioner Riaz Hamidullah (photo) to the foreign office and conveyed its strong concerns over the deteriorating security environment in the neighbouring country, particularly the activities of some extremist elements who have announced plans to create a security situation around the Indian Mission in Dhaka. Senior Indian officials firmly told the Bangladesh envoy that New Delhi rejects the false narrative sought to be created by extremist elements regarding certain recent events in Bangladesh. ‘’It is unfortunate that the interim government has neither conducted a thorough investigation nor shared meaningful evidence with India regarding the incidents,’’the MEA said in a | SPORTS WORLD PERSPECTIVE BHUBANESWAR It has implemented multi-layered security infrastructure with a defence-in-depth concept to protect its database and continuously reviews/audits the same to protect its systems. It uses advanced encryption technologies for protecting data during transmission and storage. The UIDAI’s Information Security Management System is ISO 27001:2022-certified by STQC. UIDAI is also certified ISO/IEC 27701:2019 (Privacy Information Management System). Further, the UIDAI is declared as a protected system and hence the National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) continuously provides security advice to maintain its cyber security posture. Mr Prasada said an independent audit agency is engaged for the creation of the Governance, Risk, and Compliance and Performance (GRCP) framework for the Aadhaar ecosystem and oversight for adherence to the same. It continuously conducts cybersecurity audits of UIDAI applications including Static Application Security Testing (SAST) and Dynamic Application Security Testing (DAST). (Representational image) In a significant clarification amid the worsening air pollution crisis, the Supreme Court on Wednesday said that enforcement agencies are permitted to proceed against diesel vehicles over 10 years old and petrol vehicles over 15 years old in the Delhi-NCR if they do not comply with Bharat Stage-IV (BS-IV) emission standards. A Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice Vipul M. Pancholi modified its interim order passed on 12 August, which had earlier restrained authorities from taking coercive steps against vehicles solely on the basis of age restrictions. The clarification was issued after the Delhi Government approached the Court citing alarming air quality levels and sought permission to act against older vehicles contributing disproportionately to pollution. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, appearing for the Delhi Government, told the Bench that vehicles operating under BS-III and earlier emission norms were also a major source of harmful emissions. “Older vehicles have very poor emission standards and are adding significantly to pollution levels,” ASG Aishwarya Bhati said. Backing the submission, senior advocate Aparajita Singh, the court-appointed amicus curiae in the air pollution matter, pointed out that BS-IV norms came into force in 2010 and vehicles manufactured before that fell into lower emission categories. New Delhi, 17 December The Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved the Sustainable Harnessing and Advancement of Nuclear Energy for Transforming India Bill, 2025, signaling a transformative shift in India’s nuclear energy sector. The bill repeals the Atomic Energy Act of 1962 and the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Act of 2010, consolidating them into a comprehensive, modern legal framework to support India’s expanding energy needs and climate goals. The bill’s passage came amid a walkout by the INDIA bloc opposition. Introduced by Minister of State for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh, the bill marks a significant modernisation of India’s nuclear governance, reflecting the country’s drive towards nuclear self-sufficiency and a target of achieving 100 gigawatts of nuclear power capacity by 2047 as part of its broader 2070 decarbonisation objective. A pivotal aspect of the legislation is ending the decades-long state monopoly, opening the nuclear sector to private players such as Adani, Tata Group, Jindal, Reliance, Vedanta, and NTPC. These firms are already engaging with international nuclear companies from Europe, Russia, and the US, heralding increased domestic and foreign investment under a regulated regime. The Union Cabinet previously approved the Shanti Bill, enabling private entities to build, own, and operate nuclear power plants, ending exclusive control by the Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd. Private investors may hold up to 49 per cent equity in projects, with NPCIL maintaining strategic control. Foreign participation through joint ventures with Indian companies will also be permitted, subject to national security clearances. The legislation promotes innovation through public-private partnerships in Small Modular Reactors and indigenous Bharat Small Reactors, backed by a government commitment of ` 20,000 crore for R&D. Officials aim to commission at least five indigenous SMRs by 2033 to provide reliable power for energy-intensive sectors like steel, cement, and data centres. National Herald case ~ BJP in no mood to let go of charges against Sonia, Rahul Gandhi VIBHA SHARMA New Delhi, 17 December Dismissing assertions that the long-running National Herald case against Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi is over, the ruling BJP is not in any mood to let go of it. Sources, in fact, say that the Enforcement Directorate may soon get a stay on the court order and may not have to release the multi-crore National Herald property it had seized. A day after a Delhi court declined to take cognisance of the ED’s prosecution complaint in the case, the Congress leadership intensified its attack against the BJP-led Centre with party president Mallikarjun Kharge calling it a “slap on the faces” of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. “This case was the outcome of political vendetta. It was mounted to harass the Gandhi family. After this judgment, Modi and Shah should resign. This is a slap on their faces, truth has prevailed,” Mr Kharge told mediapersons. The ruling BJP returned fire, with party spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia calling the Gandhi family of being “the most corrupt family in politics.” Alleging that nearly Rs 2,000 crore were misappropriated in the National Herald case, he also dismissed Congress’ claims of “political vendetta.” Mr Bhatia accused Mr Kharge of “misleading the public by portraying the court’s decision as a clean chit,” arguing that the order was based on legal and technical grounds, not on the merits of the allegations.“If there is anyone in politics who is most corrupt, it is the Gandhi family,” he said adding that despite approaching courts multiple times, the Gandhis had not received any legal relief. According to the BJP leader, proceedings under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) could not continue without a registered FIR for the scheduled offence, but that did not stop other agencies from continuing their probe. Earlier, a Delhi court refused to take cognisance of the ED’s prosecution complaint in the National Herald case, stating that PMLA proceedings are not maintainable since the case was based on a private complaint filed by Swamy before a magistrate and not a FIR. It was what read as “relief” for the Gandhis, however, BJP IT cell in charge Amit Malviya called it a “misleading headline and assertion: as there was “no relief.”