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BHAY PRAKAT KRIPALA...

500-YEAR-LONG WAIT
CONCLUDES IN 80 SECS
BISWAJEET BANERJEE
KAMLESH SRIVASTAVA
Ayodhya
In a historic and deeply
symbolic ceremony lasting
just 84 seconds, a 500-year
wait culminated in Ayod-
hya as the consecration of
Ram Lalla was successful-
ly completed.
The sacred ritual, held in
the grand Ram temple,
marks an extraordinary
moment for millions of
Hindus worldwide and res-
onates as a pivotal chapter
in Ayodhya's cultural and
religious history.
The chief priest of the
Ram Temple, Mahant
Satyendra Das, shared his
sentiments on this momen-
tous occasion, stating,
"The sacred figure now re-
sides in the sanctum sanc-
torum of the grand Ram
temple, marking a historic
and joyous occasion for
millions of Hindus across
the nation and globe."
Prime Minister Naren-
dra Modi, the chief host,
played a significant role in
the ceremony. Arriving at
the temple premises at-
SS chief Mohan Bhagwat said on Monday that "Ram
R Rajya" is coming and everyone in the country should
shun disputes and stay united
tired in a light-yellow dhoti
and kurta, PM Modi initi-
ated the ritual of Pran
Pratishtha at precisely
12:05 pm, a process that
continued for almost an
hour. As a deeply symbolic
act, the Prime Minister
also performed the Aarti,
spreading water, and re-
ceiving the tied Kalava
from Chief Priest Satyen-
dra Das.
In a tweet, Prime Minis-
ter Modi said, "The ex-
traordinary moment of the
consecration of Shri Ram
Lalla's life in Ayodhya
Dham is going to leave
everyone emotional. It is
my great pleasure to be a
part of this divine pro-
gramme. Jai Siya Ram!"
The ceremony was not just
a momentous event watched
on television but also wit-
nessed by those present in
the Janmabhoomi as an
army of helicopters show-
ered flower petals on the
newly constructed temple
during the Pran Pratishtha
and other rituals.
The idol, crafted by sculp-
tor Arun Yogiraj, radiates
the childlike tenderness of
a five-year-old. The meticu-
lously carved statue beau-
tifully captures the
essence of childhood, di-
vinity, and princely grace.
Prime Minister Modi's
deep spiritual engagement
during the 11-day rituals
leading up to Sri Ram Lal-
la's coronation showcased
his unwavering commit-
ment. Observing fasting,
sleeping on the floor, and
sustaining himself solely
with coconut water and
fruits, PM Modi embarked
on visits to 7 temples asso-
ciated with the Ramayana
across 4 states.
"The completion of Ram
Lalla's life consecration
marks a pivotal moment in
the cultural and religious
history of Ayodhya. The
temple has been built
where it should be," said
Chief Minister Yogi
Adityanath. CONTD. ON P8
SADHVI RITAMBARA
am is the faith of Ram Lalla won’t live
R India, Ram is the
foundation of India. Ram
is the idea of India, Ram
in a tent now: Modi
is the law of India...Ram FP DESK
Mumbai
is the prestige of India,
After performing the Pran
Ram is the glory of Pratishtha Ceremony in
India...Ram is the leader Ayodhya Prime Minister
Narendra Modi declared,
and Ram is the policy "After the patience that we
PM MODI showed for centuries and
the sacrifices we made, our
Lord Ram has finally ar-
rived. Many congratula-
tions to all the people of
the country for this auspi-
cious occasion… After cen-
turies of unprecedented
patience, countless sacri-
fices, renunciations and
penances, our Prabhu Ram
has come..." he said
He said Lord Ram will no
longer live in a tent but
will now reside in a mag-
nificent temple. I seek for-
giveness from Lord Ram,
there would have been
some shortcomings in our
penance that we could not
RAVI SHANKAR PRASAD
PMSPEAK
n This is a temple of
national consciousness in
the form of Ram.
n From Sagar to Saryu,
the same festive spirit of
Ram’s name is visible
everywhere.
n I have firm belief and
immense faith that the
devotees of Prabhu Ram
are completely absorbed in
this historic moment… This
moment is divine, this
moment is the holiest of all
n Ram is a solution, not a
dispute.
n January 22, 2024, is not
just a date, but the
beginning of a new era.
complete this work for so
long. That shortcoming
has been overcome. I am
confident Lord Ram would
forgive us," Modi said.
The PM said the temple
was built legally. He
thanked the Supreme
Court of India which
paved the way for the con-
struction of the temple by
delivering the verdict on
November 9, 2019. "The le-
gal battle over the exis-
tence of Lord Ram went on
for decades...Ram's exis-
tence was questioned...
CONTD. ON P8

CM, Chouhan worship at Zee-Sony

merger off
Ram Raja temple in Orchha AGENCIES
New Delhi

Zee Entertainment's (Zee)

NEWS BRIEF
Kohli not to play
first two Tests
MUMBAI: The Board of
Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) on Monday
announced that India's
batting talisman Virat Kohli
has withdrawn from the
first two Tests against
England due to personal
reasons. "Virat Kohli has
requested the Board of
Control for Cricket in India
(BCCI) to be withdrawn
from the first two Tests of
the upcoming Test series
against England, citing
personal reasons," BCCI
said in an official
statement.Kohli has spoken
to India captain Rohit
Sharma, team management
and the selectors about
"certain personal situations
that demand his presence
and undivided attention".
‘Delighted to arrive
on second Diwali’
NEW DELHI: United
Nations General Assembly
(UNGA) president Dennis
Francis on Monday said that
he is "delighted" to arrive in
India on the day the country
is celebrating its "second
Diwali" - referring to the Ram
temple's grand consecration
ceremony in Ayodhya.
"Namaste, Bharat! Delighted
to arrive in New Delhi on an
auspicious day when the
country is celebrating its
'Second Diwali'.
DPRO gets new
posting
BHOPAL: State government
transferred Director Public
Relations cum DIG Ashutosh
Pratap Singh as DIG Police
Headquarters (after taking
back his services from Public
Relations Department) on
Monday night.
‘THIS AUSPICIOUS
DAY ARRIVED AFTER
A 500-YR WAIT’
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Chief Minister Mohan Ya-
dav and former chief min-
ister Shivraj Singh
Chouhan on Monday joint-
ly worshipped Ram Raja in
Orchha to mark the Ram
Lalla consecration ceremo-
ny held in Ayodhya.
They said that to see this
auspicious day, people
have waited for 500 long
years. They also fondly re-
membered the Kar Sevaks’
contribution and their sac-
rifice.A big television
screen was installed at the
temple premises for live
OVER 150 BABIES delivered in Indore
hospitals on Ram idol consecration day
TARUN TIWARI
Indore
Over 150 babies were deliv-
ered in various govern-
ment and private hospitals
in Indore on Monday as the
country celebrated the
consecration of the idol of
Ram Lalla at the temple in
Ayodhya.
Interestingly, about 10-15
of them were born be-
tween 12 pm to 1 pm, the
auspicious period when
consecration of Ram Lalla
idol took place in Ayodhya.
According to the health
officials, over 90 deliveries
had taken place in govern-
ment hospitals while over
50-60 deliveries took place
streaming of Ram Lalla's
consecration ceremony
and both of them saw the
rituals performed by
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi at Ram Temple.
They also enjoyed the
bhajans sung by the local
artists. CM said that it is a
matter of great happiness
that Lord Ram is entering
his home.
The Ram Lalla consecra-
tion ceremony is installa-
tion of India’s soul. It is a
belief that during day time
Lord Ram stays in Orchha
and goes to Ayodhya at
night. Earlier, Shivraj
Singh Chouhan cleaned
the premises of Ram Raja
temple. He said that the
people are fortunate that
they were witness to Ram
Lalla's consecration cere-
mony. CONTD. ON P8
in private hospitals which
was slightly more than the
number of deliveries that
take place in the district
every day as many of the
pregnant had requested
the doctors to plan their
deliveries on Monday.
"As many as 49 deliveries
had taken place in our hos-
pital from 12 am to 8 pm on
Monday. As many as 31 in-
fants were born through
normal deliveries, while 18
were delivered by caesare-
an operation," superinten-
dent of MTH Hospital Dr
Sumitra Yadav told Free
Press.
She added that total 24
girls and 26 boys were born
while as many as four kids
proposed merger with
Sony after required regula-
tory and shareholder ap-
provals has been called off.
With the merger termi-
nated, Zee's valuation will
likely decline to 12x PE lev-
els (Aug-21) seen prior to
the merger announcement,
foreign brokerage CLSA
said in a report.
The stock had de-rated
A SIGN FROM THE LORD
Zee Entertainment
Enterprises Ltd (ZEEL) boss
Punit Goenka who is
among the high-profile
guests invited at the pran
prathistha ceremony, in a
post on X alluded to the
developments in his
company as "a sign from
the Lord".
in the past during the
promoter share pledging
crisis (in 2019) and fall in
business cash conver-
sion.
"We D/G Zee from BUY to
SELL on a revised TP of Rs
198 (was Rs 300) based on
12x 1yr fwd PE. Also, com-
petition should intensify
with the reported merger
of Reliance and Disney
Star," CLSA said.
were born between 12 pm
to 1 pm while one woman
delivered twin boys as
well. "All the infants are
normal and doing well,"
she added.
Similarly, the records of
Government PC Sethi Hos-
pital shows that 25 infants,
21 through normal deliver-
ies while four were born
through caesarean opera-
tion.
Lokesh, father of a baby
born on Monday told me-
dia, "I was in touch with
the doctors and medical
staff of the hospital to
have the baby delivered on
January 22, but was told it
had not completed its
term. CONTD. ON P8
INDORE CITY
CLEANEST CITY REVELS IN LORD RAM’S RETURN TO AYODHYA
Palasia Square illuminated by a vibrant burst of sky-shot crackers, creating a mesmerising canvas with an array of colours
EK AUR DIWALI
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co
Immersed in joy of wel-
coming Lord Ram back to
his birthplace in Ayodhya,
Indore was smeared in
hopeful shades of saffron,
echoed with Ram, Siya and
Hanuman Bhajans on
Monday. Not just Hindus,
but Christians and Mus-
lims also took the day off
from work to immerse in
colours of joy. Congratula-
tory messages from every-
one floated in texts,
posters, music and saffron
painted streets.
Almost every corner of
Indore ringed in the chants
of Rama as all temples or-
MAYOR
DISTRIBUTES
SWEETS
I
ndore Mayor
Pushyamitra
Bhargav witnessed
the historic moment of
Ram Lalla's enthrone-
ment in Ayodhya along
with regional residents
of Vidur Nagar Basti.
He distributed sweets
and celebrated with
children.
MAHA AARTI
AT IDA
PREMISES
M T
aha Aarti and
Sundar Kand
recital was
organised at the Indore
Development Authority
(IDA) premises on the
auspicious occasion of
the grand consecration
of Lord Ram at
Ayodhya temple.
Devotees filled
with emotions
any seniors joined
M the event. Most
devotees' eyes were
filled with tears of joy as
they saw Lord Ram return
to his home. ‘It’s not just a
day, not just a temple, it’s
our heart’s calling, it’s our
son, our God, our Ram
returning to his home after
hundreds of years,’ Gomati
Sharma, a senior lady,
attending the Pran
Prathistha ceremony at
Geeta Bhawan said.
Khajrana Ganesh Temple
priest Satpal Bhatt said,
‘Returning of Lord Ram
signifies the revival of an
era, where good shall
prevail and the law of
kindness is restored. It’s not
about a fight, it is about
finding our spiritual roots
again.’ Another devotee,
businessman Sunil Gidwani
said, ‘It’s the end of an era,
a truly better time ‘achhe
din’ has come, as Lord Ram
could finally return home!’
A replica of the grand
Ayodhya temple is made at
various places like Palasia
intersection, Sudama Nagar
and even outside many
stores.
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
PHOTO- PINTU NAMDEV Dazzlingly lit Lodhipura PIC ANAND SHIVRE
crackers and making ran-
goli and even Sunderkand
recital, devotion filled the
air with love and joy.
Streets and houses were
lit up with over 1 lakh
earthen lamps and lights
in Lodhipura Kali No 1 as
residents welcomed Lord
Ram to his birthplace. No
cars were allowed to pass
through the lane during
the day. People danced and
sang hymns. Extensive
fireworks were displayed
in the city, which was no
Devotees at Divya Shakti Peeth in Vijay Nagar less than grand Diwali cel-
ebrations. Indore skyline
PIC BY PINTU NAMDEV
glittered in fireworks
ganised Prabhat Pheris, i.e. thousands of people partic- surprise that everyone night. From installing which began early
processions where hymns ipated in processions wished each-other Happy huge screens in the city for eveninga and went on till
were sung. Hundreds to across the city. It was no Diwali and lit lamps at live streaming, to bursting late at night.
HERE IS A BIRD’S EYE-VIEW OF SOME FESTIVITIES
CLOTHES DISTRIBUTED AMONG TECH STUDENTS GO
POOR CHILDREN, ELDERLY ARTSY FOR LORD RAM
T S
here were several donation drives in the city. Many tudents of Sri Govindram Seksaria Institute of
communities reached out to donate toys in orphan- Technology (SGSITS) dwelled into art as they pre-
ages, gifts in slum areas, sweets at temples, etc. Al- pared a grand rangoli of Ayodhya Ram Temple. Stu-
Yeshwant Club organises procession
I
ndore’s Yeshwant Club organised a procession to mark the occasion of Ram Temple
consecration ceremony. The procession saw participation of renowned members of
the club, who joined in singing hymns.
most every community was seen celebrating the day with
donation drives.Sindhi community members under Jiye All business associations smeared in saffron
Sindhu Group distributed clothes to children and elderly
from under-privileged sections of the society on the occa-
sion of Ram Lalla's consecration event at Ayodhya. The
V ariety of trade and business associations across the city including Indore Iron
Traders association, Sarafa Bazar Sangh, Jail Road Association, Vijay Nagar Mar-
ket Association, Cloth Market Association and more, smeared saffron on streets and dec- dents of technology prepared the rangoli and attended a
distribution programme was held at Indore's Subhash orated their stores with orange flags. Most associations also organised a puja at the tem- ‘puja’ to welcome Lord Ram in front of college director Dr
Chowk and as many as 151 families were benefitted. ple in their area. Rakesh Saxena’s room.
GURUDWARAS & TEMPLES IMMERSE Art of Living takes out procession Seminar on ‘Leadership lesson from Lord Ram’
IN JOYFUL CELEBRATIONS
T
he Art of he entire nation was engrossed in the consecration ceremony of Ram
Living or- Temple at Ayodhya. The renowned motivational speaker Abhishek Pare-
A
huge screen was installed at Geeta Bhawan where ganisation ta from Tempest Training Solutions conducted a seminar on ‘Leadership
thousands of people gathered and watched Prime took out a pro- Lessons from Lord Rama’. He provided the learnings on Leadership skill from
Minister Narendra Modi performing rituals cession from Lord Rama, where people learnt the principles of leadership, how they can de-
through the live telecast from Ayodhya. Palasia at 7 am velop exceptional leadership in their personal and professional life.
on Monday to
celebrate Ram
temple consecra-
tion. They also
organised a spe-
cial satsang at
Rajwada and
Ram meditation
programme. The
satsang began
with a captivat-
ing presentation of Damayanti's Ram Stuti and a dance drama of a
short story on Ram's character. Several people along with Art of Liv-
ing members attended the programmes.
Khajrana Temple, Ranjeet Hanuman Temple, Chaupan AYODHYA
Dham, Jhulelal Temple among many others were lit up as
OF INDORE
School Chartered plane diverted
they held grand celebrations. Not only temples, all gurd- students
from Ayodhya to Indore
T
waras were also shining and glittering in twinkle light dé- he Ayodhya of Indore -
cor. The Christian community offered their best wishes Indore – 4 assembly
cheer and
and congratulated their Hindu counterparts. Bishop constituency was deco- celebrate OUR STAFF REPORTER
A
Chacko SVD offered greetings to Hindu community mem- rated in such a way for the con- ll govern- Indore
bers and expressed joy on the auspicious day. A special secration of Ram Temple, it re- ment and
puja was also organised at Iskcon temple. sembled the real Ayodhya. Saf- private Owing to the parking space shortage at
fron flags adorned the streets, schools also held Maharshi Valmiki International Air-
RAM TEMPLE CONSECRATION Lord Ram cutouts graced celebrations in their port of Ayodhya on Monday, a chartered
every corner and the air was school campus. aircraft was diverted to Devi Ahilyabai
BRINGS DIWALI TO CITY filled with the fragrance of Many students Holkar Airport.
iwali arrived in Indore on the day of Ram Temple flowers as garlands were hung came together and To participate in the consecration of
D consecration as the city was adorned with vibrant
lights. The air buzzed with sounds of crackers,
reminiscent of Diwali. It was truly a celebratory time as
at every doorway. As night de-
scended, the area was lit with
twinkling lights and diyas, cre-
prepared rangolis,
enjoyed laddoos
among other sweets
the Ram idol in Ayodhya, over 7,000
guests reached the city. However, a large
number of dignitaries reached Ayodhya
Indoreans readily immersed themselves in exuberant Diwali ating a mesmerising ambi- and joyfully wel- by chartered aircrafts.
revelry. Fireworks illuminated the night sky at every ence. The people made Sathiya comed Lord Ram. As there was a limited number of park-
conceivable corner, casting a breathtaking display of colours with diyas and Rangoli with Some schools also ing spaces available, two plans were de-
that echoed the vibrant spirit of the city. From the iconic colours on roads. The streets organised grand cel- vised. As per the first plan, the planes
Rajwada Palace to the serene banks of Kahn River and every were filled with diyas and LED ebrations that made were diverted to Lucknow, Prayagraj
street in between, Indore was alight with celebrations. screens were placed at every its place in the and Varanasi airports. In the second
Families, friends and neighbours came together to witness corner. Fireworks illuminated world records. All plan, the airports of Jabalpur, Indore
the historic day. The sky itself joined the festivities with an the night sky at every conceiv- school students and Bhopal were fixed.
array of fireworks, competing with the ones on the ground able corner.The residents of sang bhajans and Sources at the city airport said that
for sheer splendour. The indomitable spirit of Indore was the area parked their vehicles participated in pu- one aircraft was diverted to Indore from
palpable as people, regardless of age or background, in other localities to empty the jas organised in Ayodhya this morning. The plane went
revelled in the glory of the consecration of Ram Temple. roads for diyas. their schools. back to Ayodhya later in the evening.
Youth kills self after father’s rebuke
Indore: A 19-year-old youth committed suicide after drinking toilet cleaner at his place in Gandhi Nagar police station area on Mondayafter his
father scolded him for consuming liquor. He was taken to a hospital where he died during treatment. The deceased was identified as Raj Singh
Chauhan, a resident of Gomatgiri area. He worked in a shop. Raj’s brother-in-law Sher Singh said that Raj came home in an inebriated ondition and
his father scolded him for drinking liquor. He went inside and drank toilet cleaner. He was the youngest son of his parents. The police began a probe
into the case and conducted post-mortem of the deceased.
INDORE CITY
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

