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 LC | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | Page 4 India’s unconquerable spirit Page 9 Centre chalking out roadmap for Bengal’s re-industrialisation New Delhi/Kolkata, 7 May W ith the Bharatiya Janata Party preparing to assume office in Kolkata after its stunning victory in West Bengal, New Delhi has quietly begun work on what could become the most ambitious economic restructuring exercise attempted in eastern India in recent times. According to officials familiar with the discussions, central ministries and the NITI Aayog have been asked to work on a long-term blueprint aimed at industrial and economic rejuvenation of West Bengal, a state that once served as the commercial nerve centre of the sub-continent but whose industrial prominence steadily eroded since the 1970s. Interestingly, Ashok Lahiri, Ashok Lahiri, the newly appointed Vice Chairman of Niti Aayog, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. FILE well-known economist and former finance ministry top official who was not fielded this time round in the Bengal Assembly elections despite winning last year by a convincing margin from Balurghat in 2021, is set to take charge at Friday, 08 May 2026 Niti Aayog. Officials said preliminary consultations on the contours of a possible “re-industrialisation roadmap” for Bengal, with emphasis on manufacturing revival, logistics, urban infrastructure, riverine trade, and employment generation, has already started. “There is a myth that people in Bengal run after jobs…but people forget that this is the land of entrepreneurs from Sir RN Mookerjee of Martin & Burn fame to Sir PC Roy of Bengal Chemicals to Ghanshyam Das Birla…we want to revive that. After all Kolkata is the natural hub for our Act East policy and trade with Southeast Asia and East Asia,” said Sishir Bajoria, leading Kolkatabased industrialist and senior BJP functionary. • Turn to Page 3 Paris Saint-Germain return to UCL final as Dembele goal stifles Bayern Munich Page 7 Vijay’s wait continues as Guv demands proof of majority Iran reviewing US proposal as Trump pressures for agreement on deal to end war JAYANTA ROY CHOWDHURY | SPORTS WORLD NATION SILIGURI Page 12 PERSPECTIVE SIT formed to probe killing of Suvendu’s aide; ‘personal loss’, he says STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 7 May A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the murder of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari’s close aide Chandranath Rath in Madhyamgram on Wednesday night. The SIT comprises officers from the state police as well as the CID. Mr Adhikari, meanwhile, said the killing was politically motivated, and Rath was targeted solely because of the latter’s association with him. “Chandranath had no history of crime. He was not directly associated with politics either. He has been killed only because he worked as an aide to me,” Mr Adhikari told reporters at Barasat Medical College and Hospital, where the post mortem was performed. He described the killing as a “personal loss” and demanded exemplary punishment for all those involved in the crime. State Director General of Police Siddh Nath Gupta confirmed that a four-wheeler suspected to have been used in the crime has been seized. According to the vehicle’s number plate, it was registered in Siliguri, though investigators suspect the number plate to be fake. Police have also recovered a motorcycle allegedly used in the murder from near the NSCB airport. Investigators suspect that apart from the four-wheeler, two motorcycles were used in the attack. • Related reports: Pgs 2, 3 Operation Sindoor a year after: Modi hails India’s armed forces STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE New Delhi, 7 May On the first anniversary of Operation Sindoor, the military action launched by India in response to the deadly terror attack in Pahalgam, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday led tributes to the armed forces, describing the operation as a defining moment in India’s fight against terrorism and a symbol of the country’s evolving military doctrine, technological strength and strategic resolve. The Opposition Congress, meanwhile, renewed demands for greater transparency and institutional review of the operation and its aftermath. In a series of posts on X marking one year of the operation, Mr Modi praised the armed forces for what he called their “unparalleled courage, precision and resolve” in responding to the terror strike that had triggered widespread outrage across the country. “They gave a fitting response to those who dared to attack innocent Indians at Pahalgam. The entire nation salutes our forces for their valour,” the Prime Minister said. Seeking to transform the anniversary into a nationwide expression of solidarity with the military, Mr Modi appealed to citizens to change their display pictures across social media platforms, including X, Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, using a commemorative image honouring the armed forces. “A year ago, during #OperationSindoor, our armed forces showcased their valour and gave a firm response to those who attacked our people. Every Indian is proud of our armed forces,” he wrote, adding: “As a mark of respect to our forces and their success during #OperationSindoor, let us all change our display pictures on social media.” The Prime Minister described Operation Sindoor as an assertion of India’s “firm response against terrorism and an unwavering commitment to safeguarding national security,” saying the mission highlighted the “professionalism, preparedness and coordinated strength” of the armed forces. Modi also used the anniversary to underscore the government’s emphasis on defence self-reliance under the “Aatmanirbhar Bharat” initiative, arguing that indigenous capabilities had strengthened India’s military preparedness and operational flexibility.