The Ideas Page: Missing in NCERT row — how do you talk about justice, corruption to a 13-year-old? 11 SATURDAY, MARCH 28, 2026 JOURNALISM of COURAGE KOLKATA, LATE CITY, 32 PAGES ₹6.00 (₹12 in North East states, ₹20 in Andaman) l www.indianexpress.com DA I LY F R O M : A H M E DA B A D , C H A N D I GA R H , D E L H I , J A I P U R , KO L K ATA , L U C K N O W , M U M B A I , N AG P U R , PAT N A , P U N E , VA D O DA R A WAR’S fIRST fISCAL IMPACT RAMNATH GOENKA EXCELLENCE IN JOURNALISM AWARDS Debate, even dissent, should leadto Major relief for oil PSUs: decisions in national interest: V-P Centre reduces excise duty on petrol, diesel Economists peg annualised fiscal cost to Govt at Rs 1.5 lakh crore Sukalp Sharma New Delhi, March 27 Winners of the Ramnath Goenka Excellence in Journalism Awards for 2024 with Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, who was the chief guest, The Indian Express Group Chairman Viveck Goenka, Executive Director Anant Goenka, TVS Motors’ Senior V-P Prasad Krishnan and jury member Prof K G Suresh in New Delhi, Friday. RENUKA PURI LIST OF WINNERS, P2 Vice President presents awards to 25 winners in 18 categories across print, digital and broadcast Express News Service New Delhi, March 27 HIGHLIGHTING THE importance of dialogue in a democracy, Vice President C P Radhakrishnan said on Friday that “discussion, debate and even dissent”shouldeventuallylead to decisions taken in national interest. Delivering the keynote address, before presenting the RamnathGoenkaExcellencein Journalism Awards as Chief Guest, Radhakrishnan said, “It is through the rigorous exchanges of ideas, the questioning of assumptions, and the respectful accommodation of differing viewpoints that policies are refined and decisions gainlegitimacy.Ifirmlybelieve that discussion, debate and even dissent should ultimately Delhi L-G Taranjit Singh Sandhu at the event, Friday. RENUKA PURI lead to decision making in the interest of the nation, rather than disruption.” WithDelhiLieutenant-Governor Taranjit Singh Sandhu present on the dais, the Vice Presidentpresentedtheawards for outstanding contributions in journalism for 2024 to 25 winners in 18 categories from print, digital and broadcast platforms, including investigative reporting, politics and government, feature writing, books (non-fiction), sports and regional language journalism. In his speech, RadhakrishnanspokeofthelegacyofRamnathGoenka,recallingthepublishing of a blank editorial in The Indian Express during the Emergency. “These awards, in their 20th year of inception, honour the legacy of Shri Ramnath Goenka ji, which was defined by courage,” he said. Speaking about Prime MinisterNarendraModi’sNDAgovernment, Radhakrishnan said its biggest achievement has been bringing 25 crore people out of poverty, adding that developmentshouldbeinclusive. Citing the Prime Minister’s speechattheRamnathGoenka Memorial Lecture last year, when he said there was a need to shed the colonial hangover, the Vice President said this was still a challenge. Earlier, delivering the welcome address, Viveck Goenka, Chairman and Managing Director of The Indian Express Group, said: “The journalist of the next 20 years will need to be, simultaneously, more technically capable and more humanly irreplaceable than ever before. They have to meet readerswherevertheyare,inall »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Associate Partners inaugurate Phase I of Noida International Airport in Jewar. lTHE NEW IPL SEASON gets underway with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on Sunrisers Hyderabad. TRACK THESE AND MORE ON WWW.INDIANExPRESS.cOM THE BIg PICTURE Love, longing, loss in Bastar Page 14 missile systems from Russia, transport aircraft Express News Service New Delhi, Kolkata, March 27 THE ELECTION Commission on Friday sought a report from theWestBengalChiefElectoral Officer on Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s speech on Wednesday where she allegedly encouraged women to be on guard and use whatever they can, including household items, to ward off any attempted rigging, which EC sources said was a threat to the CRPF personnel deployed at polling stations. An