Record vehicle sales on Ram Temple consecration day

Two kids among 4 OUR STAFF REPORTER
Indore
first time that such a huge unit
sales has taken place in the auto-

rescued from fire

OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
A fire broke out in a shop
near Phooti Kothi Square
due to unknown reasons on
Monday morning. Four
members of a family in-
cluding two kids residing at
the house above the shop
were trapped inside. How-
ever, they were rescued by
the fire-brigade after an
hour of rescue operation.
No casualties were report-
ed.
According to fire brigade
personnel, the incident of
fire was reported in a shop
selling religious items in
front of Phooti Kothi. Shop
owner Sandeep Porwal said
his family of eight mem-
bers were sleeping on the
first floor, while the shop is
on the ground floor where
the fire broke out. The pas-
sage to the house goes
through the shop and he
was informed around 6am
that a fire broke out in his
shop. He woke up his fami-
ly members and sent them
outside.
The entire house was en-
gulfed with smoke. His
mother Manjula (60), wife
Amruta (38), daughter
Navya (9) and brother
Ashish (40) safely came out.
However, Sandeep (42), his
City records
three more
sister-in-law Renuka (33),
niece Renisha (5) and
nephew Jainish (3) were
trapped inside. Ashish was
trying to douse the fire. The
fire brigade came and res-
cued the trapped members
from the second floor with
a ladder. All were safely res-
Civil service aspirant
dies by hanging
cued and the fire was extin-
guished with 5k litres of
water after an hour's effort.
Sandeep said the presence
of rats in his shop could
have caused a short circuit,
leading to the fire. Items
worth lakhs of rupees were
gutted in the blaze.
Vehicles worth over Rs 100 crore
were sold in the city on the auspi-
cious day of consecration of Ram
Temple in Ayodhya.
During the inauguration of Ram
Lalla and Pran Pratishtha Mahot-
sav, more than 1700 vehicles worth
over Rs 100 crore were sold in In-
dore. Most of the customers pre-
ferred vehicle delivery post 12
noon according to Pran Pratishtha
Muhurta. Traders said that apart
from Diwali, Dussehra, Navratri
and Pushya Nakshatra, this is the
Housing Board plans re-densification
of LIG, Nehru Nagar, Old Palasia
Residents will get 20%
more built up area
along with free
registration and rent
OUR STAFF REPORTER
Indore
The Madhya Pradesh Housing and
Infrastructure Development Board
(MPHIDB) has planned to start re-
densification of LIG Colony, Nehru
Nagar, Old Palasia, Hukumchand
Mill, Holkar College and Industrial
Training Institute (ITI).
After the completion of the proj-
ects, the affected residents will get
back possession with 20% more
built up area along with free regis-
tration and rent.
A decision in this regard was tak-
en on Sunday in a meeting called by
collector Asheesh Singh, in which
IMC commissioner Harshika Singh
was also present. The collector also
instructed the IMC commissioner
to inspect Hukumchand Mill and
REPRESENTATIVE PIC
remove the encroachment.
According to commissioner of
Housing Board Chandramouli
Shukla, the mill land will be freed
from encroachment and cleaned
and master planning has also been
started. A grand project will be
brought on this land. Apart from
this, other projects are also being
started under the re-densification
scheme, in which not only the rede-
velopment project of LIG and
Nehru Nagar is proposed, but also
the construction at the land of ITI.
There has also been discussion re-
garding construction of E and D
category quarters in Radio Colony.
Later, the collector said that in-
structions have been given to re-
move encroachments.
On the other hand, Nehru Nagar
Colony was built by the Housing
Board 50 years ago, which was de-
clared dilapidated by the IMC in
2018 and is no longer worthy of re-
pair, due to which its redevelop-
ment is proposed. The residents
here will also be provided rent, free
registry and other facilities.
mobile sector.
According to information re-
ceived from the Association of Au-
tomobile Dealers Indore, around
500 cars and over 1200 two-wheelers
and other automobiles including
trucks and others were sold on
Monday during Ram Lalla Pran
Pratishtha Mahotsav. Their value is
over Rs 100 crore. Vishal Pamnani,
member of Association of Automo-
bile Dealers Indore said, ‘Vehicles
worth around Rs 100 crore have
been sold in the city which includes
vehicles of all types.’
Alert cops ensure peaceful
Ram consecration ceremony
MORE THAN 1K POLICE zones in the city. Most of the
PERSONNEL WERE forces was in and around Kha-
DEPLOYED, PATROLLED
jrana Ganesh Temple, Annapur-
na, Bada Ganpati, Bijasan Tem-
IN SENSITIVE AREAS ple, Pitra Parvat and other reli-
WITH DRONES gious places in the city. Police
claimed that the pujan and other
OUR STAFF REPORTER rituals were conducted peacefully.
city.indore@fpj.co.in Additional DCP (Zone-2) Amaren-
dra Singh said that around 500 po-
City police have been instructed lice personnel were deployed at
to be on alert mode to avoid any the temples including Khajrana
untoward incident on the auspi- Temple and sensitive areas of the
cious day of Lord Ram’s conse- zone. The TIs were instructed to
cration ceremony in Ayodhya. keep an eye on anti-social ele-
In an effort to ensure peaceful ments. However, the celebration
celebrations, security has been was held peacefully.
beefed up in the city and temples The police were also deployed at
of the area in all four zones of the checking points at different
police. places in various police stations.
Cops also patrolled the city in- The force was also deployed at
cluding sensitive areas using Khajrana Ganesh Temple till late
drones. night for the convenience of visi-
To ensure safety of people visit- tors for darshan.
ing city temples and to take action Additional DCP (Zone-3) Ram-
against anti-social elements, the sanehi Mishra said that police
police were deployed in every
part of the city. Over 1k police
personnel were deployed through-
out the day at temples and other
personnel were deployed in their places of the zone.

Covid cases
Indore: There is no respite
from the increasing num-
ber of the Covid-19 cases as
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in

A 24-year-old woman, who

three more persons tested
positive on Monday.
The new cases include
two men and a woman.
With this, the total number
of the positive cases since
December 13 touched 45.
The number of active
cases in the city has in-
creased to six as one of the
patients was also dis-
charged from home isola-
tion on Monday.
According to the health
officials, a 30-year-old man,
a resident of Laxmipuri
Colony, a 57-year-old man
of Vidya Nagar, and a 24-
year-old woman of Dharm-
raj Colony, tested positive
for Covid.
“None of them have any
travel history. Samples of
these patients have been
sent for genome sequenc-
ing to AIIMS, Bhopal, to
learn about the strain of
virus prevalent in the city,”
the health officials added.
As per health department
records, over 2,12,900 pa-
tients were found positive
in Indore and over 1,472
had died since the
outbreak of the disease.
was preparing for civil ex-
amination in the city,
committed suicide by
hanging at her place in
Bhanwarkuan police sta-
tion area Monday morn-
ing. It is believed she
hanged herself after
knowing about her moth-
er’s demise in the village.
The police are investigat-
ing the case.
According to the police,
the deceased was identi-
fied as Nikesh, daughter
of Pyarelal, a resident of
Morena and was staying
in a city hostel. After com-
pleting her graduation in
2019, she was preparing
Ujjain trader killed, daughter injured as SUV hits scooter
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
A trader was killed and
his daughter was criti-
cally injured after the
scooter they were riding
was allegedly hit by a
rashly driven SUV on
Super Corridor on Mon-
day.
for the sub-inspector rank
examination. Her brother
was also preparing for the
exam who called her in
the morning and said that
mother’s health was dete-
riorating.
They would have to go to
the village to take care of
mother. Nikesh got suspi-
cious since her brother
naratted the same story
after her father’s demise a
year ago. She called some-
one at the village and was
informed that her mother
had passed away on Sun-
day night.
Shocked by her mother’s
demise, she hanged her-
self around 7 am. The po-
lice initiated a probe into
the case and conducted
post-mortem.
The deceased was iden-
tified as Sunil Malviya,
53, a resident of Janki
Nagar in Ujjain.
According to Aero-
drome police, the acci-
dent happened when
Malviya was on his way
to his daughter Megha's
office. It was near TCS at
around 1.30 pm when the
Citizens get respite from shivering cold
OUR STAFF REPORTER
Indore
After a brief spell of chilly
weather conditions, citi-
zens experienced relief
from shivering cold as day
temperature increased by
two degrees Celsius on
Monday as compared to
temperature recorded on
Sunday. However, day and
night temperature re-
mained below normal
while night temperature
was normal.
Cold winds blew over the
city in the morning, but
later the sky became clear
with bright sunshine giv-
ing respite to residents
SUV hit the two-wheeler.
They were rushed to a
hospital, but the trader
could not be saved.
Their relative Gourav
Malviya told Free Press
that Megha was a soft-
ware engineer in an IT
company on Super Cor-
ridor.
Malviya is survived by
from a two-day spell of
sweeping cold winds. Resi-
dents enjoyed the pleasant
weather and there was a
rush on city roads in the
evening.
According to the meteor-
ological department, In-
dore recorded a maximum
temperature of 23.8 de-
grees Celsius on Monday
and a minimum of 9.6 de-
grees. Morning and
evening humidity was 70
per cent and 54 per cent re-
spectively.
‘Jet stream winds in the
order of 130-150 knots at
12.6 km above mean sea
level are prevailing over
the plains of North India.
his wife and three chil-
dren, including Megha.
Sources claimed that
the SUV first hit a mo-
torbike, injuring a man
after which it hit
Malviya’s scooter. The
police, however, said
that only Malviya’s
scooter was hit by the
four-wheeler.
It is leading to subsidence
of cold air and enhancing
cold wave/cold day condi-
tions over North India.
Similar intensity of jet
stream is likely to continue
during the next 3-4 days,’
Meteorological Depart-
ment officials said. They
added that a fresh western
disturbance is likely to af-
fect the Western Hi-
malayan Region from Jan-
uary 25 and another from
January 27.
‘No significant change in
minimum temperature is
likely over many parts of
Central India during the
next 24 hours,’ the weath-
ermen said.
Two women
raped on pretext
of marriage
Indore: Two women were
allegedly raped on pretext
of marriage in two differ-
ent cases in the city, police
said on Monday. In one
such incident, the accused
also blackmailed the vic-
tim by circulating her ob-
jectionable photos on so-

News in Brief Man booked Indore Development cial media platform.

The first one was report-
for harassing ed at Azad Nagar police

51 sewing machines provided to needy woman
Indore: A man was booked
on Sunday for allegedly ha-
rassing a woman. Accord-
ing to the police, the 30-year-
old woman lodged a com-
plaint against the accused
named Kamal for abusing
her when she driving
through Sirpur Lake on a
two-wheeler. He was alleged
to have abused her after be-
ing blocked her way. The
woman said the accused
held her hand, stating that
Indore: The intercity meeting on Vocational Service by he wanted to talk with her.
Rotary Club of Indore Uptown, Mandal 3040, ‘Hunar Scared, the woman some-
Baz’, was organised on Monday under the leadership of how managed to escape.
club president Dr Rotarian Upinder Dhar. Sewing Later, she narrated the inci-
machines were provided to 51 needy people. In the panel dent to her family members
discussion, Dhiran Dutta, Vineet Sahay and Ahsan and lodged a complaint
Ansari spoke about their projects. with the police. The woman
informed the police that the
Prosthodontics Day celebrated accused has been harassing
her for more than four
months. She was allegedly
stalked many times.
Plan to be finalised soon
Collector Asheesh
Singh holds
review meet
OUR STAFF REPORTER
Indore
The Indore Development
Plan-2021 will be finalised
after discussions with pub-
lic representatives. A meet-
ing will be held soon to dis-
cuss the development plan
with public representatives.
This was informed in the
review meeting of the ac-
tions being taken in connec-
tion with the preparation of
Indore Development Plan-
2021. The meeting was
presided over by collector
Asheesh Singh.
In the meeting, IMC Com-
missioner Harshika Singh,
Chief Executive Officer of
Indore Development Au-
thority (IDA) RP Ahirwar,
Joint Director Town and
Country Planning Dr Shub-
hashish Banerjee and offi-
cials of other related de-
partments were present. In
the meeting, collector Singh
took information about the
actions taken so far in rela-
tion to the preparation of
Indore Development Plan.
He asserted that it should
be finalised soon after dis-
cussion with public repre-
sentatives. He instructed to
speed up the work to com-
plete the development plan.
In order to prepare the de-
velopment plan soon, a
time-bound action plan
should be prepared and
steps should be taken to im-
plement it. The metropoli-
tan area should also be
made the basis of the devel-
opment plan.
station, where a 25-year-old
woman lodged a complaint
that she met the accused a
few days ago. She befriend-
ed him after which the ac-
cused promised her to
marry and went into a
physical relationship with-
out her consent. When she
asked him to marry her,
the accused refused.
In another incidetn, a man
was booked on the com-
plaint of a 30-year-old
woman in Bhanwarkuan
area. According to the po-
lice, the woman lodged a
complaint that she met the
accused who also went into
a physical relationship with-
out her consent. When she
opposed him, the accused
promised to marry her. Lat-
er, he refused the same and
showed some objectionable
photos of her and tried to
blackmail her to make phys-
ical relationship with her.

Educationists brainstorm on challenges in NEP implementation

OUR STAFF REPORTER
Indore
Educationists brainstormed
on challenges in implement-
ing the National Education
Policy (NEP) 2020 during a
central region meeting or-
Indore: National Prosthodontics Day celebration was ganised by Malwa Region
held at the Government College of Dentistry, Indore, chapter of Bharatiya Shik-
under the guidance of Dr Alka Gupta, prof and head of shan Mandal at Oriental Uni-
department of prosthodontics, Dr Sandhya Jain, prin- versity on Sunday.
cipal and CEO of the college on Monday. A poster com- The focal point of the dis-
petition for BDS students on the theme of 'changing life cussion was the shift from
through changing smile-A prosthodontic way ' was teacher-centric to student-
organised as part of the programme. Students partici- centric education, with BR
pated with great enthusiasm and contributed to spread Shankaranand, the national
awareness among the public for better treatment. secretary of the BSM, being
the main speaker.
He emphasised the impor-
tance of moving away from
rote memorisation to foster a
deeper understanding
among students. The meet-
ing also highlighted tackling
assessment challenges by fo-
cusing on improvement
rather than highlighting
weaknesses.
Chaired by Dr Bharat Sha-
ran Singh, Chairman of the
Private Universities Regula-
tory Commission, Bhopal,
the programme delved into
various hurdles encountered
in implementing the NEP-
2020. Special guests, includ-
ing Vineet Navathe, regional
co-ordinator of the National
Volunteer Organisation,
added insights. The event
witnessed speeches from fig-
ures such as Dr Vimal Shar-
ma, Dr Neelu Dubey, Dr Ra-
jshri Bhilware, Manoj Bajpai
and Dushyant Kunte.
While BSM regional secre-
tary Dr Laxmikant Tripathi
co-ordinated the pro-
gramme, BSM regional pres-
ident Dr Praveen Thakral
proposed a vote of thanks.
 Anil Junwal’s ‘Ram Vandana’ released
UJJAIN CITY INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
UJJAIN: A poetic composition ‘Ram Vandana’ centred on Lord Shri Ram was
released by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The composition is written by Anil
Junwal, a police officer posted in the IG office. Junwal has also composed poetry
earlier on contemporary topics.
UJJAIN WEATHER
MAXIMUM: 24.7°C, MINIMUM: 7.0°C
HUMIDITY
MORNING: 84 per cent, EVENING: 36 per cent
SUNRISE: 7.11 am , SUNSET: 6.08 pm

Mahakal city turns Rammay
FP NEWS SERVICE
UJJAIN
The darshan of Lord Ma-
hakal in the form of Shri
Ram, flower showers and
fireworks during Bhasm
Aarti were witnessed here
on Monday. The temple
complex echoed with the
praises of Mahakaleshwar
and Shri Ram.
The entire city has be-
come Rammay to celebrate
the consecration of Shri
Ram Temple in Ayodhya.
‘Jai Shri Ram’ echoed in all
the temples of the city. The
streets and intersections
were decorated attractively.
In the morning, at some
places processions were
taken out and at some
places lamps started glow-
ing. Prasad was made in
temples and dharamsha-
las. The idols of Gods in
temples were decorated
with garlands and flowers.
Flower bungalows were
built in many temples.
Replicas of Ram Temple
were prepared at many
Bhasm Aarti in the
morning. Maha Aarti
was performed in
Nandi Hall in the af-
ternoon. Halwa was
prepared a day be-
fore on Sunday and
was distributed as
Prasad on Monday.
Milind Vaidya of
The Mahakaleshwar Anna Kshetra said
Jyotirlingam was that six tonnes of hal-
decorated as Shri Ram wa was made by a
during Bhasm Aarti team of about 10 peo-
ple in 11 hours. It was
prepared in the Anna
Kshetra by a hi-tech ma-
chine.
In Bhasm Aarti, Lord
Mahakal was decorated in
the form of Shri Ram. Dur-
ing this, the idols of Lord
Shri Ram, Janaki and Lak-
shman were installed in
the sanctum sanctorum of
Mahakal and fireworks
were done.
A bird’s eye view of the During the Bhasm Aarti,
Mahakaleshwar Temple areas the doors of the temple
opened at 4 am. The priest
alongside Kshipra where
worshipped all the idols of
Diwali was celebrated on Gods installed in the sanc-
account of Pran Pratishtha of tum sanctorum and per-
Ram Lalla at Ayodhya
Commissioner
directs officials
to prepare for
Republic Day
FP NEWS SERVICE
UJJAIN
UMC commissioner
Ashish Pathak on Monday
directed the officials to pre-
pare for the Republic Day
well in advance. He was
holding a meeting with the
UMC officials here.
The UMC commissioner
said that on the occasion of
Republic Day, all the neces-
sary arrangements should
be made by the UMC for
the main function to be or-
ganised at the Dussehra
Maidan, the UMC head-
quarters, zone offices as
well as at various places in
the city.
Discussing the revenue, it
was directed that special
attention should be paid to
the sources of income,
such as market collection,
rent from shops, and prop-
erty tax.
BJP organises Maha
Aarti, Deepotsav
FP NEWS SERVICE
UJJAIN
Maha Aarti and Deepotsav
were organised by
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) here on Monday. Pro-
gramme in-charge Mukesh
Yadav said that under the
Pran Pratishtha pro-
gramme of Shri Ram Tem-
ple in Ayodhya, Maha Aar-
ti was organised at
Kanthal at 12 pm in Ujjain
and Deepotsav programme
was organised at Shaheed
Park at 7 pm. Aarti of Shri
Ram was performed by
lighting lamps and setting
off fireworks at Shaheed
Park.
On this occasion, MLA
Anil Jain Kaluhera, while
congratulating the resi-
dents of the city, said that
today the whole of India is
happy with the name of
Ram, every mind is happy,
because due to the leader-
ship and efforts of Prime
Minister Narendra Modi,
Ram Lalla’s life has been
established in the grand
Shri Ram temple. Pran
Pratishtha has taken place
and the wait of five cen-
turies for the people who
have faith in Sanatan in
the country and the world
has ended.
He said that not only has
Shri Ram Lalla been conse-
crated in Ayodhya, but this
ceremony has also become
an important milestone in
the re-establishment of In-
dia at the post of Vish-
waguru. For this “I con-
gratulate the country and
the citizens.”
On this occasion, city
president Vivek Joshi, Uj-
jain Municipal Corpora-
tion speaker Kalavati Ya-
dav, Jagdish Aggarwal,
Sanjay Aggarwal, Om
Jain, Roop Pamnani, and
workers were present.

New office-bearers elected

places. Every market was
decorated with lights and
saffron flags. From Ak-
hand Ramayan recitation
in temples, Sunderkand to
Shri Ram Katha was or-
ganised in the localities.
Processions were taken
out with bands, musical in-
NAT’L CYCLE POLO CHAMPIONSHIP CONCLUDES
struments, drums and
cymbals.
Mahakal Temple Man-
agement Committee ad-
ministrator Sandeep Soni
said that flowers were
showered during the
formed the Jalabhishek of
Lord Mahakal. Lord Ram
was also worshipped and
consecrated. Hari Om wa-
ter was offered by ringing FP NEWS SERVICE
the first bell. After Kapoor UJJAIN
Aarti, the Lord was deco-
rated by offering hemp, The elections to the
Maha Aarti was organised at the Mahakaleshwar Temple courtyard sandalwood and Tripund. Bharatpuri Registration
Association were held, in
which the president, sec-

RSS HONOURS KAR SEVAKS Celebrations at VHP, retary and other office-

Senior players honoured

bearers were

UJJAIN: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh

FP NEWS SERVICE
UJJAIN
The two-day national cycle
polo championship con-
cluded here on Monday. Af-
ter the end of the league
match on the second day,
the first semi-final match
in the junior category took
place between Uttar
Pradesh and Kerala, in
which Uttar Pradesh de-
feated Kerala by a margin
of 5-3 goals and secured a
place in the finals.
Similarly, in the sub-ju-
nior category, the first
semi-final was played be-
tween Chhattisgarh and
Kerala, in which the
Chhattisgarh team dis-
played a strong perform-
ance and defeated Kerala
by 14-01 goals in a one-
sided match.
During the competition,
senior players from Mad-
hya Pradesh in the 80s
were honoured by giving
mementos by chief guest
Mayor Mukesh Tatwal and
Ujjain development au-
thority chairman Shyam
Bansal.
Those honoured included
Sarvashree founder Ashok
Bapat Indore, Pradeep Ba-
pat, Vivek Vaidya, Ajay
Bhave, Pramod Pandey, KK
Sharma, Prakash Purohit,
Dhananjay Chinchalkar,
Sanjay Deshpande and
Pankaj Jain.
(RSS) along with Mata Gujri Basti honoured
Bajrang Dal offices unanimously elected here
on Monday.
Ravi Mittal was elected
the Kar Sevaks here on Monday. The Kar Se- FP NEWS SERVICE to the post of president
vaks used to perform daily bhajan, kirtan UJJAIN and Surendra Marmat was
and Prabhat Pheri in connection with the made the secretary. Mar-
consecration of Ram Lalla in Ayodhya. After 500 years of struggle, by the mat has held the same post
More than 10 Kar Sevaks at Vameshwar grace of Lord Shri Ram, a great festi- in the past also. Other of-
Udyan in Awantipura were honoured and val of joy for all the Sanatani people, fice-bearers are core com-
distributed a replica of the Ayodhya Ram the auspicious day of Shri Ram’s mittee chairman Sanjay The newly elected office-bearers of the Ujjain Property Registration
Temple. The Kar Sevaks included Vijay Ag- Pran Pratishtha Mahotsav, January Nahar, founder president Association FP PHOTO
garwal, Om Aggarwal, Dr Ghanshyam 22, 2024, was celebrated with joy and Kailash Bansal, founder
Sharma, Yogesh Kashyap, Bharatsingh happiness all over India. Sunderkand, treasurer Rajendra Jain which the president and registrar Pragya Sharma,
Thakur, Dr Kamlesh Farakiya along with Maha Aarti and Maha Prasadi were Palrecha, and treasurer secretary were welcomed Bar Association president
Kar Sevak Late Keshav Kashyap, Pradeep also organised on this great festival at Ashish Aggarwal. by the association. advocate Ashok Yadav,
Singh Bais, Narendra Singh Bais and Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Bajrang The oath-taking ceremo- District registrar Rit- and Prakash Choubey
Shankarlal Kumawat. Dal offices in Ujjain. ny was organised, in umbhara Dwivedi, deputy were present as guests.
Seven-day Shri Ram Katha concludes Fruit seller killed by miscreants
FP NEWS SERVICE Ram who gave up his king- your family gets spoiled, if FP NEWS SERVICE saw Bablu in front of the house.
UJJAIN dom for his brother. it gets spoiled with the so- UJJAIN Everyone together caught Bablu and
Similarly, Bharat left his ciety, then your relation- started attacking him with bricks and
A seven-day Shri Ram mother for his brother. ship with your brother A fruit seller living in Chhoti Mayapuri stones. When she tried to save her son,
Katha, organised under Even though Lakshman should not get spoiled be- was killed by more than five miscreants the miscreants beat her up and drove
the aegis of Shri Ram was not exiled, he also left cause if Ravana threw his hitting him with stones and bricks. When her away.
Bhakta Seva Samiti on the his mother and went with brother out of the house, the victim’s mother came to intervene, she According to Kaushalya, the reason for
occasion of Ram Lalla’s Ram. Nowadays there is no then what was his destruc- was also beaten. which they killed her son is not known.
consecration in Ayodhya, love between brothers and tion. Chimanganj police station has Three days back Rs 20,000 was given to
concluded here on Monday. there are fights over small The whole world may go registered a case of murder in the matter Bitta. While leaving, the miscreants
Maharaj Rasika Nandan, things. against you but never cre- and started searching for the miscreants. warned that the police could not do any
who came from Vrindavan Maharaj said that if your ate distance from your Bablu (30), son of Kishore Kachwah, used harm to them and that they would be re-
Shri Dham, said that Shri relationship with your brother. If you keep dis- to run a fruit stall at Dewasgate. His moth- leased after paying Rs 5 lakh each.
Ram Katha teaches how a children gets spoiled, if tance from your brother, it er Kaushalyabai said that she was cooking As informed by the neighbours, Chi-
brother should be. Shri your relationship with will lead to destruction. food at home at 9 pm when Golu, his father manganj police reached the spot and
Bitta, and others came home and asked took the body to the district hospital,
about Bablu. When she said that Bablu was registered a case and started searching
not at home, they started leaving but they for the miscreants.

