FOLLOW US: @TheStatesmanLtd @thestatesmanltd thestatesman1875 www.thestatesman.com People’s Parliament, Always in Session India’s National Newspaper since 1818 | Pages 20 | ` 5.00 | KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | MUMBAI | BHUBANESWAR | LUCKNOW | SILIGURI | Monday, 06 April 2026 Modi slams TMC over Malda ‘Protect EVMs’:Mamata warns incident, alleges ‘Jungle Raj’ against BJP’s ‘dirtiest tricks’ MANAS R. BANNERJEE Siliguri, 5 April P rime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday made a wide-ranging attack on the Trinamul Congress at an election rally in Cooch Behar, citing the recent Malda incident involving members of the judiciary to question the law-and-order situation in Bengal. Referring to the episode, the Prime Minister said that “two to three days ago in Malda, judges were gheraoed and assaulted,” and questioned the state administration. “What kind of government is this? What kind of system cannot ensure the protection of constitutional processes?” he asked. Mr Modi described the present dispensation as a “ruthless regime” and alleged a state of “jungle raj,” claiming that democracy is being “suppressed every day” in the state. He further accused the Trinamul Congress of showing disregard for constitutional institutions and undermining the rule of law. Raising once again the issue of infiltration, the Prime Minister alleged that the state government was reluctant to support efforts to identify illegal immigrants. He said that while the Centre had initiated steps to detect and deport illegal infiltrators, the situation in Bengal remained Another India-flagged tanker safely crosses the Strait of Hormuz AGENCIES New Delhi, 5 April An India-flagged vessel, Green Asha, has safely crossed the Strait of Hormuz, making it the ninth Indian tanker to transit the crucial maritime corridor since the onset of the ongoing West Asia conflict. According to reports, Green Asha is an LPG carrier. The transit follows a series of similar crossings by Indian vessels navigating the conflict-hit region under heightened surveillance. Prior to Green Asha’s journey, at least eight Indian vessels had already crossed the corridor. Among them were LPG carriers BW TYR and BW ELM, which transported around 94,000 tonnes of cargo through the conflict zone. In late March, four Indian-flagged LPG tankers, including Pine Gas and Jag Vasant, delivered more than 92,600 tonnes of LPG over a three-day period. Earlier, MT Shivalik and MT Nanda Devi had carried close to 92,700 tonnes of LPG to Gujarat’s Mundra and Kandla ports in mid-March. Other shipments included crude and refined fuels. “contrary.” “Across the world, countries identify and deport illegal entrants. But in West Bengal, the ruling party supports them,” he claimed, adding that such elements were being used as a “vote bank.” He further alleged that this was the reason the state opposed the SIR process and its proper implementation. Referring to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Mr Modi said that while the Centre aims to grant citizenship under the Act, the state government was opposing it. He also expressed concern over what he termed a “dangerous demographic change,” raising questions over the security of both the state and the country. “Hindus are finding it difficult to live peacefully in Bengal, and there is a conspiracy behind it,” he alleged. Without naming Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, he accused her of attempting to alter Bengal’s identity and culture, asserting that the people were “ready to respond” in the elections. "Those who have done this will be ousted," PM Modi added. The Prime Minister further alleged that the situation in the state had compelled even the Supreme Court of India to intervene in matters related to the electoral process, claiming that “the entire country is watching how the Trinamul Congress disrespects the rule of law.” STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE Kolkata, 5 April Trinamul Congress chairperson and state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Sunday Jammu, 5 April Jammu and Kashmir is losing its lifelines of water at an alarming pace, with nearly half of its lakes disappearing over the years in what experts describe as a looming ecological disaster. A report by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG), tabled in the Assembly by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, reveals that out of 697 lakes, 315 have vanished entirely while 203 have shrunk ~ together these account for a massive loss of 2,851 hectares of water area. Flagging the major environmental setback, the CAG has warned that iconic lakes are quietly fading away, leaving behind a growing environmental void. Significantly, the disappearance of lakes cuts across administrative jurisdictions. Of the 315 vanished lakes, 80 were under the Forest Department, while a She said that the Centre owed Bengal Rs 2 lakh crore in dues, yet continued to make false promises before elections. Miss Banerjee instructed party candidates to be extremely cautious while filing nominations:“Take a lawyer with you. Do not make mistakes, because the BJP may cancel nominations without assigning any reason. Trinamul workers must guard EVM storage sites round the clock, as the BJP is capable of playing the dirtiest tricks to win power.” Criticising the Centre for neglecting Murshidabad’s flood and erosion problems, she said that the lack of dredging at Farakka worsened flooding every year. She added that river erosion remained a major issue, with agricultural land being washed away, and mentioned that a research team was working on river-linking solutions. • Related report: Page 3 US rescues missing airman from deep inside Iranian territory Trump warns Iran to ‘open the F****n’ strait’ or face ‘hell’ Wreckage is shown at what Iran’s state TV claimed was the site of a downed American transport plane and two helicopters involved in a rescue operation. AGENCIES UNITED NEWS OF INDIA New Delhi, 5 April US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that