EC source said the poll panel had sought a report as soon as possible from CEO Manoj Agarwal on the speech made by Banerjee at a public Amrita Nayak Dutta New Delhi, March 27 CM Mamata Banerjee meeting at Nandaprasad Girls’ HighSchoolGround,Naxalbari in Darjeeling. At the public meeting, Banerjee said: “Yesterday, I have seen at Bankura, Central forces carryingtheBJP’sflag.Thishas never happened.” She was referringtoaviralimageonsocial media of a CAPF personnel accompanying a BJP candidate, »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 The War DAY 28 lThe Centre increased the allocation of commercial LPG to 70%, with focus on industries such as steel, auto, textiles, chemicals, plastics lIsrael’sDefenceMinister warneditsattackonIran‘will escalateandexpand’ lIrantargetedKuwaitport beingbuiltunderChina’sBRI MORE REPORTS, PAGES 5, 13, 16 Happening EC seeks Bengal CEO’s Rs 2.38 lakh cr-defence today report on Mamata speech push: DAC clears 5 S-400 lPM NARENDRA MODI will WITH AN almost 50 per cent surge in global crude oil prices strainingthefinancesofoilmarketing companies’ (OMCs), the government Friday slashed the Special Additional Excise Duty (SAED) on petrol and diesel by Rs10perlitreeach.Themoveis aimed at keeping the retail pricesofthetwofuelsatexisting levels and giving respite to OMCswhich,despitetheglobal priceshock,refrainedfromhiking fuel prices so far and took a hit on their balance sheet. Additionally, the government has also imposed duties on exports of diesel and aviation turbine fuel (ATF) with the objective of ensuring adequate availability of these fuels in the domestic market. THE DEFENCE Acquisition Council (DAC) on Friday cleared a proposal to procure five additional S-400 long rangesurface-to-airmissilesystemsfromRussia,monthsafter the S-400s reportedly demonstrated their capability during Operation Sindoor. The DAC also cleared several other key acquisition proposals, including the procurement of medium transport aircraft and remotely piloted strike aircraft for the Indian Air Force, as well as armoured piercing tank ammunition and Dhanush gun systems for the Army, among others. The proposalsaretogetherworthabout Rs 2.38 lakh crore. The clearance for the S400s, which has been under discussion for the last several months, comes four months after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s visit to India in December last year. In 2018, India had signed a $5.43billiondealwithRussiato »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Outside a gas agency in Vashi, Navi Mumbai, Friday. NARENDRA VASKAR Must work together as Team India: PM to CMs on war impact Harikishan Sharma New Delhi, March 27 REVIEWING THE potential impact, and the preparedness, inlightoftheWestAsiaconflict, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday told Chief Ministers thataddressingthechallengeis a “shared responsibility” and urged them to work together as “Team India” to “successfully overcome the situation”. In a video conference with CMsandLieutenantGovernors of States and Union Territories —exceptthosegoingtopolls— Modi underlined that his government’s priorities were to maintain economic and trade stability, ensure energy security, safeguard the interests of citizens, and strengthen industry and supply chains. “Referring to the ongoing situation in West Asia, the PM said India has prior experience in dealing with similar global PM Narendra Modi during the virtual meeting, Friday. PTI Business as Usual By EP UNNY »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 TEHRAN WARNS Of RETALIATION Trump extends Hormuz deadline, Iran says nuclear facilities targeted Jon Gambrell & David Rising Dubai, March 27 IRAN’S NUCLEAR facilities cameunderattackFriday,state mediareported,justhoursafter Israel threatened to “escalate and expand” its campaign against Tehran. Iran quickly threatened to retaliate and Israel claimed responsibility for the attacks. A heavy-water plant and a yellowcake production plant were struck, IRNA reported. Yellowcake is a concentrated form of uranium after impurities are removed from the raw ore. Heavy water is used as a moderator in nuclear reactors. Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization said the Shahid A woman walks amid the rubble of a building destroyed by an Israeli strike in Tyre, Lebanon, Friday. REUTERS Khondab Heavy Water Complex in Arak and the Ardakan yellowcakeproductionplantin Yazd Province were targeted. The strikes did not cause any casualtiesandtherewasnorisk of contamination, the agency said. The Arak plant has not been operational since Israel »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 l PARIKRAMA ROUTE TO BE REDEVELOPED AT COST OF RS 300 CRORE UP eyes Sambhal as religious hub, plans to restore 87 teerth sthals, pilgrimage route Maulshree Seth Keycomponentsincludereviving 68 pilgrimage sites (teerths), 19 ancient wells (maTHE UTTAR PRADESH gov- hakups),andtheVanshgopal24 ernment is planning to add Kosi Parikrama Yatra. Sources another destination to its relig- saidthe52-kmpilgrimageroute ious tourism map, alongside will be redeveloped at a cost of Rs 300 crore — well-knownsiteslike PAGE 1 whichhasbeensancAyodhya and Varationed — with better nasi — Sambhal. roads and a separate Rooted in Hindu belief that Sambhal is the fu- walking path for devotees. Speaking to The Indian Exture birthplace of Kalki, the last avatar of Vishnu, sources said press, Sambhal District Magisthe plan aims to transform the trate Rajender Pensiya said, district into a pilgrimage desti- “The Parikrama is being renation while boosting year- vived after almost 50 years, as round tourism and local econ- it was halted after 1972. Parts of the 52-km route had been enomic activity. Lucknow, March 27 anchor croached upon, but the entire stretch was cleared in about 45 months. It will now be developed and widened under this project,withaseparate3-metre raisedfootpathforthoseundertaking the parikrama on foot.” “MostofSambhal’s87identified teerth sthals, including prominent sites such as Kalki, Bhuvaneshwari, Chandreshwar and Naimisaranya, will fall within the 24 Kosi Parikrama Marg,” he added. Sources said the revamp goes beyond a road project and is envisioned as a full-fledged religious corridor connecting key teerths across the district. l 52-kmparikramaroute l The pilgrimage begins and ends at Vanshgopal Teerth Bhavaneswar Teerth Amroha Road Vanshgopal temple Shemnath Teerth Railway Station chandreshwar Teerth Towards Bulandshahr Sources also said a ‘Vision Document’, that’s currently in its final stages, has proposed a lIt passes through key sites like Bhavaneshwar Teerth and Chamunda Devi Temple lCircuit links with key state highways Chandausi Road three-phase Sambhal project. Phase 1 will focus on spiritualrevivalthroughrestoration of the parikrama route, conservation of temples, ghats and kunds.Phase2willseeaninfrastructure push with development of roads, sanitation and parking, and pilgrim facilities. In the third phase, the government will build on the religious destination tag through restoration of 84-87 religious sites and a proposed Kalki Museum highlighting Sambhal’s association with Lord Kalki. On the anvil The parikrama route (see box), which attracts an estimatedannualfootfallof6-7lakh devotees across India, includes Kolkata 31.5 km of unpaved stretches and 20.5 km of paved sections. Sources said large stretches of the route, currently difficult to traverse, will be converted into an all-weather road network. A key feature of the plan is the standardisation of the corridor to a 7-metre-wide road and building a 3-metre raised footpath for pilgrims wanting to cover the route on foot. Sources said other componentsoftheparikramarouteinclude:Rs155croreforcivilworks, Rs130croreforlandacquisition of nearly 58 hectares, Rs 13.5 crore for utility shifting and forest-relatedworks,andnearlyRs 36 crore for developing public amenities for pilgrims. A larger vision Sources said the project is the first step in a wider transformation plan, with the government aiming to establish Sambhal as a distinct spiritual destination and linking it with established circuits of Mathura and Vrindavan. Tothisend,thegovernment has approved additional projects to bolster Sambhal’s religiousinfrastructure,includingRs 224.40lakhforamenities,beautification of the 141-year-old »CONTINUED ON PAGE 2