MHOW/DEWAS NEWS
Mhow immersed in Ram devotion
FP NEWS SERVICE
Mhow
On the occasion of the con-
secration of the grand Shri
Ram temple in Ayodhya,
five-day programmes were
organised at the ancient
Shri Gopal temple of the
city. Ramayana was staged
for about one and a half
hours before the Pran
Pratishtha ceremony.
A grand Prabhat Pheri
was taken out under the
joint aegis of Maheshwari
Agarwal Marwari Pan-
chayat in which men and
women from all sections of
the society along with
young men and women
participated enthusiasti-
cally. Women and girls
were dancing and singing
bhajans.
Prabhat Pheri started
from Shri Gopal Temple,
passing through Sadhi
Street, Kotwali Chowk,
Main Street, Connaught
Road, Manak Chowk,
Chhota Bazaar, Moti
Chowk and ended at Shri
Gopal Temple. Prabhat
Pheri was welcomed at
many places.
Panch Mayank Agarwal
of Shri Gopal Temple said
that Prasad was distrib-
uted to the devotees
throughout the day on
Monday and at night the
temple was illuminated by
installing 5100 lamps in the
temple premises.
Traders and women wel-
comed Ram devotees by
making rangoli on the
road till late at night.
Gokulganj Kaila Mata
Samiti covered the entire
market area with saffron
flags and organized pro-
grams of bhajan and kir-
tan. The entire city was il-
luminated with saffron
flags and electric lights.

PANCHANG 23.1.2024
FREE HEALTH CAMP ORGANISED (UTTARAYAN)
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Moon : Mithuna - - - - - - - - - -

SAT MARS, MER, VEN

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FP NEWS SERVICE sulting physician Dr

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camp was organised by was honoured in the pro-

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 Two brothers killed after car hits them from behind
BHOPAL BHOPAL | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
Anuppur: Two owners of a medical shop, who were brothers, were killed in a road accident on Monday when they were returning
home after finishing their morning walk. They were running a medical shop on the national highway number 43, the police said.
The youths identified as Sushil and Sunil were the sons of Radhelal Sahu. A car coming at a high speed hit both of them from behind.
Both the brothers died on the spot and the police are searching for the car driver.

18 held for CURBING EXAM PAPER LEAK, SPREAD OF MISINFO Woman held
12 tigers move to new gambling, Rs 71k
recovered School edu dept, police with cannabis
worth Rs 65,000
grasslands of Kanha Bhopal: During a raid at
Ashoka Garden industrial
area carried out on Mon-
day, police arrested 18 peo-
to run special campaign
OUR STAFF REPORTER Three accused involved
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in

Fresh prey base

developed by
land areas. The tigers liv-
ing in Kanha, Kesli, Muk-
ki village have begun
ple who were involved in
gambling. A sum of Rs
71,000 was recovered from
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in

The school education

shifting cheetals
from high to low
density areas
RAJAN RAIKWAR
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
To ease the tiger pressure
on the main land of Kanha
Tiger Reserve, its officials
have developed a new prey
base by shifting cheetals
from high to low density
areas. This has started to
bear fruits as one dozen
tigers have made new
grasslands their prey base
and more are expected to
join them in future.
The new prey base area is
close to the tiger corridor
connecting Chhattisgarh
and Maharashtra. Kanha
Tiger Reserve has 46,000
cheetals. In last six years,
half a dozen villages in-
cluding Azanpur, Advar,
Jholar situated within re-
serve were relocated.
The areas of where the
villages once existed are
grasslands now. So far,
1,600 cheetals have been
shifted to the new grass-
moving to new grassland
areas. As tigers have
spread, the territorial
fights are likely to come
down.
Its other benefit is that
tigers moving to new
grasslands can spread to
other regions through
Chhattisgarh-Maharash-
tra corridor. The tigers of
other places may visit the
reserve, which will help in
better flow of genes.
When contacted, SK
Singh, Director of Kanha
Tiger Reserve, said
shifting of cheetals from
high density to low density
areas began few years
back. Kanha Tiger
Reserve has 111 adult
tigers and 37 cubs.
them. Ashoka Grden po-
lice station TI Jitendra
Kumar Pathak said police
surrounded the area close
to a printing press after
receiving information.
They found 18 people gam-
bling there. The police
seized cash and cards. Ac-
cording to Pathak, ac-
cused are Atil Ali, Nafees
Shakoor, Shadam Khan,
Mohammad Laik, Azeem
Khan, Pawan Singh,
Shaqeel, Mohammad
Iqbal, Guffar Jabbar, Laik
Ali, Sanabbar, Santosh
Mali, Faraz Jafar, Sageer
Khan, Tabrez Khan, San-
jay Ladke, Anees Khan
and Narmada Prasad
Singh. All of them are res-
idents of Bhopal.
department has sent let-
ter to police depart-
ment, demanding action
against all three ac-
cused involved in circu-
lating examination pa-
pers online and duping
Class 10 and 12 students.
The department stated
that it would coordinate
with police to prevent
misinfor mation circu-
lated on messaging ap-
plications.
Deputy police commis-
sioner (crime) Shrutkir-
ti Somwanshi said the
education department in
its letter mentioned that
it would run a special
campaign to inform
Class 10 and 12 students
studying in schools affil-
A wareness
programmes will be
held in schools in Bhopal
to inform students that
no such papers are
issued by Board before
exams. Board only
releases sample papers
for practice’
iated to MP Board of
School Education (MPB-
SE) to stay alert. Be-
sides, the department
has sought police help in
curbing such frauds.
The department has re-
quested police to keep
vigil on messaging appli-
cations such as What-
sApp, Telegram, as the
exam papers were circu-
lated on Telegram re-
cently.
in the scam circulated
exam papers by pasting
MPBSE logo on it.
When contacted, com-
missioner of department
of public instructions
Anubha Shrivastava said
exams for MPBSE Class
10 and 12 students would
begin on February 5.
“A month before exams,
miscreants generate fake
examination papers, cir-
culate them to Class 10
and 12 students online to
mislead them and earn
money.
Awareness pro-
grammes will be held in
schools in Bhopal to in-
form students that no
such papers are issued
by Board before exams.
Board only releases sam-
ple papers for practice,”
she added.
The city crime branch ar-
rested a woman on charges
of trafficking and selling
cannabis on Vidisha Road.
She was produced before
the court on Monday after
her arrest. The court is-
sued order to send her to
the jail. About 3.5 kilo-
grams of cannabis worth
Rs 65,000 was seized from
her.Additional DCP
(crime), Shailendra Singh
Chouhan told Free Press
that accused Rohini Van-
shkar (58), a resident of
Gautam Nagar, was into
drug trafficking for long.
On receiving tip-off on
Sunday late night, police
rushed to spot and
swooped down on the sus-
pect. When her bag was
checked, the officials found
3.5 kilograms of cannabis
worth Rs 65,000.

Chhatarpur
freezes at 2.1°C,
Ashoknagar at 2.5°C
10 districts
record below
5 deg/Cel
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Cold wave swept across
state on Monday. Datia
faced brunt of cold wave
while cold day like condi-
tion prevailed in Dhar,
Rewa, Nowgong, Tikam-
garh and Datia. Ten dis-
tricts like Chhatarpur,
Shajapur, Ashoknagar,
Datia, Shahdol, Gwalior,
Rewa, Khajuraho, Pach-
marhi and Sidhi recorded
minimum temperature
below 5 degrees Celsius.
Bhopal recorded day
temperature of 24.3 de-
grees Celsius after rise of
2.9 degrees while its mini-
mum temperature was 8.6
degrees Celsius. Indore
recorded day temperature
of 23.8 degrees Celsius af-
ter rise of 2 degrees. It
recorded night tempera-
ture of 9.6 degrees Cel-
sius.
According to meteoro-
logical department, cold
day like condition is
likely to prevail in dis-
tricts like Khandwa,
Gas relief dept signs Govt tells court case pending in SC Raj Bhavan to remain open for
MoU with AIIMS for public for 3 days from Jan 26
cancer victims
Bhopal: An MoU was signed between
HC adjourns 27% OBC Photo exhibition, van will be open for visi-
tors from 11 am to 2 pm.
Gas Relief and Rehabilitation Depart-
ment and AIIMS Bhopal on Monday for
free treatment of gas victims suffering
reservation hearing puppet shows,
quiz
Besides, a photo exhibi-
tion will be organised by
the Central Bureau of
NIGHT TEMP ON JAN 22
from cancer. In September 2021, Madhya
Pradesh High Court had asked AIIMS to
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Supreme Court and till then the
cases of OBC reservation
to be held Communication, Bhopal,
centred on Viksit Bharat
give free treatment to Bhopal gas tragedy should not be heard by High Sankalp Yatra and Mad-
Places Deg/Cel victims suffering from cancer. However, The principal bench of Madhya Court.
AIIMS did not provide treatment on the Pradesh High Court in Advocates Rameshwar Singh
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
hya Pradesh Freedom
Fighters.
Chhatarpur 2.1
ground that state government did not Jabalpur on Monday adjourned and Vinayak Prasad Shah who Cultural programmes
Ashoknagar 2.5 sign MoU for payment against treatment the hearing on 27% reservation appeared on behalf of OBC told The Raj Bhavan will be and puppet shows will
Shajapur 2.7 of cancer patients. Bhopal Group for In- to be granted to OBC as state court that Supreme Court has opened for the general also be performed by the
formation and Action’s Rachna Dhingra government submitted that the already cancelled the OBC public for three days on cultural troupe of the bu-
Datia 2.8 said, “Now, AIIMS Bhopal is expected to case is pending in Supreme reservation petitions, which
the occasion of Republic reau. Also, 3-D selfie
Shahdol 3.2 prepare a guideline through which gas Court. were transferred to it on July Day on January 26. booths of the country’s
victims suffering from cancer can get Additional Advocate General 15, 2019. Citizens will be able to achievements will be in-
Rajgarh 4.4 prompt treatment. Besides, BMHRC Ashish Bernard told High Therefore, it is High Court,
visit the Raj Bhavan from stalled at the exhibition
Gwalior 4.6 should set up cancer department because Court that hearing in the case which has to decide the OBC January 25 and 27 from 2 site. During this period, a
the cancer rate among gas victims is 10 would be held on February 23 in reservation petitions. pm to 7 pm. However, on quiz will also be organ-
Rewa 4.6
times more than affected population.” Republic Day, the Raj Bha- ised for the visitors.
Pachmarhi 4.8
Khajuraho 4.8
Sidhi
Satna
5.0
5.3
One dozen IAS officers transferred
Raisen 5.4 Sanjay Dubey is PS ditional charge) has been tribal affairs and SC welfare Tribal Dept (additional been posted as PS, Coopera- Protection, MD State Ware-
made Vice Chairman, Nar- department (Additional charge). Sanjay Dubey, Prin- tive Department, and PS housing Corporation (addi-
Umaria 5.6 Home, Roshan Kumar mada Valley Development charge) and agriculture cipal Secretary (PS), energy Women and Child Dept (addi- tional charge).
Tikamgarh 7.0 Singh is Director Authority (NVDA), Addi- production commissioner department and new and re- tional charge). Roshan Kumar Singh,
tional Chief Secretary, (additional charge) has newable energy department Amit Rathore, Adminis- Chief Executive Officer,
Guna 7.5 Public Relations NVDA, Managing Director, been appointed as agricul- and OSD cum Commissioner trative Member, Revenue Smart City Bhopal has been
OUR STAFF REPORTER Narmada Basin Project ture production commis- New and Renewable Energy Board Gwalior, has been posted as Director Public Re-
Dhar, Indore, Datia, Sidhi, city.bhopal@fpj.co.in Company Limited, Officer sioner and ACS tribal af- has been shifted as Principal posted as PS, Commercial lations. Guncha Sanovar,
Rewa, Mauganj, Satna, on Special Duty (OSD) cum fairs dept and ACS schedule Secretary Home, PS Energy Tax. Manish Singh, PS Wa- Deputy Secretary, has been
Jabalpur, Panna, In a late night development, Member (Rehabilitation) caste welfare department Department and New and ter Resources Dept has been appointed as Additional
Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh the State government trans- NVDA and ACS Water Re- (additional charge). Renewable Energy Dept and made PS, Finance. Commissioner Land Record
and Niwari in next 24 ferred 12 IAS officers on sources Department and Ajit Kesari,ACS, Finance OSD cum Commissioner Tarun Kumar Pithode, and Bandobast, Gwalior.
hours. Fog is likely to pre- Monday. Dr Rajesh Rajora, Transportation department has been shifted as Director, New and Renewable Energy MD, State Civil Supplies Sheela Dahima, additional
vails in Gwalior and Additional Chief Secretary, (additional charge). Tribal Caste Research and De- Dept (additional charge). Corporation, and Director, secretary, Board of Second-
Chambal divisions while Home and ACS Religious SN Mishra, Vice Chair- velopment Institution and Deepali Rastogi, Principal Civil Supplies and Con- ary Education has been post-
dense fog is likely to pre- Trust and endowment de- man, NVDA and ACS, ACS, Religious Trust and En- Secretary, Commercial Tax sumer Protection, MD State ed as Deputy Secretary. Prat-
vail in Rewa, Mauganj, partment, Director, Tribal NVDA , MD Narmada Basin dowment Dept and ACS, and PS, Women and Child Warehousing Corporation ap Narayan Yadav, Deputy
Chhatarpur, Tikamgarh Caste Research and Devel- Project Company Limited Backward Class and Minority Development Department, (additional charge) has Secretary, Cooperative Dept
and Niwari district. opment Department, ACS and OSD cum Member, (Re- Welfare Dept and ACS, No- and PS, Cooperative Depart- been made Director, Civil has been posted as MD, State
Transport Department (ad- habilitation) NVDA, ACS madic and Semi Nomadic ment (additional charge) has Supplies and Consumer Civil Supplies Corporation.

Ram Lalla’s idol consecration celebrated with enthusiasm
FP NEWS SERVICE of Lord Rama prevail).
Maihar Several functions were
held in the excellent
The consecration of Ram Women and Child Welfare
Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya was Society in excellence
celebrated with enthusi- school. The children of the
asm across the state on school took out a proces-
Monday. sion from Hanuman tem-
Processions were taken ple. A few scenes from the
out, and those who took Ramayana were presented
part in them chanted Jai and the children danced to
Shri Ram (let the victory the tune of Ramdhun.
MESSAGE OF PEACE GIVEN TO WORLD: MoS
DISTRICT NEWS
HC imposes
cost of Rs 10K
SCINDIA WATCHES LIVE TELECAST on 8 officials
Shivpuri: Union Minister Jyotiraditya
FP NEWS SERVICE
Anuppur
Scindia witnessed the live telecast of the con-
secration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya dur- A bench of the Jabalpur
ing his stay in Ayodhya. He also took part in a High Court consisting of
religious event held at a Hanuman temple Chief Justice Ravi Vijay Ku-
and in the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra. Ac- mar Malimath and Justice
cording to him, the people do not have to Vishal Mishra has imposed
queue up outside offices to get any work done. a cost of Rs 10,000 on eight
officers including the prin-
cipal secretary of the rev-
Temples decked up in Bhind enue department.
The court issued order on
Bhind: All the temples were decked up in Bhind and the Ramcharitmanas was recited. a petition in which it was
Hoardings and banners were put up everywhere in the city and processions taken out. said that Maheshwari
Flowers, saffron scarves and Builders was constructing
other items were sold. There Vivekanand Smart City in
was a time when the shops Anuppur. The builders, af-
were empty of such items. ter doing constructions on
Flowers and earthen lamps the government land, are
were also not available selling them to others.
because of high demand. According to the petition-
Those who did not get earthen er, when a complaint was
lamps bought candles. Every- made to higher authorities
one took part in processions about it, an inquiry was con-
taken out in different parts of ducted, but the administra-
the city. Bhandaras (communi- tion did not act against the
ty feast) were held and Prasad defaulters. After hearing
distributed among the devo- the case, the court issued a
tees. Legislator Narendra Singh Kushwaha distributed earthen lamps among the poor notice on February 23 last
urging them to light the lamps to celebrate the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayo- year seeking reply. The
dhya. A replica of the Ram temple in Ayodhya was on display at Gauri Sarowar. lawyer representing the gov-
ernment sought time to re-
Vehicle flagged off LAMPS LIT AT EVERY HOUSE IN BALAGHAT ply. But the bench said that
after the notice had been is-
Lines of poems uttered
by CMO misinterpreted
in media: Councillors
FP NEWS SERVICE
Narmadapuram
The reports published in
some newspapers on Janu-
ary 20 under the headline
“Kasa Tanj Bhukh Hai Toh
Sabr Kar Roti Nahi Toh
Kya Hua” have sparked a
controversy.
According to discussions
held with chief municipal
officer of Nagar Palika
Navneet Pandey, chairper-
son Neetu Mahendra Ya-
dav and councillors, it was
revealed that after the con-
clusion of a meeting of the
Palika on January 17, in-
formal discussions were
going on over tea and
breakfast.
At the gathering, all
councillors were in a light
mood and sharing jokes.
Against this backdrop,
Pandey recited two poems
composed by Dushyant
Kumar. The council wel-
comed these poems with
applause.
A line from one of the po-
ems was misinterpreted
and published in the news-
papers, creating
confusion.
The line, when interpret-
ed correctly, conveyed con-
cerns about the adminis-
tration’s inaction due to
insufficient funds and
raised some points.
The background of the
discussion was not consid-
ered and the reports mis-
interpreted those lines of
the poem.
In response, the council
members, including
Richa Jeetu Tiwari, Puja
Arpit Malviya, Rahul
Gaur, Mahima Rohit
Gaur, Chandramohan
Parihar, Simran Raikwar,
Naina Pramod Soni,
Anokhelal Rajoriya, and
others criticized the re-
ports published by the
newspapers. They clari-
fied that the poems, recit-
ed by the CMO during the
conclusion of the council
meeting, were entertain-
ing and appreciable.

to collect items sued, four weeks’ time was

used for puja
Ganj Basoda: A vehicle
was flagged off to
collect flowers and other
items used to offer
prayers in different tem-
ples in Ganj Basoda to
celebrate the consecra-
tion of Ram Lalla’s idol
Satna: The day was celebrated in different parts of Satna inAyodhya. Legislator
district. At a function, Minister of State for Urban Admin- Hari Singh Raghuwan-
istration and Housing Department Pratima Bagri said shi, chairperson of Na-
that the consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya con- gar Palika Shashi Anil
veyed a message of peace to the world. MP Ganesh Singh, Yadav and others were
who was also present on the occasion, said Lord Rama rep- present at the time flag-
resents Indian culture and traditions. ging off the vehicle.
granted twice to the admin-
istration to reply to the no-
tice. The bench asked the of-
ficials to deposit the money
within a week.
The cost has been imposed
on the principal secretary of
the revenue department,
commissioner of Shahdol,
collector of Anuppur, SDM of
Anuppur, the chief municipal
Balaghat: The people of Balaghat also celebrated the officer of Nagar Palika,
consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya. All the chairman of RERA,
temples and houses in the city and rural areas were Tehsilder and assistant direc-
decked up, and a replica of the Ram temple was put up tor of Town and Country
at Kali Putli Chowk. Lamps were also lit in all houses Planning. These officers have
and the idols of Lord Ram worshipped. the pay the cost of their own.
Bhupendra Singh to hold
meeting on Wednesday
Sagar: Former minister and in-charge of Sagar
divisional cluster of the Bharatiya Janata Party is going
to hold a meeting with the party workers to discuss the en-
suing LS election. According to sources, the BJP set up a
cluster consisting of four Lok Sabha seats – Sagar, Damoh,
Khajuraho and Tikamgarh. Bhupendra Singh has been
made in-charge of the cluster. Such meetings are being
held in each cluster after the party high command issued
instructions at a meeting in Delhi on January 16. Sources
further said that party workers and office-holders from
Sagar, Surkhi, Bina, Khurai, Nayrawali, Kurwai, Sironj,
and Shamshabad were told to take part in the meeting.
BHOPAL TURNS ‘RAM-MAYE’
Soaked in saffron hue, city wears Diwali look, lights up with earthen lamps, fireworks
Sunderkand, BJP chief joins Sarang takes out Ram Yatra
Hanuman in celebrations
S
ports and youth welfare minister Vishvas Sarang
Chalisa,
S
tate BJP presi- took out Ram Yatra in Narela Assembly constituen-
dent VD Shar- cy. He joined religious programme at Khedapati
bhandara mark ma joined Sun- Hanuman Mandir in Chhola. He recited Hanuman Chal-
Ram Lalla idol derkand recitation isa, Ram Bhajan on this occasion.
at Karuna Dham
consecration temple. He also
watched live tele-
OUR STAFF REPORTER cast of Pran-
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in Pratishtha pro-
gramme from Ayod-
As religious fervour swept hya. He joined Ak-
Bhopal, immersed in devo- hand Ramayan
tion, people thronged tem- recitation with 108
ples, organised 'shobha ya- visually impaired
tras' and bhandaras to cele- people at BJP office.
brate the consecration cere- Sharma recited
mony at the newly con- Hanuman Chalisa
structed Ram Mandir in Ay- and Ram-dhun at Eunuchs take out procession
odhya on Monday. Saffron Devotees during celebrations on the occasion of Ayodhya Ram Mandir Pran Pratishthan, in Bhopal on Monday BJP media centre.