in a ‘miraculous search and rescue operation’, the US had rescued and safely 'retrieved' from deep inside Iranian territory the second service member who was missing after Iranian forces shot down an F-15E jet. Washington (DC): US President Donald Trump on Sunday again issued a strong warning to Iran to reopen the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz as the conflict in West Asia escalates, threatening severe consequences if it fails to do so. In a post on Truth Social, Trump unusually used expletive-laden language to convey his message, reminding Tehran of his deadline to 'make a deal' or to 'open the Strait', declaring that Tuesday will be the day when Washington will strike all of Iran's energy and civil infrastructure. "Tuesday will be Power Plant Day, and Bridge Day, all wrapped up in one, in Iran. There will be nothing like it!!! Open the F****n' Strait, you crazy bastards, or you'll be living in Hell - JUST WATCH! Praise be to Allah," he stated. “WE GOT HIM! My fellow Americans. The pilot is now SAFE and SOUND. He sustained injuries, but he will be just fine,” Trump posted on Sunday 315 vanished lakes: CAG report flags alarming ecological loss in J&K SP SHARMA urged people to remain vigilant and protect Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), warning that the BJP could “go to any extent and play the nastiest game” on election day. She was addressing a public meeting at the Agricultural Directorate ground in Shamshergunj, Murshidabad, this afternoon. Miss Banerjee urged voters to support the Trinamul Congress to safeguard Bengal’s identity and future.“Vote for Ma Mati Manush to save yourself and your family. If the BJP comes to power, they will destroy our culture and tradition. They have insulted migrant workers from Murshidabad and Malda just for speaking Bengali. Their plan is to divide Bengal, impose NRC, and set up detention camps. I assure you, as long as we are in power, there will be no NRC and no detention camps in Bengal,” Miss Banerjee said. Without naming Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Miss Banerjee accused him of harassing lakhs of people under the SIR process and arbitrarily transferring officers. majority ~ 235 lakes ~ fell under the Revenue and Agriculture Departments, highlighting fragmented governance and lack of coordinated oversight. Presenting a grim picture, the CAG has said that in total, nearly three-fourths of J&K’s lakes ~ 518 in number ~ have either vanished or degraded. This large-scale decline is not natural but largely man-made. The audit identifies rapid land use changes ~ conversion of lake beds into agricultural land, urban expansion, and encroachments ~ as the primary drivers behind the disappearance. Satellite-based analysis of 63 lakes between 2014 and 2020 confirmed a steady reduction in open water areas, replaced by built-up zones, horticulture, and fallow land. Even iconic lakes such as Dal and Wular ~ once symbols of Kashmir’s natural heritage ~ are struggling due to poor implementation of conservation programmes. Issues such as untreated sewage discharge, malfunctioning sewage treatment plants, encroachments, and ineffective weed control continue to plague Dal Lake, preventing restoration of its open water area. Environmental damage is already visible. Key water bodies like Anchar Lake and Khushal Sar Lake are shrinking rapidly, with portions turning into land due to unchecked human activity. This ecological decline has led to the loss of biodiversity, disruption of aquatic ecosystems, and depletion of essential environmental services provided by these water bodies. Expansion of built-up areas, agricultural activities, horticulture, and encroachments have steadily eaten into lake territories. Ground verification and satellite mapping using Google Earth Pro further validated the findings. Seven lakes from the audit sample were found to have either dried up or become nearly invisible. The report also exposes systemic gaps in lake conservation efforts. Despite multiple departments ~ including Forest, Revenue, Agriculture, Housing & Urban Development, and Tourism ~ being involved, there is no centralised authority to ensure integrated lake management. In Dal Lake, issues such as malfunctioning sewage treatment plants, inadequate waste management, unchecked urbanisation, and failure to rehabilitate lake dwellers have hindered restoration efforts. Similarly, lack of monitoring bodies has impacted conservation work in Wular Lake. The audit links the loss of these natural water reservoirs to increased flood vulnerability, citing their crucial role as flood buffers ~ particularly during the devastating 2014 Jammu and Kashmir floods. morning on his social media platform. Iran had shot down a US F15 fighter jet on Friday. One service member was rescued while a hectic search was mounted by both the US and Iranian militaries for a second. An Iranian Army spokesman claimed on Sunday that they had ‘foiled’ a US attempt to rescue the downed pilot. A spokesman of the Khatam al-Anbia Central Headquarters of Iran also claimed that two Black Hawk helicopters and one C-130 military transport plane of the US were shot down in a coordinated operation by Iranian forces in Isfahan in Central Iran. However, a regional intelligence official briefed on the mission told news agencies that the US military blew up two transport planes because of a technical malfunction and brought in additional aircraft to complete the rescue. The rescue followed an intense search after Friday’s crash of the F-15E Strike Eagle, while Iran promised a reward for anyone who turned in an “enemy pilot.” Tr ump said that the service member was “seriously wounded and really brave” and rescued from “deep inside the mountains.” He said a second crew member was rescued in “broad daylight” within hours of the crash. The jet was the first known American aircraft to crash in Iranian territory since the US and Israel launched the war with strikes on Iran on 28 February. Iran also shot down another US warplane, a A-10 attack aircraft, the same day.