S
flags carrying images of affron clad eunuchs in large number came out and
Lord Ram with bow and ar- joined religious programme at Peer Gate. They
row dotted streets with devo-
11 qt sweets took out procession and sang Ram Bhajan. They
tees singing 'Ram ayenge, distributed Nepali performed havan and recited Hanuman Chalisa.
mere ghar Ram ayenge' and community
A
bout 11 quintals of
other 'bhajans' in shobha ya- sweets were
tras .Priests performed puja lit 1100
distributed at
at decked-up temples res- Bhavani Mandir in Old City. earthen
onated with devotional BJP leader Alok Sharma lamps
distributed ladoos and
Chants of sweets after havan,

N
sunderkand paath, epali
'Jai Shri Ram, Hanuman Chalisa. Large
number of devotees
Samaj
celebrat-
Jai Siya Ram' attended programme at this
temple.
ed at Pashupati-
nath Nepali
rent the air Samaj Temple
in Govindpura.
Sunderkand
songs. In addition to spectac- and display of
ular fire work display in fireworks and
evening, recitation of Sun- lighting of 1,100
derkand paath, Hanuman lamps marked
Chalisa, sweets distribution, the occasion.
bhandara were held in tem- LEDs were in-
ples. The city wore a Diwali stalled to watch
look as earthen lamps were live telecast of
lit across the city. Pran Pratishtha
Houses across the state programme of
were decked up with flowers, Lord Ram.
saffron flags, lights and
diyas while people ex-
changed wishes on the occa-
sion. Religious processions Day sees sale of 700 vehicles

were taken out at various places to mark the
occasion. The road from Peer Gate to Bha-
vani Mandir was decked up with saffron
flags and banners. There was a huge gather-
P
eople purchased 225 cars and 500 two-wheelers on
Ex-home min holds the auspicious occasion. President of Federation
Sundarkand recitation of Automobile Dealers' Association, MP chapter,
Ashish Pandey said people wanted to purchase vehicles

F
ing of devotees who participated in ormer home minister and on Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram’s idol.
religious programmes. BJP leader Narottam
At 1100 Quarter Hanuman Mandir, there Mishra organised a grand
was huge rush of devotees. Prasad was dis- Sunderkand recitation at
tributed after Hanuman Chalisa and Sun- Hanuman Mandir, Char Imli.
derkand recitation. His family members joined the
Havan and bhandara was held in recitation. Before Sundekand
Hanuman Temple in court premises. Hanu- recitation, he took out Ram
man Chaliasa and Sunderkand were also or- Yatra on the occasion, which
ganised. Temples appeared lit with rows of large number of people joined.
earthen lamps.

CONGRESS LEADERS PARTICIPATE IN MAHA

India scripting new chapter: CM
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Chief Minister Mohan Ya-
dav on Monday said India
wrote a new script as peo-
Chalisa and Ram Raksha
Stotra. Talking about Ram
Lalla idol consecration cer-
emony in Ayodhya, he said,
“Our ancestors fought a
long battle for this. We are
pressed gratitude to PM
Narendra Modi for conse-
cration ceremony.
Akhand Ramayan Paath
ends at BJP office
AARTI, SUNDARKAND RECITATION
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Congress Congress state
president Jitu Patwari at-
tended a programme to cel-
ebrate the consecration cer-
emony of Ram Lalla in Ay-
odhya at Jharneshwar
Hanuman temple here. Pat-
wari participated in the
maha aarti and also recited
Sundarkand.
The PCC office has also been
decked up, but no official pro-
gramme was organised.
Deputy leader of opposi-
tion Hemant Katare,
former minister PC Shar-
ma, former MLA Kunal
Chaudhary, Congress
in the state.
"Today is the day of estab-
lishment of Lord Ram.
Lord Ram resides every-
where. During 14 years of
exile, Lord Ram led five fa-
mous vadh (killing) which
taught us about how to end
deceit, wickedness, greed,
laziness and ego,” the PCC
president said.
The party workers have
put up a hoarding outside
the PCC office, stating that
the ‘construction of Ram
Temple is a dream come
true for former prime min-
ister Rajiv Gandhi’.
Nath criticises
BJP for ‘politicising’
consecration
welcomed it through a video
message and congratulated the
countrymen for this much-
awaited event. The Temple of
Lord Ram is being constructed in
Ayodhya on the orders of the
Supreme Court. Since there is a
BJP government at the Centre
and the state (Uttar Pradesh), the
responsibility to follow the order
of the Supreme Court is on the
BJP government."
“The way the BJP has given a
political form to this programme
and tried to bring religion on to
the political platform is
unfortunate and sad. Lord Ram
has always been the centre of
faith for all of us and always will
be. Politics on this is to mess with
religious freedom and traditions,”
Nath said.
Hoping BJP won’t
give space to hatred

A
ple of all faiths contributed fortunate that we are able khand Ramayan Paath leader KK Mishra and oth- in Ram Rajya: Diggy

F
recited by 108 divyangjan ormer chief minister Kamal

to construction of Ram
temple in Ayodhya.
He was speaking after
participating in Ram Dhun
programme held at BJP
media centre here on Mon-
day. He recited Hanuman
to be witness it”.
He felicitated sanitary
workers on the occasion.
State BJP president VD
Sharma said a new era of
nation building began
from Ayodhya. He ex-
ended at Shiv temple at
BJP office here on Monday.
State BJP president VD Sharma
participated in the ceremony.
Later, Sharma reached
Karunadham Ashram to watch
live telecast of Ram Lalla idol’s
consecration ceremony.
ers were present on the oc-
casion.
Several leaders partici-
pated in the religious pro-
gramme organised by the
party workers at different
parts of the city as well as
Nath has criticised the BJP
for 'political approach' of Ram
Lalla's Pran Pratishtha ceremony in
Ayodhya on Monday. Nath shared
a video message on his social
media account X and wrote,
"When the construction of Ram
temple started in Ayodhya, I
F
ormer chief minister Digvijaya
Singh extended greetings on
the Pran Pratistha of ‘under
constructed’ temple. He hopes that,
now in the Ram Rajya, the BJP
government should not give place
to hatred and violence. All people
shall maintain their dignity and will
follow their Dharma, he said.

Cabinet ministers, BJP leaders MUSLIM COP CLEANS UP Newborns named Ram,
to go to Ayodhya together TEMPLE PREMISES Raghav & Siya
Bhopal: The state cabinet members to- Bhopal: New born babies ies were reported in
gether with the office-bearers of the BJP OUR STAFF REPORTER were named Ram, Raghav Hamidia and Sultania
will go to Ayodhya to see the temple where city.bhopal@fpj.co.in and Siya (Sita) in city hos- Hospital. Some of them
Ram Lalla’s idol was consecrated on Mon- pitals on Monday, the day have named their babies
day. The central leadership of the party A Muslim cop posted at the district court when idol of Ram Lalla after Lord Ram and God-
advised the chief ministers of the BJP- cleaned up temple premises. Shahjehan- was consecrated in Ayod- dess Sita.”
ruled states and other leaders against go- abad police station TI Umesh Pal Singh hya. Medical superintendent
ing to Ayodhya on the occasion of idol Chouhan said Iqbal Khan (43), an assis- Four deliveries were re- of Katju Hospital colonel
consecration. The BJP plans to arrange tant sub inspector of police, posted at ported in JP Hospital, six PK Singh said, “Six babies
for a trip of the leaders of the BJP-ruled district court, reached Hanuman temple in Katju Hospital and 24 were born on Monday and
states to Ayodhya. Chief Minister Mohan located in district court premises on were registered in four of them are cesarean.
Yadav with other important leaders will Monday at 8 am where he mopped the Hamidia and Sultania Their parents named them
together go to Ayodhya. The trip may be floor and cleaned the temple. After this, Hospitals. Ram and Siya.”
organised next month. According to a he with other cops performed puja. JP Hospital civil surgeon Dr Manisha Jain of a pri-
senior leader of the party, all the impor- TI Chouhan added that this was not the Dr Rakesh Shrivastava vate nursing home said, “A
tant leaders of Madhya Pradesh will have first time that Khan performed aarti and said, “Two girls were born. couple has named their
a Darshan of Ram Lalla together. The trip cleaned the temple but had been doing it They have been named newborn Raghav. It was ce-
is made in a way that the cabinet members for many years. Chouhan said Zone-3 Siya.” Gandhi Medical sarean. They had fixed day
together with party leaders may go to Ay- DCP Riyaz Iqbal performs aarti during College dean Dr Salil the delivery day on Pran-
odhya, the senior leader said. Navratri. Bhargav said, “24 deliver- Pratishtha of Ram Lalla.”
 Sunidhi Mehta to visit Ayodhya
UJJAIN: Sunidhi Mehta, the runner-up in the Anand Ke Dham Jai Shri Ram state-level competition
organised under the auspices of the state government’s culture department in association with school
education department and Tulsi Manas Pratisthan Bhopal, received an auspicious opportunity to visit
Ayodhya Dham. She is a talented student of Ujjain city and the daughter of Dr Naveen Mehta.
MADHYA PRADESH INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

Mhow court becomes first

One dozen IAS officers transferred in state
Sanjay Dubey is PS ditional charge) has been
made Vice Chairman, Nar-
Home, Roshan Kumar mada Valley Development
Singh is Director Authority (NVDA), Addi-
Public Relations tional Chief Secretary,
NVDA, Managing Director,
OUR STAFF REPORTER Narmada Basin Project
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in Company Limited, Officer
on Special Duty (OSD) cum
In a late night development, Member (Rehabilitation)
the State government trans- NVDA and ACS Water Re-
ferred 12 IAS officers on sources Department and
Monday. Dr Rajesh Rajora, Transportation department
Additional Chief Secretary, (additional charge).
Home and ACS Religious SN Mishra, Vice Chair-
Trust and endowment de- man, NVDA and ACS,
partment, Director, Tribal NVDA , MD Narmada Basin
Caste Research and Devel- Project Company Limited
opment Department, ACS and OSD cum Member, (Re-
Transport Department (ad- habilitation) NVDA, ACS
tribal affairs and SC welfare
department (Additional
charge) and agriculture
production commissioner
(additional charge) has
been appointed as agricul-
ture production commis-
sioner and ACS tribal af-
fairs dept and ACS schedule
caste welfare department
(additional charge).
Ajit Kesari,ACS, Finance
has been shifted as Director,
Tribal Caste Research and De-
velopment Institution and
ACS, Religious Trust and En-
dowment Dept and ACS,
Backward Class and Minority
Welfare Dept and ACS, No-
madic and Semi Nomadic
Tribal Dept (additional
charge). Sanjay Dubey, Prin-
cipal Secretary (PS), energy
department and new and re-
newable energy department
and OSD cum Commissioner
New and Renewable Energy
has been shifted as Principal
Secretary Home, PS Energy
Department and New and
Renewable Energy Dept and
OSD cum Commissioner
New and Renewable Energy
Dept (additional charge).
Deepali Rastogi, Principal
Secretary, Commercial Tax
and PS, Women and Child
Development Department,
and PS, Cooperative Depart-
ment (additional charge) has
been posted as PS, Coopera-
tive Department, and PS
Women and Child Dept (addi-
tional charge).
Amit Rathore, Adminis-
trative Member, Revenue
Board Gwalior, has been
posted as PS, Commercial
Tax. Manish Singh, PS Wa-
ter Resources Dept has been
made PS, Finance.
Tarun Kumar Pithode,
MD, State Civil Supplies
Corporation, and Director,
Civil Supplies and Con-
sumer Protection, MD State
Warehousing Corporation
(additional charge) has
been made Director, Civil
Supplies and Consumer
court complex with PM Wani
Protection, MD State Ware-
housing Corporation (addi-
tional charge).
Roshan Kumar Singh,
Chief Executive Officer,
Smart City Bhopal has been
posted as Director Public Re-
lations. Guncha Sanovar,
Deputy Secretary, has been
appointed as Additional
Commissioner Land Record
and Bandobast, Gwalior.
Sheela Dahima, additional
secretary, Board of Second-
ary Education has been post- FP NEWS SERVICE and other judges along
ed as Deputy Secretary. Prat- Mhow with the president and sec-
ap Narayan Yadav, Deputy retary of the advocates as-
Secretary, Cooperative Dept The government of India sociation Mhow, Bharat
has been posted as MD, State has announced a new ini- Singh Thakur, and other
Civil Supplies Corporation. tiative in which efforts are advocates were also pres-
being made to keep people ent.
safe by linking PM Wani Equipping with PM

India scripting new chapter: CM Villagers celebrate Pran Yojana with courts. The Wani, Mhow court became
main objective is to pro- the first court complex
mote security along with with the scheme in the

fortunate that we are able

Pratishtha Mahotsav court services so that vari-
ous administrative func-
tions related to the judici-
to be witness it”. ary can be improved.
He felicitated sanitary PM Vani Scheme was
workers on the occasion. launched on Mhow court
State BJP president VD premises recently. Indore
Sharma said a new era of district court judge BP
nation building began Sharma inaugurated the
from Ayodhya. He ex- scheme. MN Rahman, di-
pressed gratitude to PM rector, ministry of commu-
Narendra Modi for conse- nications, government of
cration ceremony. India and Mhow court dis-
Akhand Ramayan Paath trict judge Shashi Singh
ends at BJP office
country. Under this
scheme, advocates and par-
ties can use internet serv-
ices at very affordable
rates. To use this scheme
the first step is to register
through an easy process.
Plans ranging from Rs 2 to
Rs 150 are available in it.
Rahman said that the ob-
jective of this service is to
provide WiFi facilities to
the public at affordable
rates in public offices.

OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Chief Minister Mohan Ya-
dav on Monday said India
wrote a new script as peo-
ple of all faiths
Street vendor
mahotsav
celebrated
UJJAIN: A Street Vendor
Mahotsav was celebrated with
street vendors by the National
Association of Street Vendors
of India (NASVI) at Tower
Chowpatty. Street vendors
from Tower Chowpatty,
Railway Station Road,
Swimming Pool Chowpatty,
Charak Bhawan Chowpatty,
and Treasure Bazaar Ganpati
Yaron participated in this
programme. Nasvi Ajit Kumar
and Pradeep Tiwari, who
came from Delhi, honoured
the street vendors of Ujjain
with garlands.
contributed to construc-
tion of Ram temple in Ayo-
dhya.
He was speaking after
participating in Ram Dhun
programme held at BJP
media centre here on Mon-
Ujjain chapter of women’s medical
assn to be inaugurated today
FP NEWS SERVICE
UJJAIN
Ujjain chapter of the Asso-
ciation of Medical Women
of India (AMWI) will be in-
augurated on January 23 at
2 pm at Avanti Hospital,
Nanakheda. Programme
coordinator Dr Kalpana
Mahadik and co-coordina-
tor Dr Richa Sharma said
that the Ujjain chapter of
the organisation will be in-
augurated by Padma Shri
Dr Leela Joshi. In this
event, there will be many
important discussions,
day. He recited Hanuman
Chalisa and Ram Raksha
Stotra. Talking about Ram
Lalla idol consecration cer-
emony in Ayodhya, he said,
“Our ancestors fought a
long battle for this. We are
presentations and experts
will speak on various med-
ical topics and provide
guidance to improve
women’s health.
Dr Mahadik and Dr Shar-
ma said that the AMWI is
an organisation matching
the progressive thinking of
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, which was formed in
the year 1907 to contribute
to the medical world of
women doctors and to ac-
celerate their efforts. The
members of this 125-year-
old organisation are work-
ing in collaboration with
A
khand Ramayan Paath
recited by 108 divyangjan
ended at Shiv temple at
BJP office here on Monday.
State BJP president VD Sharma
participated in the ceremony.
Later, Sharma reached
Karunadham Ashram to watch
live telecast of Ram Lalla idol’s
consecration ceremony.
other NGOs like Roko Can-
cer, BUDS, Sakshi, and
Project Rescue to provide
various facilities to the
lower socio-economic
groups of the population.
AMWI in collaboration
with other organisations,
NGOs, public bodies, and
government bodies, is
deeply rooted in promot-
ing education and health
care of the community,
especially in the field of
public health, including
awareness of the preven-
tion of infectious dis-
eases.
178 YEARS OF PARSI AGYARI GHAR CELEBRATED
Mhow: A programme was organised by the Parsi community
on the completion of 178 years of the Parsi Agyari Ghar (Parsi
temple) located at
Central Street Chhota
Bazar. Community
members worshipped
FP NEWS SERVICE nu Patel, Kaluram Patel, fire in the morning.
Sanwer Mishrilal Patel, Dhruv Pa- After that Prasad was
There was immense joy in
tel, Jayesh Patel, Subhash
Patel, Narendra Patel,
distributed and on
Sunday evening a
Kamaliya Kheda village in
Sanwer as residents cele-
Ramesh Patel and others
performed maha aarti in
banquet was also
organised. Pandit
brated Pran Pratishtha
Mahotsav on Monday.
the temple and distributed
Prasad and congratulated
Temton Gowadia, Jamie Pavwala, AN Masalawala, Jahangir
Masalawala, Kurush Masalawala, Vispi Masalawala, Yasmin Bhot,
After the much-awaited each other. Parveen Masalawala and others were present.
Pran Pratishtha ceremony
in Ayodhya took place, the
residents rejoiced with
happiness and raised slo-
gans of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and
lit fireworks. The live pro-
gramme of the consecra-
tion ceremony was also
streamed live.
Leaders including Chin-
taman Patel, Shantilal Pa-
tel, Chintaman Seth, Ma-
hendra Patel, deputy
sarpanch Hukam Patel,
former sarpanch Vinod Pa-
tel, Vishnu Patel, Sethvish-

Daulatganj merchant assn emerges winner

FP NEWS SERVICE
UJJAIN
A Premier League was or-
ganised here on Monday in
which team Daulatganj
Wholesale Grocery Mer-
chant Association became
the winner.
The final was played be-
tween Team Daulatganj
Wholesale Grocery Merchant
Association and Team Sky Fit.
In a thrilling match, Team
Daulatganj defeated Sky Fit 3-2
in the best of 5.
MP Anil Firojia, Sanjay Aggarw-
al, Gopal Balwani were present as
chief guests at the prize distribu-
tion ceremony of the competition.
Besides Team Daulatganj Whole-
sale Grocery Merchant Associa-
tion and Team Sky Fit, three
other teams, Team Sriganga,
Team J K Hospital
and Team Oxford School took
part in the two-day competition.
The event was managed by Ku-
nal Rohra and Sevak Pohwani of
Why Not Vlogs.

Kumar
Gandharva
Samaroh
enthrals
audience
FP NEWS SERVICE
Dewas

On the concluding day of

the three-day-long pro-
gramme organised to com-
memorate the birth cente-
nary of Padma Vibhushan
classical artist Pt Kumar
Gandharva, various dis-
tinguished artists present-
ed enthralling songs and
paid tribute to Kumar
Gandharva.
Prajakta Marathe sang
compositions composed in
Raga Ahir and Basant
Bhairav, accompanied by
Tabla player Tejovrush
Joshi and Harmonium
player Abhinay Ravande.
In the following presenta-
tion, Padma Shri Awardee
Pt Madhup Mudgal sang
bhajans in Raag Desi, Raag
Madhamad Bhairav and
Bhairavi. A discussion ses-
sion based on the life journey
of Pt Kumar Gandharva was
also organised during which
renowned lyricist Swanand
Kirkire, cricketer and lin-
guist Vilas Godbole and
Rekha Inamdar shared their
experiences. Artists from
various cities graced the
event with their presence.
Manjiri Asanaretabla player
Mandar Puranic and the
harmonium player Suyog
Kundalkar presented a
melancholic performance.
U CHHATTISGARH
124.89 lakh MT paddy procured
nder the Kharif marketing year 2023-24, Chhattisgarh had procured
124.89 lakh metric tonnes of paddy from farmers at support price. In
lieu of paddy, an amount of more than Rs 26,482 crore has been paid to
the farmers through the bank. INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

Chhattisgarh to be developed Manja’ cuts his throat

Youth killed as ‘Chinese
on ideals of Shri Ram: Sai
JANJGIR
DURG

Despite the ban, Chinese

Chhattisgarh will be devel-
oped in lines of the ideal of
Lord Ram, said Chief
Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
He was addressing the
event a Shivrinarayan of Jan-
jgir District. He said Shivri-
narayan, one of the holy lands
of Chhattisgarh, where Lord
Shri Ram ate the berries of
Mata Shabari. He said even
Prime Minister mentioned
Mata Shabari in his address.
Mother Shabari had been
saying for a long time that
Ram would come. The faith
born in every Indian will be-
come the basis of a capable
and grand India. It is the ex-
pansion of the consciousness
of the country from God and
the consciousness of the na-
tion from Ram, he added.
The Chief Minister said,
“We all were fortunate that
we saw in detail the entire
process of the consecration
program of Shri Ramlala. The
supernatural child statue of
Lord Shri Ram was seen.”
He said it is a fortune for
Chhattisgarh residents that
the state is the maternal
birthplace of Lord Shri Ram.
It is the birthplace of Mother
Kaushalya. Today not only
India, the whole world
has become ‘Rammay’.
Everyone around the world
is expressing happiness in
different ways.
The Ramlala’s bhog (offer-
ing) has been prepared from
the rice sent from the state. A
team of service-oriented doc-
tors has gone to Ayodhya and
is engaged in the treatment of
Ram devotees. Another group
will leave which will run
‘Bhandara’ in Ayodhya Dham
for 60 days.
Chhattisgarh in-charge Om
Mathur also addressed the cit-
izens present. The Chief Min-
ister also released the coffee
table book “Hum Sabke Ram”
and the calendar “Ramo Vi-
grahawan Dharma” prepared
by the Public Relations De-
partment. It is based on the
stories of Shri Ram during his
exile from Ayodhya Dham to
Chhattisgarh.
Manja is being used in
Chhattisgarh, where a youth
riding a bike got his throat
cut by a similar manja lead-
ing to his death on Monday.
The incident occurred in G
Cabin Charoda area under
Bhilai 3 police station. Ajju
(18 year old) son of Virendra,
resident of Jahan, got his
throat cut by the thread used
for kite flying (Manja). Peo-
ple nearby took him to Lal
Bahadur Shastri Hospital,
Supela. He was referred to
Durg District Hospital. But
he succumbed while under-
going treatment.
As per eyewitnesses, dur-
ing morning some boys were
flying kites near the road to
Dev Baloda. Meanwhile,
Ajju was going on his bike
with five year old Vihaan sit-
ting behind him. The string
of the kite got stuck around
his neck. Ajju's bike moved
ahead and the manjha tight-
ened around his neck and a
part of his neck got cut and
started bleeding.
nearby immediately called
the police service by calling
112. Both were taken to Lal
Bahadur Shastri Hospital.
The doctors referred Ajju to
Durg District Hospital after
first aid. The doctors in Durg
tried hard to save him, but
due to severe throat cut and
excessive bleeding, he suc-
cumbed. The condition of
five year old Vihaan
remains critical due to head
injury. He is undergoing
treatment.
The police have kept
Ajju's body in the mortuary
of the district hospital for
post mortem and are investi-
jha in Durg itself. The child's
throat was cut by the sharp
edge of a Chinese manjha
and he was admitted to the
hospital in a critical condi-
tion. In this incident, the
child's windpipe and jugular
vein, which supplies blood
from the brain to the heart,
were cut. The child was put
on a ventilator and the team
of doctors performed
surgery to save his life by
connecting the tube and
vein.
There is a ban on the sale
of Chinese Manjha, yet it is
being sold across the coun-
try. This year too, there were

CM offers prayer at Dudhadhari Math Injured Ajju fell on the

road along with the bike and
also Vihaan who suffered se-
rious head injury. People
gating the matter.
Last year, also in a similar
incident a child was serious-
ly injured by a Chinese Man-
some deaths in such inci-
dents on the day of Sankran-
ti. Large number of birds are
also injured.
RAIPUR

On the occasion of the consecration

of Shri Ramlala being held in Ayod-
hya, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister
Vishnu Deo Sai offered prayers at
Doodhadhari Math in the capital
city, Raipur on Monday. He visited
Ram-Darbar, worshiped Cow and of-
fered her food.
He visited the monastery and of-
fered prayers to God and prayed for
the happiness, prosperity, peace and
prosperity of all the people of the
state. He worshiped the deities in-
stalled in the Math including Lord
Shri Ram Janaki, Swami Balaji and
Lord Hanuman. It is a great moment
to visit the 500 year old Dudhadhari
Math located in Raipur.
Rajeshree Mahant Ramsundar
Das, head of Dudhadhari Math, said
that Dudhadhari Math has been giv-
en the form of Ayodhya. Lord Ram is
being established in the sanctum
sanctorum in Ayodhya after almost
500 years. Swami Balaji and Shri
Ram Janaki installed in the temple
premises have been decorated with
golden adornment on today's special
occasion. He told that on the special
occasions of Ram Navami, Krishna
Janmashtami and Vijayadashami,
Swami Balaji and Shri Ram Janaki
are decorated with golden adorn-
ment in Dudhadhari Math three
times a year.
FOUR CHILDREN SELECTED
FOR STATE BRAVERY AWARD
RAIPUR
After examining the proposals
received by the jury, four chil-
dren have been unanimously
selected for the Chhattisgarh
State Bravery Award.
Chhattisgarh Women and
Child Development Minister
Lakshmi Rajwade on Monday
took a meeting of the jury (judi-
ciary board) constituted for the
selection of eligible boys and
girls for the State Bravery
Award for the year 2023-24 at
the new rest house Atal Nagar
Nava Raipur.
Pratappur MLA Shakuntala
Singh Porte, Secretary of
Women and Child Development
Department Shammi Abidi,
AIG M.L. Kotwani, Director of
Women and Child Development
Department, Tulika Prajapati
was present.
Rajwade said that Chhattis-
garh Government gives State
Bravery Award to the children
of the state for their special
bravery, courage and intelli-
gence. The award will be given
to boys and girls on January
26th. The selected children are
Arnav Singh son of Suresh Ku-
mar Singh of Surguja district,
Om Upadhyay son of Neeraj
Upadhyay of Durg district,
Premchand Sahu son of Sukdev
Sahu of Raipur district and
Lokesh Kumar Sahu sone of
Sukhnandan Sahu. The chil-
dren selected for the State Brav-
ery Award will be given Rs
25,000 and a citation.
The 16-year old Arnav Singh
is studying in class 11. He has
performed a courageous act of
waking up and saving three
sleeping persons and a watch-
man from a massive fire in a
dumping yard.

Six IFS officers

Cartoon exhibition on theme of promoted BJP is scared of Rahul Gandhi’s
“Ram Aayenge” captivates all RAIPUR

The Chhattisgarhe govern- Nyay Yatra: Deepak Baij

RAIPUR ment has issued promotion
orders for IFS officers. Six of-
An exhibition on the topic “Ram Aayenge” was or- ficers of the 2006 batch have RAIPUR corruption of the Chief Minis-
ganized on Monday by Cartoon Watch magazine in been promoted from the post ter of Assam and the BJP gov-
Telibandha, Raipur in Chhattisgarh. Selected car- of Conservator of Forests to BJP is scared of the success of ernment at the Centre.
toons of the cartoon competition were included in the post of Chief Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo Baij alleged that BJP was
the exhibition, which were highly appreciated by Conservator of Forests, two Nyay Yatra and the wide- afraid of Rahul Gandhi and
the people. officers of the 2010 batch spread support of the people, stopped him from visiting the
It was part of the cultural activities organised on have been promoted from said Chhattisgarh Pradesh temple in Assam. Rahul
occasion of the consecration of Lord Ramlala in Ay- the post of Deputy Conserva- Congress President and MP Gandhi wanted to go to
odhya in the capital city, Raipur. tor of Forests to the post of Deepak Baij on Monday. Shankardev Temple and
People said that it is an innovative and interest- Conservator of Forests. He alleged that BJP's As- spend some time there, but
ing initiative. These cartoons from different parts Imotemasu Ao, a 2010 batch sam government is getting the BJP's Assam government,
of the country show how much faith people have officer, has been given pro- hooligan elements to attack frightened by the immense
towards Ram. The journey to Ayodhya Ram forma promotion as she is on the Bharat Jodo Nyaya Yatra. public support for Rahul
temple was the centre of special attraction in the deputation. Sadly, the BJP, especially in Gandhi's visit, stopped him
exhibition. People were seen reading the informa- After the promotion, IFS Assam, the country's most from going to the temple. It
tion seriously and also made videos with curiosity. of 2006 batch will start get- corrupt Chief Minister, Hi- reflects that the BJP is scared
The said competition and exhibition was ting Super Time Scale Level- manta Biswa Sarma, is con- of Rahul Gandhi.
organized with the help of the Public Relations De- 14, whereas after promotion, tinuously trying to disrupt He said that the Bharat
partment. two IFS of 2010 batch will the peaceful march. The last Jodo Nyay Yatra, which
Trimbak Sharma of Cartoon Watch said that now be given Super Time two days have seen incidents started in Manipur on Janu-
“Pran Pratishtha” issue of the magazine has also Scale Level-13A. of planned attacks on the con- ary 14, has successfully
been published, in which all the award winning en- The officers are Raju voys of Bharat Jodo Nyaya passed through Manipur, Na-
tries have been included. The entries include car- Agasimani, Vivek Acharya, Yatra by miscreants and tear- galand, Arunachal Pradesh
toonists from Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Matheswaran V, Arun ing of posters of the Yatra. and has now entered Assam.
Nashik, Chennai, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh and Prasad P, Dr, Kenelil- It resulted in injuries to Touching the hearts of
Chhattisgarh. houthoulie Miachio, and several Congress party lead- people, the journey is de-
Senior journalist Pradeep Pandit, Mehul Kumar Prabhat Mishra, and ers, including the Assam PCC manding justice for youth,
of Cartoon Watch, Yash Tiknayat, Anjali Sharma, Imotemasu Ao and Sato- president. It is nothing but a women and marginalized
Aarti Sharma, Akshat Singh, Aditi Sharma, Gari- visha Samajdar of 2010 batch desperate attempt to hide the people. People are joining the
ma Joshi and many other dignitaries were present. became forest conservator. administrative failures and journey.

LAST WORD

‘Contact, communication, hard work LWE problem confined to some

make a public servant a public hero’
RAIPUR
Union Home and Cooperative Minister
Amit Shah said to become effective, all
public representatives should have sensi-
tivity towards the public and the area,
readiness, skill and eagerness to dis-
charge public responsibilities.
He was addressing the orientation pro-
gram of the newly elected assembly
members of the state in the Chhattisgarh
Assembly on Sunday.
He said if one wants to enter the
politics of the region, state and country,
then only contact, communication and
hard work can be useful. All these three
can transform you from a public servant
to a public leader.
Shah said that there is no age for learn-
ing and neither does time end for it and to
keep learning till the end of life is the ba-
sic mantra of success.
In the country the MLA has three
types of responsibilities - responsibility
towards the region, the ideology of the
party and the progress of the entire state,
said Shah adding that to achieve success
in these three areas, there is a need to sys-
tematically allocate time and energy.
It is also the responsibility of the MLA
to work for the fulfillment of the policies,
procedures and objectives of the party.
There is a need to develop the habit of un-
derstanding the administration and giv-
ing it in writing. It will get the work done
faster.
He said that only when the public rep-
resentative is capable and accountable,
good administration in his area supports
him. There are many ways to solve the
problems and the most appropriate way
is to write a concrete letter as per the
rules and give it to the administration
and fix the responsibility
The public representatives also have a
legislative responsibility. Few people
study the Bill, its consequences and ob-
jectives. It is the responsibility of the
MLAs to understand any bill and budget
as a conscious MLA, he said.
pockets in Chhattisgarh: Shah
RAIPUR
Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah
underlined the need to resolve the Left
Wing Extremism in the state within
three years. There is the need for a de-
tailed roadmap to be drawn up.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai,
Deputy Chief Ministers and senior offi-
cials including Union Home Secretary,
Director (IB), Chief Secretary, Chhattis-
garh, DG, CRPF and DGP, Chhattisgarh
attended the meeting.
Shah pointed out that the three inter-
nal security situations in J&K, North
East and LWE have witnessed a signifi-
cant improvement with a nearly 75% re-
duction in violence and geographical
constriction by nearly 80%.
He also mentioned that the Armed problem has been essentially confined to prosecution, choke finance streams and
Forces Special Power Act has now been some pockets within Chhattisgarh. continue intelligence-led operations. He
withdrawn from close to 80% of the areas These areas need to be freed from the also stressed the need to review all inputs
in the North East. Appreciating the Maoist menace within the next three shared through the Multi-Agency Center
progress achieved in the fight against years. He emphasized the need for a de- and operationalize verified inputs.
LWE, the Union Home Minister stated tailed roadmap to be drawn up by all the Shah further said the MHA should be
that there has been a significant reduc- concerned stakeholders, particularly re- flexible both in the allotment of funds as
tion both in LWE-affected geographies lating to the targeting of the entire also its usage in the highly LWE-affected
and violence. ecosystem sustaining LWE. districts in Chhattisgarh. He also high-
He said on account of the combined ef- He asked the State Police to fill up the lighted the need for a proactive and sen-
forts of the security forces and all the remnant security gaps, ensure compre- sitive handling of all local grievances
Central and State agencies, the LWE hensive investigations, closely monitor about bonafide entitlements.
 RENDEZVOUS
WITH RAM
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

TN Guv sees ‘fear’

RULES SET FOR on faces of priests
Ram Lalla will wake up
at 4 am, initiating a day
WORSHIP N CHITHRA / CHENNAI

Tamil Nadu Governor RN

Ravi on Monday visited a
temple in Chennai to mark
the consecration of Ram tem-
Union Finance Minister Nir-
mala Sitharaman’s charge
that the state government
had imposed restrictions in
temples on the day of the con-
secration.
stark contrast to the festive
environment in the rest of
the country. While the entire
country is celebrating the
Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lal-
la, the temple premises here
of spiritual devotion, ple in Ayodhya and claimed “This morning, I visited exude a sense of acute re-

which will include aarti

he saw “invisible fears” on
the faces of the priests there.
being performed five However, the priests dis-
missed that they were under
times a day fear and following this, Chief
Minister MK Stalin dubbed it
as a “jaundiced view”.
The governor had made
the remarks against the
backdrop of BJP leader and
Sri Kodandaramaswami
Temple, West Mambalam,
Chennai, and offered prayers
to Prabhu Shri Ram for the
well-being of all. This temple
is under HR&CE Dept. There
was an all pervasive sense of
invisible fear and apprehen-
sions writ large on the faces
of priests and temple staff. A
pression,” the governor ‘THE PRIESTS HAVE
claimed in a post on X.
CLARIFIED THAT THEY
However, in a statement
the chief minister countered HAD NO FEAR. WHAT
it saying this was a “jaun-
COULD BE THE REASON
diced” view. “The priests
have clarified that they had OTHER THAN POLITICS
no fear,” Stalin said and won-
dered what could be the poli-
BEHIND THE
tics behind Ravi’s claim. GOVERNOR’S MESSAGE?’

Consecration
screened at
pvt places
N CHITHRA / CHENNAI occasion, singing bhajans, ut-
tering Rama nama, Annad-

FPJ NEWS SERVICE / AYODHYA
A set of rules has been established for the
worship of Ram Lalla, following the mo-
mentous consecration of life at the Ram
temple in Ayodhya, ushering in a new era
of devotion.
The general secretary of the Shri Ram
Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust,
Champat Rai, announced the guidelines
for “Shri Ramopasana”, outlining the
meticulous preparations and rituals that
will characterise the daily routine at the
temple.
Proceedings for the worship are sched-
uled to commence at 3 am everyday. This
will involve meticulous preparation for
worship and adornment.
Ram Lalla will wake up at 4 am, initiat-
ing a day of spiritual devotion, which will
include Aarti being performed five times
a day, continuing with the tradition that is
being followed.
This will be followed by the consecra-
tion and adornment ceremonies, accom-
panied by the Shringar Aarti from 4:30 to
5 pm.
The daily darshan schedule will start at
8 am, with a Midday Bhog Aarti at 1 pm.
After a two-hour break for divine rest,
darshan will resume from 3 pm and will
continue till 10 pm. The evening Aarti will
take place at 7 pm, creating a spiritual tap-
estry of devotion and reverence at the
grand Shri Ram temple in Ayodhya. Ram
Lalla will be offered fruit and milk every
hour.
The temple management anticipates a
surge in the number of devotees and are
considering an extension of the darshan
duration to 14-15 hours.
Ram temple priest Satyendra Das re-
vealed that the colour of the symbolic at-
tire of Ram Lalla will correspond to the
day. In this regard, the temple will contin-
ue the tradition that dates back to the time
when Ram Lalla first appeared. Ram
Lalla will wear white on Monday, red on
Tuesday, green on Wednesday, yellow on
Thursday, light yellow or cream on Friday,
blue on Saturday, and pink on Sunday.
The new Balroop idol, a significant ad-
dition to the temple, will don clothes pre-
pared on handloom by the Heritage and
Handweaving Revival Charitable Trust
of Pune.
O
n Monday, hours be-
fore the consecration
of the Ram Temple in
Ayodhya, big LCD screens in-
stalled for its live telecast at
the Sri Kamakshi Amman
Temple in Kancheepuram
near Chennai were removed
at the intervention of the po-
lice. The temple was the ven-
ue for Union Finance Minis-
ter Nirmala Sitharaman to
watch the live screening.
Though it was a private tem-
ple, the police said the organ-
isers had given an undertak-
ing not to have live screening.
However, within a couple
of hours, the scene changed
and the LCD screens were re-
installed well in time for the
minister to watch Prime Min-
ister Narendra Modi take cen-
Prime Minister Narendra Modi prostrates before the idol of Ram tre stage at the consecration.
Lalla during the 'Pran Pratishtha' rituals —PTI What had changed in the
intermittent period was a spe-
cial sitting of the Madras
hanams are not per se prohib-
ited or restricted,” the judge
said in the order on the peti-
tion by a Chennai resident.
BJP leaders then took part in
live streaming at some places
in Chennai and elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu
Chief Minister MK Stalin
came down heavily upon the
BJP leaders accusing them of
behaving irresponsibly and
spreading rumours.
“Both the leaders in Delhi
and Tamil Nadu are no excep-
tion to this behaviour,” he
said, adding, that they never
respected even the Constitu-
tion. Stalin said despite the
clarification by Hindu Reli-
gious and Charitable Endow-
ments Minister PK
Sekarbabu that there were no
restrictions on singing of
bhajans, offering foods and
such other events in temples,
the BJP leaders, holding high

AAP marks ceremony ORNAMENTS

‘Temple stands where it
High Court at 9.30 am where positions, were functioning
Justice Anand Venkatesh as a “WhatsApp University of
MADE POST hearing an urgent writ peti- Rumours”.

with prayers, hawans EXTENSIVE

tion in his chambers recorded Stalin said true devotees in

was resolved to be built’

GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR
NEW DELHI
For the second time in a week,
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP)
leaders in Delhi took to a dis-
play of religious beliefs by
participating in hawans,
prayers and bhandaras (com-
munity kitchens) — this time
to mark the consecration of
the Ram Lalla idol in the Ram
Temple at Ayodhya.
The party, which is part of
the INDIA bloc of opposition
parties that have come to-
gether to take on the
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), is striving to ensure
that the saffron party does not
walk away with all the credit
for the construction of the
Ram Temple.
The AAP has changed its
stance on the issue of Ram
and the temple and has taken
to openly organising Hindu
religious programmes. Last
week, the party organised
Sundarkand recitals and
Hanuman puja in all the 70
Assembly segments of Delhi,
in which its MLAs, ministers,
party leaders and councillors
participated.
On Monday, when Prime
Minister Narendra Modi and
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister
Yogi Adityanath were at the
Ram Temple in Ayodhya for
the consecration ceremony,
AAP organised Sundarkand
recitals, shobha yatras (ral-
lies), aartis and bhandaras in
all the Assembly segments to
reach out to its supporters.
AAP leader Arvind Kejriw-
al congratulated the people af-
ter the “pran pratishtha”.
“Hearty congratulations and
best wishes to all of you on
this sacred occasion of conse-
cration of Maryada Purushot-
tam Lord Shri Ram in the
grand temple,” he tweeted.
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / AYODHYA
The Ram temple has been
built where it was resolved to
be built, Uttar Pradesh Chief
Minister Yogi Adityanath
said on Monday, expressing
profound joy on the comple-
tion of the consecration cere-
mony of Ram Lalla in Ayod-
hya.
“Today, the temple has
been constructed exactly
where it was resolved to be
built,” Adityanath said, echo-
ing the sentiments of a nation
eagerly awaiting this day.
The ceremonial atmos-
phere in Ayodhya transcend-
ed emotions as citizens, with
eyes wet with tears of joy,
chanted “Ram-Ram”.
“This ‘Ram-Kaaj’ is a bless-
ing for our generation,” the
Chief Minister said, acknowl-
edging the significance of
witnessing the culmination
of a historic endeavour.
Adityanath also gifted a
'Silver Ram Temple' model to
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi and Rashtriya Swayam-
sevak Sangh chief Mohan
Bhagwat, in a symbolic ges-
ture to mark the occasion.
Ayodhya, which was his-
torically known as “Avaani ki
Amravati” and “Dharti ka
Vaikuntha”, stood cursed for
centuries, facing neglect and
contempt, the Chief Minister
contended. “However, today it
is basking in the radiance of
its Treta Yuga glory,” he said.
Adityanath credited Modi’s
vision for the evolution of Ay-
odhya, including the dream
of an airport to the reality of
a 'Solar City' and for blending
ancient culture with contem-
porary urban amenities.
“The consecration of Shri
Ram Janmabhoomi Temple,
described as a "cultural ren-
aissance", signifies more than
a temple, asserted the Chief
Minister.
an undertaking by the Tamil Tamil Nadu would treat their
Nadu Police that its permis- bhakti as a personal belief, a
RESEARCH sion is not required to play
bhajans or live stream the
search for spiritual quest and
inner happiness. “They wor-
FPJ NEWS SERVICE event at private temples, man- ship Lord Perumal and follow
AYODHYA dapams and premises. the principles of Periyar (so-
“The above stand taken by cial reformer EV
Extensive research has gone the state government and the Ramasamy). They respect
into the making of the orna- police makes it quite clear other faiths. The BJP leaders
ments for the idol of Ram Lal- that conducting the function seek to disrupt the harmony
la, according to the temple considering the auspicious and peace,” he said.
trust.
The ornaments have been
crafted by Ankur Anand's
Lucknow-based Harsahaimal
Shiamlal Jewellers following
the study of texts such as the
Adhyatma Ramayana, Valmi-
ki Ramayana, Ramcharit-
manas and the Alavandar
Stotram, the trust said.
“Ram Lalla is adorned in
Banarasi fabric, featuring a
yellow dhoti and a red pata-
ka/angavastram. These an-
gavastrams are embellished
in pure gold 'zari' and threads,
featuring auspicious Vaish-
nav symbols,” said a member
of the temple trust.
These garments were cre-
ated by Delhi-based textile de-
signer Manish Tripathi, who
worked from Ayodhya Dham
for the project, he said.

2,100 kg bell from Jalesar

A colossal 2,100 kg Ashtadhatu bell from Jalesar, Etah,
Uttar Pradesh, has been installed as the largest bell in the
temple complex. This majestic bell, which costs Rs25 lakh,
is six feet tall and five feet in width and has taken more
than four years to make. The bell’s resonance is expected
to echo far and wide, filling the air with an awe-inspiring
sound that captivates all those who hear it.
Laddoos from Ujjain
Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh has sent a
generous offering of five lakh laddoos to
mark the consecratin. The delectable
treats were made at the prasad
manufacturing unit of the
Mahakaleshwar temple complex
following a directive by Madhya Pradesh
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav. The
laddoos have been made with desi ghee
and an array of dry fruits and weigh a
total of around 250 quintals. The
ingredients include 80 quintals of ghee,
90 quintals of sugar, 70 quintals of
chana dal, 20 quintals of rava, 10
Rice, vegetables from Raipur quintals of rava, five quintals of raisins,
and one quintal of cardamom.
Chhattisgarh, the maternal birthplace of Lord Ram, is
actively participating in the grand ceremony. On December Halwa from Nagpur
30, 2023, the state dispatched 3,000 quintals of rice in 11
trucks, collected from all 33 districts. The rice, including Nagpur-based chef Vishnu Manohar has contributed
the finest varieties, was utilised in the Mahabhandara of with 7,000 kg of 'Ram Halwa'. This sweet treat
Shri Ram on January 22. The state also sent 100 tonnes of promises to be a culinary delight for devotees.
vegetables for the occasion.
KAR SEVAK
Gifts pour in uses footwear
after 32 years
from all over
PTI / MUMBAI
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / AYODHYA Sixty-year old Vilas Bhavsar
from Jalgaon in north Maha-
Gifts from across the country are pouring into Ayodhya to rashtra had vowed in 1992 not
mark the consecration of the Ram temple in a display of devo- to wear any footwear until a
tion cutting across all regions. The offerings include: grand Ram temple is built in
Ayodhya.
On Monday, after the Ram
Incense from Vadodara Lalla idol was consecrated, at
an event led by Prime Minis-
Vadodara has contributed to the occasion by sending a 108-feet- ter Narendra Modi, Bhavsar
long incense stick crafted from a blend of desi cow dung, ghee, and wore footwear for the first
aromatic herbs. Weighing 3,610 kg, this colossal incense stick is time in 32 years.
expected to burn for about one and a half months, spreading its BJP's Girish Mahajan, a
fragrant aroma up to 50 km. A special saree from Surat, adorned minister in the Maharashtra
with a Ram Temple-themed necklace made of 5,000 American government, presented
diamonds and 2 kg of silver, has been gifted to the Ram Mandir Bhavsar a pair of chappals at
Trust by a generous diamond merchant from Surat. an event at Jamner in Jal-
gaon on Monday and the lat-
Mustard oil from Jaipur ter wore them.
Bhavsar, who runs a paan
Rajasthan made a mark by sending 2,100 casks of mustard oil for shop in the district, said he
the consecration ceremony. Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma flagged was happy his vow had been
off the yatra, highlighting the significance of this gesture. The fulfilled and the dream of
mustard oil, sourced from across the country, will be used to make every 'Ram bhakt' has been
prasad for the devotees visiting the temple. realised.
5-yr-old girl dies of heart attack while watching cartoons
AMROHA (UP): In a shocking incident, a five-year-old girl died of 'heart attack' while watching cartoons on mobile phone at Hathaikheda
of Hasanpur Kotwali in Amroha district on Sunday. The girl, Kamini, was lying on the bed next to her mother with the phone when it
suddenly fell from her hands and she became unconscious. She was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital where she was
declared brought dead. Hasanpur community health centre in-charge, Dhruvendra Kumar, said, the girl may have died of a heart attack.
Rahul’s veiled jibe at Modi
ON BEING DENIED ENTRY TO ASSAM'S BATADRAVA SHRINE
NAGAON (ASSAM)
Congress leader Rahul
Gandhi on Monday who ar-
rived at the Batadrava
Than, the birthplace of
revered Vaishnavite saint
Srimanta Sankardeva, in
Assam, took a veiled dig at
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi after he was denied
permission to enter the
shrine.
"We want to visit the tem-
ple (Batadrava Than).
What crime have I commit-
ted that I cannot visit the
temple?..." Rahul Gandhi
said.
"I want to go to the tem-
ple, what is wrong with
this? Earlier we were invit-
ed but now the administra-
tion is saying that we can-
not go.
"Aaj sirf ek vyakti
mandir mein ja sakta
hain..."(Perhaps today only
one person can go to the
temple)," the Congress
leader said in an apparent
dig at Prime Minister
Narendra Modi ahead of
the 'Pran Pratishta' cere-
mony at Ayodhya Ram
Temple.
The Congress leader's
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra is
currently on its Assam leg.
The management com-
mittee of the Batradava
Than had on Sunday said
that Rahul Gandhi will be
permitted to enter Batra-
dava after the Ayodhya
Artists perform during the press preview of Tableaux participating in the Republic Day Parade 2024 at Rashtriya Rangshala Camp in
New Delhi on Monday,2024
203 FRESH COVID
CASES, TWO DEATHS
IN 24 HOURS
NEW DELHI: India re-
ported a single-day rise of
203 Covid cases while the
active caseload was record-
ed at 2,034, the Union
Health Ministry said on
Monday. Two deaths -- one
each in Kerala and Maha-
rashtra -- have been report-
ed in 24 hours, according to
the data updated at 8 am.
The number of daily cas-
es had dropped to double-
digits till December 5 but
began to rise after the
emergence of a new vari-
ant and cold conditions.
A single-day rise of 841
fresh infections -- 0.2 per
cent of the peak cases re-
ported in May 2021 -- were
recorded on December 31,
official sources have said.
Of the total active cases,
a large majority of around
92 per cent are recovering
in home isolation.
EC releases final summary rolls
TN has 6.18 crore voters
New Delhi: The Election
Commission of India (ECI)
on Monday, 22 January,
published the 2024 final
electoral rolls for 224 con-
stituencies of Karnataka
with a total electorate of
5,37,85,815, the data shared
by the office of the Chief
Electoral Officer showed.
According to the Draft
Electoral Rolls-2024, the to-
tal number of general elec-
tors was 5,33,77,162, com-
prising 2,68,02,838 male
electors, 2,65,69,428 female
Ram Mandir's 'Pran
Pratistha' ceremony.
"Tomorrow is the Pran
Pratishtha of Ram Temple
and many devotees will
come to the Than.
Apart from this, many
programmes have been or-
ganised outside the Than
premises where thousands
of devotees will gather. For
that reason, Rahul Gand-
hi's visit programme will
be after 3 pm and it has
been decided in the meet-
ing," Than Management
Committee stated.Con-
gress General Secretary
in-charge Communica-
tions, Jairam Ramesh said
that the only objective was
to stop Rahul Gandhi from
visiting the religious
place.
"Rahul was permitted to
go to Batradava Than. This
Delhi HC refuses to
interfere with
Lokpal proceedings
Against Soren
NEW DELHI
The Delhi High Court on
Monday refused to inter-
fere with the proceedings
initiated against Jhark-
hand Mukti Morcha chief
Shibu Soren by the Lokpal
on the basis of a complaint
by BJP MP Nishikant
Dubey.
Justice Subramonium
Prasad said the former
Jharkhand chief minis-
ter's petition challenging
the Lokpal proceedings as
well as the complaint was
"premature".
It is premature at this
juncture, the judge stated
while delivering the ver-
dict on Soren's petition.
electors, and 4,896
other electors.
In the Final Elec-
toral Rolls-2024, the total
general electors increased
to 5,37,85,815. This includes
2,69,33,750 male electors,
2,68,47,145 female electors,
and 4,920 other electors.
“The net increase in total
electors compared to the
draft roll is 4,08,653, with a
significant rise in female
electors by 2,77,717, male
electors by 1,30,912, and
other electors by 24,” the
ECI said. According to the
ECI, among the 224 Legisla-
tive Assembly constituen-
is a historical place. It is
the birthplace of great reli-
gious person Shankar Dev
Ji. Gaurav Gogoi, who is
an MP from here, was also
given permission. Sudden-
ly we are told that we can-
not go... This is pressure
from Assam government.
Its only objective is to stop
Rahul ji from going to this
religious place.
This cannot be a greater
injustice," Jairam Ramesh
said "We said that we
would come there at 7 am
on January 22. We were
told that we would be wel-
come. But yesterday, we
were suddenly told that we
couldn't come there until 3
p.m. We will try to go there
but going there after 3 pm
is very difficult as we
would have to cover an ad-
ditional distance," the Con-
A copy of the judgement
is awaited.
In the complaint made in
August 2020, Dubey, the
BJP Lok Sabha MP from
Jharkhand's Godda seat,
claimed "Shibu Soren and
his family members ac-
quired huge wealth and
properties by misusing the
public exchequer and have
been grossly indulged in
corruption".
On September 12, 2022,
the high court had stayed
the Lokpal proceedings
and said the matter re-
quired consideration.
Assailing the complaint
as well as the Lokpal pro-
ceedings, Soren argued be-
fore the high court that the
case against him was
"purely malafide" and "po-
litically motivated".
cies, Bengaluru South in
Bengaluru Urban district
has the highest number of
electors at 7,17,201. Con-
versely, Sringeri in Chikka-
magaluru district has the
lowest number of electors,
with a count of 1,67,556.
“The number of service
electors has decreased to
46,501 as per final rolls
from 47,172 in draft rolls.
The number of young elec-
tors (18-19 years) has in-
creased to 10,34,018 in the
final rolls from 6,45,491 in
the draft rolls, marking a
significant rise of 3,88,527
young electors,” it said.
'LET’S NOT TALK
ABOUT RAVAN TODAY’
Assam Chief Minister
Himanta Biswa Sarma took
a dig at Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi and asked
mediapersons why they
are talking about “Ravan”
today when the entire
country is celebrating Ram
Lalla’s “Pran Pratistha” in
Ayodhya.
“Why are you talking
about Ravan today? At
least today talk about Lord
Ram. After 500 years, we
are talking about Lord
Ram,” Sarma said.
Sarma’s remark came as
Gandhi was stopped at
Haibargaon en route to
the sattra (Sankardeva’s
birthplace) where he along
with senior Congress
leaders and supporters
staged a dharna.
gress leader said.
Amid a war of words
with the Assam Chief Min-
ister over 'Bharat Jodo
Nyay Yatra', Congress
leaders including Rahul
Gandhi, Jairam Ramesh,
Gaurav Gogoi and KC
Venugopal were stopped
from going to Batadrava
Than, a religious place in
Satra village on Monday.
Yesterday, Assam CM Hi-
manta Biswa Sarma ap-
pealed to Rahul Gandhi to
visit Bordowa Than after
the completion of the Pran
Pratishtha programme at
Ram Mandir, going to be
held today.
"I want to appeal to Rahul
Gandhi to visit Batadrava
Than after the completion
of the Pran Pratishtha cer-
emony at Ram Temple," he
said.
Congress MP from As-
sam, Gaurav Gogoi assert-
ed that the action of the
state government will not
reduce devotion of Rahul
Gandhi nor it will impact
the power of the Bharat
Jodo Nyay Yatra."It is a
matter of great misfortune
for Assam that right from
the first day of the yatra,
Rahul ji has been repeated-
ly expressing his devotion
towards Shankar Dev ji
and he has been stopped to-
day. The present BJP gov-
ernment is stopping us
from our devotion. This
will not reduce Rahul ji's
devotion and the power of
Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra
will also remain complete.
Ever since Assam CM has
said that Rahul Gandhi
can go to the Bordowa
Than only after 3 pm, the
attitude of the administra-
tion has changed," Gogoi
said.
Meanwhile, Assam CM
Himanta yesterday said
that Satra Samitee hasn't
invited Rahul Gandhi.
In the evening, you can
go but don't bring Assam
into a bad light.
Modi to attend Parakram Diwas celebrations at Red Fort
NEW DELHI: Prime Min-
ister Narendra Modi will
attend the 'Parakram Di-
was' celebrations at the
Red Fort here on Tuesday
evening to mark the birth
anniversary of freedom
fighter Subhas Chandra
Bose.
The prime minister's of-
fice (PMO) said Modi will
also launch 'Bharat Parv',
which will be held between
January 23 and January
31, to showcase the coun-
try's rich diversity with
Republic Day tableaux and
cultural exhibits featuring
efforts of 26 ministries and
departments, highlighting
citizen centric initiatives,
vocal for local, diverse
tourist attractions, among
others.
It will take place at the
Ram Leela Maidan and the
Madhav Das Park in front
of the Red Fort, the PMO
said.
The programme this year
will be a multifaceted cele-
bration seamlessly weav-
ing together historical re-
flections and vibrant cul-
tural expressions, it said.
The activities will delve
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
Will PM Modi decide
who will visit temple
GUWAHATI
Senior Congress leader
Rahul Gandhi
whether Prime Minister
asked
Narendra Modi would de-
cide who will visit a temple
in India after he was de-
nied permission to visit
the birthplace (sattra) of
Vaishnav saint Srimanta
Sankardeva in Assam's Na-
gaon District on Monday,
citing possible disruption
of law and order.
Gandhi said, "This is
strange because Rahul
Gandhi cannot go there
while everyone else can
visit the birthplace of Sri-
manta Sankardeva. Will
PM Modi now decide who
will visit a temple and
when?" He and other sen-
ior Congress leaders and
supporters staged a place," he said.
CPI-M STATE SECY INVITED TO JOIN YATRA
KOLKATA
Congress has invited the
CPI-M politburo member
and the party's state
secretary in West Bengal
Md Salim to participate in
the party's Nyay Yatra
programme while it will
pass through West Bengal.
Sources said that Salim has
been individually
communicated by both
veteran state Congress
leader and former Rajya
into the profound legacy
of Netaji, as Bose was
known, and the Azad Hind
Fauj, the PMO said.
The visitors will get an
opportunity to engage
with an immersive experi-
NATION
dharna at Haibargaon on
the way to Sankardev's
birthplace in Batadrava,
while Congress MP
Gaurav Gogoi and Batadra-
va MLA Sibamoni Bora
went to the birthplace to
settle the dispute. Gandhi
told reporters that like
Sankardeva, the Congress
party workers and leaders
also believe in bringing
people together and not
spreading hatred.
"Sankardeva provides us
with guidance and is simi-
lar to a guru. I therefore
wanted to pay my respects
to him when I arrived in
Assam," he said. "We were
informed on Sunday that
there is a law and order sit-
uation, but earlier on Jan-
uary 11, we had received
an invitation to visit the
Sabha member Pradeep
Bhattacharya as well as the
party's central observer for
West Bengal Gulam Ahemd
Mir. It is learnt that Salim
has communicated to them
that in case he is not able
to be present because of
his party's political
programmes at
Thiruvananthapuram, he
will instruct his party
relevant district leaderships
to ensure participation at in
the yatrs.
ence through exhibitions
of archives, showcasing
rare photographs and doc-
uments that chronicle the
remarkable journey of Ne-
taji and the Azad Hind
Fauj, it said.
Assam CM’s should
resign, says UOF
GUWAHATI
The United Opposition Fo-
rum (UOF) -- an alliance of
several parties in Assam,
on Monday demanded the
resignation of Chief Min-
ister Himanta Biswa Sar-
ma, citing his "failure" to
maintain law and order in
the state as the reason be-
hind the alleged attacks on
Congress leaders during
the Bharat Jodo Nyay Ya-
tra being led by former
Congress president Rahul
Gandhi.
UOF general secretary,
and leader of Assam
Jatiya Parishad, Lurinjy-
oti Gogoi, speaking to the
media, along with chief of
Raijor Dal, Akhil Gogoi,
said that "Sarma must re-
sign from his post as it is
indeed shameful that the
attacks took place on the
leader of the largest oppo-
sition party of the country,
who was a guest in our
state".
The opposition leaders
said that Rahul Gandhi's
convoy was attacked by
"hired goons" of BJP" who
also "pelted stones" at the
car of Congress General
Secretary Jairam Ramesh,
and "injured" Assam unit
Congress chief Bhupen
Borah on Sunday in Sonit-
pur district. They submit-
ted: "Even if we assume
that the Chief Minister did
not incite these attacks, it
clearly reflects his failure
to maintain the law and or-
der situation."
The Opposition leaders
also said that the attacks
on the Bharat Jodo Nyay
Yatra brought disgrace to
the state known for its
hospitality, and demon-
strated Sarma's inability
to protect opposition lead-
ers and citizens. The fo-
rum's leaders submitted
that Sarma must accept
his failure and tender his
resignation.
 FIR lodged against CRPF personnel for violation of orders
NATION INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
RANCHI: The Ranchi district administration has lodged an FIR against senior CRPF personnel for
"violating" prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC during the questioning of Chief Minister
Hemant Soren by the Enforcement Directorate in connection with a money laundering case, an
official said on Monday. The FIR was registered at Gonda police station on Sunday, he said.

Mamata: Sad to see CPI(M)

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 TENSE MANIPUR SITUATION
Bhay Prakat Kripala...
Over 30 artists contributed to creating a melodious
ambiance during the Aarti at the Ram Janmabhoomi
Manipur CM chairs meeting
controlling I.N.D.I.A agenda with 10 political parties
temple during Pran Pratishtha. The ceremony, steeped
in tradition and spirituality, brought forth a serene and
joyous atmosphere, echoing the sentiments of devotees
and marking a new era in Ayodhya. "As the newly con-
secrated idol takes its place in the sanctum sanctorum Oppn seeks PM’s intervention
of the grand Ram temple, it represents not just a reli-
gious milestone but a cultural and historical moment
SAYS, THE AGENCIES Congress Legislative Par-
etched in the collective consciousness of millions. The
culmination of the 500-year wait symbolizes unity, de-
name ‘INDIA’ Imphal ty leader Okram Ibobi said
the "10 political parties
votion, and the indomitable spirit of a nation deeply
rooted in its cultural heritage," the chief priest said.
was her brain Manipur Chief Minister N
Biren Singh said he has
have urged the chief min-
ister to seek an appoint-
Ram Lalla won’t... child chaired a meeting with
representatives of 10 polit-
ment with the prime min-
ister and his intervention
I would like to thank the judiciary that delivered jus- ical parties to address the to end the more-than-8-
tice and Lord Ram's temple was built in a legal manner," AGENCIES / Kolkata current situation in the month-long crisis".
he added. The opening of the temple, he said, heralded ethnic violence-hit state. "Protecting the lives and
a "new era" for India. "January 22, 2024, is not merely a West Bengal Chief Minis- He also said "construc- properties of the people
date but marks the advent of a new era," he declared. ter Mamata Banerjee on tive discussions" were held is the duty of the state
"Breaking the shackles of slavery, the country should Monday said that she "feels during the meeting at the government and the state
rise, taking lessons from the past," PM Modi said. A sad" to see the CPI-M, con- CM secretariat on Sunday. has the right to ask the
country creates new history only like this," he added. trolling the agenda of oppo- "Constructive discus- Centre for manpower and
He recalled that there were those who said that “If the sition INDIA bloc. sions were held, reflecting tools required for that,"
Ram temple was built, then there would be a fire". "The name INDIA. was West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee takes part in an all-faith rally, in Kolkata a united commitment to Ibobi said.
"There was also a time when some people used to say my brain child. But I feel navigate challenges and Representatives of the
'Ram Mandir bana toh aag lag jaegi'...Such people could said when I see that CPI-M work collectively for the Congress, JD(U), Tri-
not understand the purity of India's social spirit. The is being allowed to control She said that such devel- Banerjee said. communicated with the well-being of our state," namool Congress, AAP
construction of this temple of Ram Lalla is also a sym- the agenda of the opposi- opments are actually help- She also said that there is CPI-M politburo member Singh said on social and CPI were among
bol of peace, patience, mutual harmony and coordina- tion bloc meetings. I can ing BJP in consolidating its a definite attempt to influ- and state Secretary Md Sal- media. those who participated in
tion of the Indian society. We are seeing that this con- never accept that. I feel sad strength. ence the voters using reli- im to invite him to partici- After Sunday's meeting, the meeting.
struction is not giving birth to any fire, but to energy..." since we have struggled for gious sentiments and West pate at Congress Nyay Ya-
The diety he said, “...he's not a problem but a solution... 34 years to end the CPI-M- ‘WE WILL FIGHT’ Bengal will be playing an tra programme when it will
Ram is not just ours, he belongs to everyone..." He urged
those who opposed the Ram temple to come to Ayodhya
and “feel the energy, rethink about your ideas..”
led Left Front rule in West
Bengal," she said at a meet-
ing at the end of the “Har-
"I am ready to lead the
battle which has already
started. But hurdles are be-
important role in the strug-
gle against this trend.
Her observations about
pass through West Bengal.
The Chief Minister's com-
ments, according to politi-
Tejashwi withdraws
"This is a temple of national consciousness in the
form of Ram. Ram is the faith of India, Ram is the foun-
dation of India. Ram is the idea of India, Ram is the law
mony Rally” organised by
her Trinamool Congress at
Park Circus Seven-Point
ing created. The battle will
continue. We are not cow-
ards. So we will fight. We
the CPI-M and INDIA bloc
meeting came on the day
when the information sur-
cal observers, have raised
uncertainties
whether the Trinamool
about remarks on Gujaratis
of India...Ram is the prestige of India, Ram is the glory
of India...Ram is the leader and Ram is the policy. Ram
Crossing
Kolkata.
at central will not spare even an inch
for the BJP in a single seat,"
faced that senior Congress
leaders have personally
would send representatives
for Nyay Yatra.
Why should prosecution continue when
is eternal...When Ram is honoured, its effect does not he has withdrawn statement, asks SC
last for years or centuries, its effect is for thousands of
years..." "Ram temple's construction is a reflection of In-
dian society's maturity. It's an occasion of not merely NewsClick HR head withdraws from SC plea Courts cannot direct govt to NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday ad-
journed till January 29 the hearing on Bihar Deputy
triumph but humility too. India is now full of positive NEW DELHI: NewsClick's human resources department Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav's petition seeking
energy. It will attain prosperity by being guided by tra-
dition, and modernity,” he predicted.
notify law passed by Parl: SC
head Amit Chakravarty on Monday withdrew from the
Supreme Court his petition against his arrest under the
transfer of the criminal defamation complaint pend-
ing against him in a Ahmedabad court over his alleged
The Prime Minister said that he has a firm belief and anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act NEW DELHI: The courts "It is up to the government "only Gujaratis can be thugs" remark to a place outside
immense faith that today the devotees of Prabhu Ram (UAPA). cannot direct the govern- to notify a law passed by the state, preferably Delhi.
are completely absorbed in this historic moment. "...the Earlier this month, a Delhi court had allowed ment to notify a law passed Parliament. This is beyond A bench of Justices A S Oka and Ujjal Bhuyan de-
devotees of Prabhu Ram, in every corner of the country Chakravarty to turn an approver in the case lodged by Parliament, the Supreme the power of the courts. ferred the matter after the counsel for the complainant
and the world, are deeply feeling this...This moment is against the news portal under UAPA over allegations that Court said on Monday Sorry, this is in the domain sought time.
divine, this moment is the holiest of all...," he added. it received money to spread pro-China propaganda. while dismissing a PIL of policy. We cannot direct "Why should the prosecution continue when he has
Ram Rajya, he said, was established after Lord Ram The separate pleas filed by Chakravarty and NewsClick seeking implementation of this," a bench of Chief Jus- withdrawn the statement. You seek instructions other-
came in the 'Treta Yuga'. He continued to show us a path founder Prabir Purkayastha against their arrest under certain provisions of the In- tice DY Chandrachud, Jus- wise we will exercise powers under Article 142," the
for thousands of years. Now, the land of Ayodhya is ask- the anti-terror law came up for hearing before a bench solvency and Bankruptcy tice JB Pardiwala and Jus- bench said.
ing us a question, the wait of centuries has ended but headed by Justice B R Gavai. Code. tice Manoj Misra said.
what's next? I can feel today that the 'Kaal Chakra' is
changing now, and our generation is blessed to get this
opportunity." SALE OF KOSI RIVER
NATION SOAKS IN RAM LALLA FERVOUR Odisha seeks
CM, Chouhan worship... LAND IN RAMPUR
The struggle of crores of Indians has become success- 'Kumki' elephants
ful. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a boon for the
country. On the occasion, a large number of Ladli Azam Khan's from Tamil Nadu
Behnas met him and even became emotional. Chouhan
criticized Congress for rejecting the invitation to attend
the Ram Lalla consecration ceremony. Chouhan argued
son faces AGENCIES
Bhubaneswar
that even when someone gives an invitation to a mar-
riage function, people usually say that they will attend
another FIR Amidst the rising cases of
the event and never say point blank that they won’t at- RAMPUR: Former Sama- human-elephant conflict in
tend the event. jwadi Party MLA Azam Odisha, the state govern-
Khan’s son, Abdullah ment has requested the
Over 150 babies delivered... Azam, is facing more legal Tamil Nadu forest depart-
However, Sanjana complained of pain around 11 am, trouble as an FIR has been ment to supply four Kumki
after which the operation was performed." Both the lodged against him for al- Imam Umer Ahmed Ilyasi (C), elephants who are special-
mother and child are in good health, he said. legedly engaging in illicit Chief Imam of All India Imam ly trained to chase away
Many decided to name their kids 'Ram': Out of to- sale of the Kosi River land Organization (AIIO), after the wild jumbos straying into
tal deliveries took place in Indore on Monday, parents of in Rampur. Ram Mandir Pran Pratisha human habitats.
the male babies vowed to name their kid 'Ram'. Following orders from ceremony, in Ayodhya Additional Chief Secre-
"Most of the women who delivered boy told us that the Enforcement Direc- tary of the Environment,
they will name their baby as Ram. Whatever be the torate, a probe into the Climate Change & Forests
name though zodiac sign, they have decided to call them properties owned by Azam Department Satyabrata
Ram," Dr Yadav said. and his family is underway. Sahu wrote to his counter-
Rampur District Magis- part in Tamil Nadu,
trate, Ravindra Kumar ini- Supriya Sahu in this re-
DEFAMATION CASE tiated a probe into residen- gard on January 20. Sahu
tial plotting carried out by in his letter said that the

HC asks Shekhawat to
Abdullah and his associ-
ates in Benzirpura
Ghatampur Village.
TEARS state has been facing sig-
nificant challenges in con-
trolling the increasing cas-

reply to Gehlot's plea

AGENCIES
New Delhi
sessions court order last year
that dismissed his appeal
Delhi High Court on
Monday issued a no-
tice to Union Minis-
against his summoning in the
ter Gajendra Singh
Shekhawat on an ap-
Shekhawat. The sessions
peal filed by former
Rajasthan chief min-
ister Ashok Gehlot
court had said the summons
issued by an additional chief
against his summon- metropolitan magistrate did
ing in a criminal
defamation com- not suffer from any factual
plaint.
Justice Swarana
Kanta Sharma asked
Shekhawat to file his
reply to the petition with-
in two weeks and listed
the appeal for further
hearing on March 6.
The high court also
asked the trial court to ad-
journ the case pending
with it to a date later than
the one fixed in the high
court.
Shekhawat has alleged
in his complaint that
Gehlot -- through press
O snow, come, fall soon: Chillai Kalan
Lekhpal Sanjay Kumar
discovered the land was
originally registered as
‘river land’ and falls within
Gehlot has challenged a the flood plain zone.
BAN ON TELECAST OF CONSECRATION CEREMONY
complaint filed by
Act in accordance with law, not belong to any woman, Delhi man found
SC asks TN authorities
NEW DELHI:FM terms DMK
The
Supreme Court on Monday
govt 'anti-Hindu'
asked the authorities in
mistake, illegality or Tamil Nadu to act in accor-
dance with the law and not
impropriety of finding based on any oral instruc-
tions on "banning" special
conferences, media re- prayers and live telecast of
ports and social media the Ram temple consecra-
posts -- publicly defamed tion ceremony in all tem-
him by linking him to the ples across the state.
alleged Sanjivani Credit A bench of Justices San-
Co-operative Society jiv Khanna and Dipankar
scam in Rajasthan. Datta, while hearing a plea
The alleged scam in- seeking quashing of an
volves defrauding thou- "oral order" dated January
sands of investors of an 20 banning live telecast of
estimated Rs 900 crore the consecration ceremony
with the promise of un-
usually high returns.
at Ayodhya in temples
across Tamil Nadu, said no
OF JOY
Lord Ram does Half-naked bodies of Uzbek
political party:
Siddaramaiah Chennai, Jan 22 (IANS)
BENGALURU
Senior BJP leader and
Union Finance Minister Criticising the BJP for
Nirmala Sitharaman on "politicizing" Ram Temple
Monday termed the DMK in Ayodhya, Karnataka
government in Tamil Chief Minister Siddara-
Nadu "anti-Hindu" for maiah on Monday said
"denying" live telecasting that Lord Ram does not be-
of the 'Pran Pratishtha' long to any political party,
ceremony of Ayodhya's adding that Congress is
Ram temple. also "devoted" to Lord
Sitharaman said that the Ram.
"the repression saga in "Sri Ramachandra should
Tamil Nadu continues". not be confined to any po-
litical party's agenda. We
one is bound to abide with
the oral orders.
refute the narrative that we
are against Sri Ramachan-
dra. We are also devoted to
Lord Ram," Siddaramaiah
said after inaugurating a
temple in Hirenralli dedi-
cated to Lord Ram, God-
dess Sita, Lord Hanuman,
es of human-elephant con-
flict. “Your help in getting
trained Kumki elephants
would greatly assist us in
addressing these conflicts
effectively and humanely.
Kumki elephants can be
deployed strategically to
help us to manage and
drive wild elephants there-
by reducing damage to
crops, human habitations
RAJESH MOUDGIL
Chandigarh
day.
When the staff looked
into the room from the
and the potential loss of
both human and elephant
lives. These elephants can
A woman national of window, they noticed also be deployed for forest
Uzbekistan and a man
hailing from Delhi were
them lying on the bed fol-
lowing which the resort
patrolling and rescue oper-
ations,” Sahu said in the
found dead at a resort in manager informed the po- letter.
Haryana’s Sonepat dis- lice. Sahu also pointed to-
trict on Monday. According to media re- wards the successful uti-
The two had checked in ports, the man was identi- lization of Kumki ele-
late on Sunday night. fied as Himanshu, 26, a phants for wildlife con-
Police said that their resident of Ashok Vihar, servation by the Tamil
semi-naked bodies were Delhi and Abduleva, 32, of Nadu forest department.
recovered from the re- Uzbekistan. They had He said that the deploy-
sort’s room when they checked into the Mera ment of Kumki elephants
neither came out nor re- Gaon, Mera Desh, located will help in safeguarding
sponded to the resort in the village Kami of the the valuable lives of hu-
staff for long after their Sonepat district around 9 mans and the wild ani-
check-out time on Mon- pm on Sunday. mals in the state.
SENA
VS
SC seeks response of Shinde,
SENA MLAs on Thackeray group's plea
AGENCIES
New Delhi
Chandrachud and Justices JB Pardiwala
and Manoj Misra took note of the submis-

without snow worries Kashmir valley and Lord Laxman.

ABOUT THIS C
SRINAGAR: Scores of
people thronged Srina-
gar's historic Jamia
PERIOD
mosque praying for snow
to touch the barren
grounds of what would
have been proudly pro-
claimed to be a "winter
wonderland" in a normal
winter season in Kashmir.
He said that the temple
was built not for political
The Supreme Court on Monday
sought responses from Chief Min-
sions of senior advocates Kapil Sibal
and Abhishek Singhvi, appearing
for the Thackeray faction, and
hillai Kalan is the most inclement period in Kashmir that begins on the
winter solstice (December 21) and ends with the month of January.
These freezing days also bring with them the bounty for Kashmir's water
reasons but out of genuine
devotion to Lord Ram.
ister Eknath Shinde and other
lawmakers of his group on a
sought response of the chief min-
ister and other MLAs within two
He said that while he is plea of the Uddhav Thackeray weeks.
resources -- the elixir that makes the valley a place of prosperous abundance. planning to visit Ayodhya faction challenging Maharash- At the outset, the top court
in the future, the essence of tra Legislative Assembly Speak- said the plea can be heard by the
"Sheen e peto peto, mama pining and anticipation mir without winter snow. Lord Ram remains the er Rahul Narwekar's order de- Bombay High Court as well. The
yito, yito" (O snow, come, across the valley, for it is For Ghulam Mohamed same everywhere, and the claring the Shiv Sena bloc led by senior lawyers for the Thackeray
fall soon, O Mama, visit us rare for Chillai Kalan to go Mir, who has seen in Kash- act of building the temple Shinde as the "real political party" af- faction, however, opposed the idea and
soon) is a popular saying, without snow for so long. mir through 80 winters of in Mahadevpur is not a po- ter its split in June 2022. said the top court is more equipped to
now often repeated with Kashmir cannot be Kash- his life. litical statement. A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y handle the case.

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ON THE CUSP Holy town blockbuster
OF RAM RAJYA
FPJ DESK / MUMBAI
L
ord Ram was expected to
be a recurring theme in
Prime Minister Modi’s
Ayodhya speeches but on Mon-
day he took the analogy beyond
the spiritual and the temporal.
Talking about the temple as a
linchpin of ‘collective national
consciousness’, the Prime Min-
ister declared with aplomb:
Ram is India’s faith; Ram is the
foundation of India. Ram is the
idea of India, Ram is the law of
India...Ram is the glory of In-
dia...Ram is the leader and Ram
is the policy. Ram is
eternal...When Ram is hon-
oured, its effect does not last for
years or centuries, its effect is
for thousands of years..."
Moving beyond the con-
struction of the temple, keen to
underscore that Ram is not
just a political or an election
template but an extension of
his oft-repeated mantra of all-
inclusiveness, Modi declared
that “Ram is for everyone.”
“He is pervasive, universal
and the soul of the universe.”
Then, transcending the realm
of spirituality, Modi added
that it is not just a deity’s tem-
ple but the temple of India’s
perspective, vision, and fore-
sight.
He saw the seminal moment
in Ayodhya not just as breaking
out of the mindset of slavery,
but also a manifestation of ma-
‘Symbol of India’s
reconstruction’
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / New Delhi
The “entry” of Ram Lalla in
his birth place in Ayodhya
and the temple’s ‘Pran
Pratishtha’ ceremony will be
the beginning of the cam-
paign for “reconstruction of
Bharatvarsh” which is for
harmony, unity, progress,
peace and well-being of every-
one, Rashtriya Swayamsevak
Sangh’s chief Mohan Bhag-
wat said. The “conflict and
bitterness” over construction
of the temple in Ayodhya
should now come to an end,
Bhagwat said in an article
posted on the RSS website
while referring to the “contin-
uous struggle of the Hindu so-
ciety” for the construction of
the temple.
The Supreme Court had on
November 9, 2019, pro-
nounced a “balanced” verdict
after examining “the truth
and facts” and also hearing
the arguments of all the par-
ties in the case, he said.
From a “Dharmic” point of
view, Lord Ram is the “most
worshipped deity” of the ma-
jority society in the country
and is still accepted as an ide-
al of conduct by the entire so-
ciety, Bhagwat said, adding,
“Hence, now the conflict that
has arisen as for and against
over the dispute should be
ended. The bitterness that
has arisen in the meantime
should also end. The enlight-
ened people of the society
must see that the dispute ends
completely.”
Tourist influx set to touch 5 cr a year
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / AYODHYA
The Ram temple is expected to
have a huge impact on
tourism in the region with
nearly 5 crore people expected
to visit the holy town every
year, according to global bro-
kerage firm Jeffries.
This would be higher than
religious tourism hotspots of
Golden Temple and Tirupati
Temple. The Golden Temple
in Amritsar gets an estimated
30-35 million footfalls a year
while Tirupati temple sees 25-
30 million visits.
“The grand opening of the
Ram Temple at Ayodhya by
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi is a big religious event.
It also comes with a large eco-
nomic impact as India gets a
new tourist spot that could at-
tract 50 million plus tourists a
RENDEZVOUS
turity of Indian society, symbol-
izing peace, patience, mutual
harmony, and coordination.
"Ram is not fire; he is energy,
not conflict but a solution.
Ram does not belong only to us
but to all. Ram is not just pres-
ent but is infinity," proclaimed
PM Modi. He stressed the glob-
Ayodhya means a city
where there is no war, a
place free from conflict. On
this occasion, in the entire
country, reconstruction of
Ayodhya is the need of the
hour and also the duty of
all of us.
—MOHAN BHAGWAT
The construction of the
Ram temple in Ayodhya
marks the “reawakening of
national pride”, he said. It
also signifies the "acceptance
of the vision of life behind the
character of Shri Ram by the
modern Bharatiya society",
Bhagwat said.
"This world is (in a) de-
structive frenzy due to ego-
ism, selfishness and discrimi-
nation and is bringing
infinite calamities upon itself.
The entry of Shri Ram Lalla
in Ram Janmabhoomi and
his Pran Pratishtha is the be-
ginning of the campaign for
reconstruction of Bharat-
varsh which is for the well-be-
ing of all, accepting all with-
year,” said a report by the bro-
kerage firm.
“A $10 billion makeover
(around Rs82,500 crore) which
includes a new airport, re-
vamped railway station,
township, and improved road
connectivity, will likely drive
a multiplier effect with new
hotels and other economic ac-
tivities. It can also set a tem-
plate for infra-driven growth
for tourism,” the report said.
“Multiple sectors stand to
benefit including hotels, air-
lines, hospitality, FMCG,
travel ancillaries, cement,”
amid the increased economic
and religious migration to Ay-
odhya, according to Jeffries.
The main pilgrimage site,
spread over nearly 70 acres,
will be equipped to host about
a million devotees at a time,
the report said, adding that
WITH
al connection to the Pran
Pratistha ceremony, with cele-
brations seen in many coun-
tries turning the festival of Ay-
odhya into a celebration of the
global traditions of Ramayana.
Asking every Ram Bhakt to
introspect about the path
ahead, Prime Minister Modi
out enmity and showing the
path of harmony, unity,
progress and peace," Bhagwat
contended.
“We are the active follow-
ers and implementers of that
campaign. In the devotional
celebration of January 22,
along with the reconstruction
of the temple, all of us have re-
solved for the reconstruction
of Bharat and through it
paving the way for recon-
struction of the entire world,"
he said. "Keeping this guiding
light in mind, moving for-
ward is the need of the hour.”
The history of Bharat is the
history of “continuous strug-
gle against the invaders for
around the last one and a half
thousand years”, said the RSS
chief, adding that the faith,
commitment and morale of
the society in Bharat never
diminished.
“The society did not bow
down, their struggle of resist-
ance continued. Therefore,
repeated attempts were made
to take control of the birth-
place (of Lord Ram) and build
a temple there (in Ayodhya).
There were many wars,
struggles and sacrifices for
him. And the issue of Ram
Janmabhoomi ingrained in
the minds of Hindus,” he said.
In 1857, when war plans start-
ed being made against the
British rule, Hindus and
Muslims "together expressed
their readiness" to fight
against them and then there
was a mutual exchange of
ideas between them.
Lord Hanuman’s 51-ft
idol unveiled in Delhi
the number of pilgrims is ex-
pected to jump to 1-1.5 lakh
per day.
"Religious tourism is still
the biggest segment of
tourism in India. Several pop-
ular religious centres attract
RAM
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
declared, "We have to lay the
foundation of India for the
next one thousand years." He
urged the countrymen to ex-
pand their consciousness from
deity to nation, drawing inspi-
ration from Shri Hanuman’s
service, devotion, and dedica-
tion. Though he didn’t use the
explicit terminology, he seemed
to be aiming for the “Amrit
Kaal” leading to a “Ram Rajya”
where Ram is a unifying factor
rather than being divisive.
“Ram sirf hamare nahi, Ram to
sab ke hain (Ram isn’t just ours,
he is everyone’s),” was the PM’s
message from Ayodhya.
Rhetoric apart, the Prime
Minister seemed to exude confi-
dence about India's progress
and rise. "This is India's time,
and India is going to move for-
ward," he declared, expressing
optimism for the future and
wishing the nation the very
best. "Ram temple's construc-
tion is a reflection of Indian so-
ciety's maturity. It's an occasion
of not merely triumph but hu-
mility too. India is now full of
positive energy. It will attain
prosperity by being guided by
tradition, and modernity,” he
predicted.
RSS Chief Mohan Bhagwat,
often a sounding board for the
Prime Minister, also talked on
similar lines and asserted that
"Ram Rajya" is coming and
everyone in the country should
shun disputes and stay united.
I
TEARS
OF JOY
had tears of joy in
my eyes...I can't
describe this moment
in words, everyone
here is so happy.
–Hariharan, singer
T his is a historical day
for the country from
a spiritual point of view.
People from all over the
world waited for years
to witness this day. With
the Ram Temple, India’s
culture and civilisation
have been revived.
–G Kishan Reddy,
Union minister
E veryone has Lord
Ram on their minds,
and every person’s eyes
are filled with tears of
joy and satisfaction. This
is a proud day for India.
This is the beginning of
'Ram Rajya. It seems we
have entered the Treta
Yuga.
–Yogi Adityanath, UP CM
T he world becomes
free of violence and
war-that is our responsi-
bility... This is the messa-
ge of Ayodhya...This is
definitely a historic day...
–Kailash Satyarthi,
Nobel Peace Laureate
S iyaram resides in
that pure heart
which respects customs,
ethics and decorum.
–Akhilesh Yadav, SP chief
annual tourist traffic of 10-30
million despite the existing
infrastructural bottlenecks.
Hence, the creation of a new
religious tourist centre with
improved connectivity and
infrastructure can create a
Modi greets Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan & Anil Ambani
Sachin Tendulkar with Rajinikanth
Hariharan
Jackie Shroff
Singers
mesmerise
devotees
Sonu Nigam and Vivek Oberoi
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / AYODHYA
Singers Shankar Mahade-
van, Sonu Nigam and Anu-
radha Paudwal added a musi-
cal touch by performing Ram
Bhajan at the temple.
Sonu sang ‘Ram Siya Ram’
in his soulful voice. He got
emotional. Expressing his
feelings, he said, “Abhi kuch
bolne ko hai nahi, bas yahi
(tears) bolne ko hai.”
Anuradha with daughter
Kavita also mesmerised the
audience with melodious
rendition. Turning emotion-
al, she said, “I have no words.
When God decides, nobody
can stop him from arriving.”
meaningfully large economic
impact,” it said.
“The makeover is now set
to transform the ancient city
from a sleepy town to a global
religious and spiritual tourist
hotspot. Tourism is projected
to surge and increased eco-
nomic and religious migra-
tion to Ayodhya, multiple sec-
tors stand to benefit including
hotels, airlines, hospitality,
FMCG, travel ancillaries, and
cement,” said the report.
Before the pandemic,
tourism contributed $194 bil-
lion to the gross domestic
product in FY19. This is ex-
pected to grow at an 8 per cent
compound annual growth
rate to $443 billion by FY 2033.
The current tourism-to-
GDP ratio in India, at 6.8 per
cent of the GDP, puts the
country below most of the
India Inc joins celebrations
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / AYODHYA
Billionaires, tech titans and
business leaders joined in cel-
ebrating the inauguration of
the Ram temple as corporate
India gave leave to staff and
organised special prayers.
Billionaire Mukesh Am-
bani and his family, steel ty-
coon Lakshmi N MIttal, tele-
com czar Sunil Bharti Mittal,
Reliance Group head Anil
Ambani and Aditya Birla
group chairperson Kumar
Mangalam Birla and his
daughter Ananya Birla were
among the businessmen in
Ayodhya for the consecration
of Ram temple.
Ambani’s oil-to-telecom
conglomerate gave all its em-
ployees a leave, organised
special puja at more than a
dozen temples housed in
premises across the country
and offered 360-degree virtual
tour to the temple on JioTV.
Billionaire Gautam Adani,
who was among the
corporate leaders invited for
the ceremony, in a post on X
said, “On this auspicious day,
as the Ayodhya Mandir’s
doors open, let it be a gateway
to enlightenment and peace,
large emerging and developed
economies, which are higher
by 3-5 percentage points.
“Among the travel service
providers, IndiGo announced
Ayodhya as its 86th domestic
destination with direct flights
from Delhi, Ahmedabad and
Mumbai. Air India, an-
nounced direct flights from
Bengaluru, Kolkata and
Delhi. SpiceJet and Akasa Air
also announced flights con-
necting Ayodhya with multi-
ple cities. IRCTC announced
tour packages to Ayodhya,”
the report said.
Jefferies has picked Indian
Hotels Company Ltd (IHCL)
and EIH as the potential bene-
ficiaries from hotel space,
while it sees ITC, Jubilant
Foodworks, Britannia Indus-
tries, Godrej Consumer, West-
life Foodworld, Hindustan
Mithali Raj and Saina Nehwal
BISWAJEET BANERJEE
AYODHYA
Ayodhya witnessed a historic
moment on Monday as the life
consecration of Ram Lalla
took place at the Ram temple.
The sacred ceremony was at-
tended by a host of distin-
guished personalities, includ-
ing notable figures from Bol-
lywood, South Indian cinema,
and prominent business lead-
ers. Veteran actors Amitabh
Bachchan, Abhishek
Bachchan, Katrina Kaif,
Vicky Kaushal, Alia Bhatt,
Ranbir Kapoor, Madhuri Dix-
it, and Anupam Kher graced
the occasion, adding a touch of
glamour to the spiritual event.
The presence of business
magnates Mukesh Ambani,
Nita Ambani, and Anil Am-
bani, along with South Indian
stars Chiranjeevi and Ram-
charan, further elevated the
grandeur of the ceremony.
The spiritual ambiance was
enriched by the attendance of
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Baba
Ramdev, accompanied by Pt.
Dhirendra Shastri, the
revered storyteller of Bagesh-
Modi greets Ramdev and Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
Mukesh Ambani and wife Nita Ambani
binding the communities
with the timeless threads of
Bharat’s spiritual and cultur-
al harmony.”
Adani said his group will
sponsor 14 students wanting
to do PhD in Indology (acade-
mic study of India, its people,
culture, languages and litera-
ture). “This will give global
recognition to India’s soft
power and Indology,” he said.
Prashant Ruia, director of
Essar Capital, the investment
manager for the Essar Group,
too was in Ayodhya. “Blessed
to have been in a sea of hu-
manity for the #RamMandir
Pran Pratishta at Ram
An illuminated temple
after the consecration
Unilever, Devyani Interna-
tional and Sapphire Foods
from the FMCG and QSR
space.
Ayodhya has already wit-
nessed a surge in hotel con-
struction and development.
The city now has 17 hotels
with around 590 rooms. As
many as 73 new hotels are in
war Dham.
The sculptor behind the
Ram Lalla statue, Arun Yogi-
raj, expressed overwhelming
gratitude, stating, “I am the
luckiest person in the world”
for the opportunity to con-
tribute to this momentous oc-
casion.
Anupam Kher, before par-
ticipating in the ceremony,
visited Hanumangarhi and
emphasised the importance
of seeking blessings before
approaching Lord Ram. He
described the atmosphere as
unprecedented and histori-
cal.
Vivek Oberoi, on his first
visit to Ayodhya, shared his
reflections, stating, “Here, I
feel the devotion of Shri
Ram in every breath. There
is a lot of excitement among
the people when Ram Lalla
returned to Ayodhya after
500 years.”
The convergence of iconic
figures from various fields
marked the consecration
ceremony as a star-studded
affair, contributing to the
historic significance of the
event in Ayodhya.
Mandir with reverence, faith
and belief. A turning point in
our history that has reunified
the country in our dreams,
desires, hopes and aspira-
tions. #JaiShreeRam,” he
said on X.
Zoho CEO Srihar Vembu
too posted pictures of his visit
to Ayodhya. “In Ayodhya
with my amma Janaki and
my brother Kumar and his
wife Anu. Amma is a lifelong
devotee of Lord Shri Ram.
Very blessed to be here.”
EaseMyTrip co-founder
and CEO Nishant Pitti posted
a video of him taking an Indi-
Go flight to Ayodhya.
the pipeline, with 40 of them
already under construction,
according to the report.
Several renowned hotel
chains and hospitality com-
panies, including IHCL Mar-
riott International, Wynd-
ham, and OYO Rooms, plan
to set up more hotels in the
temple town.
MUMBAI INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
Four held for trying to extort `164 crore from developer
MUMBAI: The Crime Branch has arrested four people for allegedly
trying to extort Rs164 crore from a developer. The quartet was
identified as Avinash Dubey, Rajendra Shirsath, Rakesh Kedia and
Kalpesh Bhosale. In his complaint, Omkar Group's Moolchand Verma
said that one of the absconding accused, Satish Dhanuka, sought the
whopping amount, threatening to file a case with the Enforcement
Directorate if he didn't comply. Notably, Verma is an accused in a
case filed with the Economic Offences Wing.

A bigger, better LTT before

BMC hosps to
digitise record A day after crash on MTHL,
keeping case filed against woman
upcoming summer rush
After missing December 2023 deadline, work of constructing 2 platforms
To
SWAPNIL MISHRA / MUMBAI

monitor disease
outbreaks and conduct dis-
ease surveillance more effi-
ciently, the BMC has planned
approaches two-third completion; technical hurdles impeded project to implement the health man-
agement information sys-
KAMAL MISHRA / MUMBAI tems (HMIS) across all its
hospitals. The civic body has
After missing the December already floated a tender in
2023 deadline, the expansion this regard. Currently, BYL
work of the Lokmanya Tilak Nair Hospital is equipped
Terminus (LTT) is nearing with the facility.
completion, and is likely to A senior official said that
be finished by March. The the system will provide a sin-
project oversees the addition gle platform for reporting dis-
of two new platforms, which
will cater to the surge in foot-
eases. It will help in identify-
ing the rising trend of non-
falls during the upcoming communicable diseases and
summer rush. Currently,
there are five platforms,
monitoring outbreaks of
communicable ailments. The
which see approx 70,000 pas-
sengers on a daily basis.
Currently, BYL Nair
One of the city's busiest
railway terminus, LTT Hospital is equipped
teems with travellers during with modern system
SALMAN ANSARI
Sunday incident first such mishap on newly-opened sea bridge;
occupants had miraculous escape despite car flipping over twice
FPJ NEWS SERVICE
NAVI MUMBAI
A day after a speeding car
dashed against the divider on
the Mumbai Trans Harbour
Link (MTHL) and turned tur-
tle twice, the Nhava Sheva po-
lice on Monday filed a case
against Zara Saqueer, 35, the
woman behind the wheels, for
rash driving. First such near-
fatal mishap after the MTHL's
recent opening, the incident
took place on Sunday at
NOT A SMOOTH RIDE
2.50pm. The dramatic footage
was recorded in the dashcam
of another vehicle and the
1 Just days after opening, more
than 130 challans issued to 3 Photos of auto driver's
joyride flooded social
erring motorists media
video went viral the next day.
The visuals show a speed-
2 Auto-rickshaw sneaks into sea Police booked driver
ing Maruti, bearing registra- bridge despite prohibition on 4 who confessed to not
tion no MH 02 EK 7807, at- three-wheelers, bikes paying heed to signage
tempting to overtake other ve-

summer. Hence, the con- hicles. In the blink of an eye,

struction of two additional
platforms is aimed at en-
hancing operational efficien-
cy and accommodating the
growing number of passen-
gers. As per the latest report,
the project is approaching
two-thirds completion and ef-
forts are underway to finish
it before the anticipated
surge in passenger traffic.
The construction on the
new platforms, located adja-
cent to platform number five
on the west side of the sta-
tion, was marred by unfore-
seen technical challenges.
Hence, it could not achieve
the initial set deadline. Con-
facility will also aid in keep- the car rams into the divider the sheer speed, the car Touted as India's longest
ing a tab on the national im- and comes to grinding halt af- dashed into the divider and sea bridge that connects
munisation programmes as ter flipping over twice. Mirac- turned turtle twice. “All the Mumbai with Navi Mumbai,
well as other maternal and ulously, Saqueer accompa- occupants received minor the MTHL was inaugurated
North staircase connecting Kandivali platform 1 to shut for works child health initiatives. “Un- nied by another woman, a kid scratches and there were no by the Prime Minister on Jan-
der the BMC, nearly 54,000 and two boys escaped almost serious injuries to anyone. uary 12. Just days after the
T o facilitate widening work of the foot over bridge (FOB) at platform number one of
the Kandivali station, the Western Railway will close the north staircase of the middle
FOB leading to the said platform. Terming the closure as “necessary” to take the
outpatients are treated every
day. The introduction of the
HMIS will ensure
unhurt.
According to police, they
were heading towards Chirle
However, the car has been
damaged,” the cop added.
Meanwhile, the driver of
grand opening, over 130 chal-
lans were issued in a single
day to the motorists for stop-
widening project forward, an official said that the passengers can use the south side digitisation of health records. when the woman tried to the vehicle – that captured the ping at the bridge to click pho-
staircases. Station personnel will be available for assistance, added the official. It will also help in monitoring change lanes without any in- mishap in its dashcam – took tos despite prohibition on
medicine stock across all the dication. “Whether she was to social media to share his halting. Many revelers were
firming the development from LTT once both the plat- ing point for 26 pairs of long- civic-run hospitals,” said the overspeeding or lost control firsthand account of the seen climbing the steel fences
that work is nearing comple- forms are ready.” distance trains on a daily av- official. over the vehicle is part of the crash. to capture the 'moment'.
tion, a CR official said, “More The significance of this ex- erage. The addition of the Additional Municipal ongoing investigation. We Thankful for being “saved If that wasn't enough, an
platforms mean more servic- pansion becomes apparent two new platforms is expect- Commissioner Dr Sudhakar have registered a case under by the nick of time”, the auto-rickshaw sneaked on the
es can be operated from this considering the current op- ed to alleviate congestion Shinde said they are waiting the Indian Penal Code sec- driver felt that the accident MTHL despite no entry for
station. At least, six-seven erational statistics. LTT and enhance service for bidders to come forward tions 279 (driving/riding a ve- was a result of high speed that three-wheelers and motorcy-
additional trains can be run serves as the starting or end- frequency. to roll out the tech savvy hicle on public ways in a rash led to losing control over the cles. Photos of the auto were
plan. “The HMIS is the easy or negligent manner) and 336 vehicle. The car's aerodynam- widely circulated on social
way for accessing patients (doing any act which endan- ics went bad due to drag air media, prompting the Mum-

10 yrs on, Girgaon FOB continues to be missing medical records, including

information from the time of
registration. Their pathologi-
cal reports can also be record-
Demolished in 2013, crucial pathway is yet to be reconstructed; pedestrians have no ed digitally,” he said.
option but to continue to risk their lives and cross roads amid speeding vehicles
RUCHA KANOLKAR / MUMBAI
gers human life or the person-
al safety of others),” a senior
police official said not
wishing to be named. The offi-
cial continued that owing to
flow coming from vehicles in
the front coupled with heavy
sea breeze; that led the four-
wheeler to lose stability, the
bai police to take action. Trac-
tors, tractors with unladen
trolleys, animal-drawn and
slow-moving vehicles are not
driver surmised. allowed on the MTHL.

Girgaon Chowpatty,
vibrant locale synonymous
a
with cultural events like
Ganesh Visarjan and
Ramlila, is now marred by an
enduring safety concern —
the absence of a crucial foot
over bridge (FOB) near the
Old Studio. Since the demoli-
tion of the crucial pathway in
2013, pedestrians navigating
the area have faced increas-
ing hazards, putting a ques-
tion mark on the authorities’
commitment to public safety.
The bridge served as a crucial
link for travellers coming
from Charni Road station to
reach Girgaon chowpatty.
According to Godfrey Pi-
menta, the head of the Watch-
dog Foundation, the lack of
FOBs has resulted in a per-
ilous situation. Visitors have
no option, but to cross the
central median on Marine
Drive, risking their lives and
those of motorists. “The BMC
has invested thousands of
crores of rupees in the con-
struction of the coastal road
for vehicular traffic. Howev-
er, it has shown reluctance in
allocating a fraction of that
amount for the construction
of FOBs to ensure pedestrian
safety,” said Pimenta.
The Girgaon chowpatty
FOB was built in 1953 by the
Patel Trust. The bridge fea-
tured an escalator installed in
the 1970s, believed to be the
first of its kind in a public
place in India. Its absence has
left a void in pedestrian safe-
ty, affecting the public. A dai-
ly commuter, Amey Shewale,
said, “The bridge was vital for
us. In the morning, with cars
speeding by, it takes a long
time to cross the road. Else,
we have to take a long walk to
the signal and cross the road.
Many people take risks and
cross the road, resulting in ac-
cidents and injuries. It was
the only safe way to reach my
office, but now it is difficult.”
Assistant BMC Commis-
sioner (D ward) Sharad
Ughade announced signifi-
cant strides in the tender
process for the reconstruc-
tion of the Girgaon chowpat-
ty FOB. The official assured
that the bridges department
would provide further de-
tails regarding future
course of action. Neglecting
the FOB's reconstruction for
more than a decade is in
stark contrast to the big-
ticket projects like the
coastal road, with amenities
like gardens, promenades
and parking.
Students criticise ‘give it up’ option
MUSAB QAZI / MUMBAI
Several students criticised the
state government's decision of
introducing a 'give it up'
option for social welfare
schemes, including scholar-
ships and fellowships. Coming
weeks after Deputy Chief Min-
ister Ajit Pawar's controver-
sial comment on the PhD pro-
gramme, the move aims to 'en-
courage' well-off beneficiaries
to simply opt out of the
schemes' ambit.
The flak was directed at the
government's decision to add
a 'give it up' button on the ap-
plication pages for 65 schemes,
including the LPG cylinder
subsidy, run through the
state's direct benefit transfer
portal (MahaDBT). In line
with the Centre's initiative of
asking people to skip availing calamities, entrepreneurs and provided to everyone by de-
the LPG subsidy if they can widows have also been added fault. Those who don't want to
sustain, the decision to roll out with the new option. The but- avail the schemes can simply
the 'give it up' option was tak- ton will also trail the future not apply on the portal, they
en in a meeting chaired by schemes. Earlier, Pawar was reasoned. In a similar vein,
Pawar, who heads the Finance slammed for his remarks on the state chapter of Students
Department, in October 2023. research scholars, demanding Federation of India under-
A government resolution was to increase the number of PhD scored that the decision re-
issued in the same regard ear- fellowships. “What good flects the government's dis-
lier this month. would a PhD do,” Pawar had dain for beneficiaries and its
will to create an atmosphere
New menu is for skipping scholarships; those against scholarship pro-
grammes. “If students click on
who don’t want to avail benefits anyways have this option by accident, they
option of not applying, say students would be deprived of educa-
tional aid and will end up pay-
ing their entire fees. Many stu-
The 'give it up' button has asked during the winter ses- dents will be deprived of edu-
been added to scholarships sion of state legislature last cation,” it said in a statement.
and fellowships provided by month. Student organisations said
the Centre as well as various Students pointed out that that the decision is evidence of
state departments. Financial the new option doesn't serve the government trying to limit
benefits for farmers, tribals, any purpose. Unlike LPG sub- the educational aid to margin-
those affected by natural sidy, the state's benefits aren't alised students.

Man falls for Govt yet to

No HC relief for petrol pump Of `1.9L, sr citizen gets back `80k lost to cons decide on
man accused of land offer, finds
out in J’khand
Cops succeed in recovering amount that was left in payment gateway after 2022 fraud
AISHWARYA IYER / MUMBAI late, way past the golden know that a doctor in Kar- the nodal officer of AeronPay
cluster school
scheme
harming tree, birds SOMENDRA SHARMA / MUMBAI
Deepak Thakkar, the 69-year-
old Matunga resident, had
lost all hopes of getting back
hour. There was no point in
freezing the transaction as it
had moved from one account
to another,” said Inspector
nataka had lost Rs65,000 in a
similar fraud,” said Wagh. In
the next step, the cyber cell
was roped in to dig out the
to freeze the money and
transfer it back, and that
happened,” the cop said,
adding that another Rs10,000
URVI MAHAJANI / MUMBAI

The Maharashtra govern-

URVI MAHAJANI / MUMBAI
The Bombay High Court has
refused to quash an FIR
against the then managing
committee member of Nectar
cooperative housing society
in Bandra West for allegedly
cutting a tree without the
BMC's nod and causing harm
to birds and their nests in
2014. The court dismissed the
plea by Amit Dhutia, noting
that the records indicated
that the eggs of birds were
The tree was located in the
compound of the Petit school,
which stood adjacent to the
Nectar society. Dhutia is said
to have resorted to axing as
the outgrown branches made
way into the building premis-
es. Sakpal further alleged
that around 40-50 birds were
thrown in the school com-
pound when the tree was cut.
Dhutia’s counsel Girish
Kulkarni contended that the
onus to trim the branches
The brazenness of cyber
fraudsters was once again at
full display. Apart from dup-
ing a 23-year-old man of
Rs41.49 lakh on the pretext of
allotting him a petrol pump
station, the gang also called
him all the way to Giridih, a
city in Jharkhand for meet-
ing. The Bhiwandi resident
was in for a rude shock when
no Indian Oil company 'offi-
cials' showed up for discus-
sion.
In his police complaint, the
Rs1.9 lakh, which he lost to
cyber cons in 2022. However,
he was amazed when the
cops succeeded in recovering
Rs80,000 and returning the
same to him. The process to
recover Rs10,000 more is un-
derway.
Thakkar was duped when
a con impersonated a State
Bank of India official and
told him over call that his
KYC needed to be updated.
After slyly taking the one-
time password from the sen-
Keshav Wagh, who is investi-
gating the case. In December
2023, the cop reopened the old
file and found a number –
6204189969 – that was pro-
cured by the police in 2022.
Interestingly, a simple
web search led to the first
breakthrough. “The number
was found in a news article
in Kannada. When we trans-
lated the piece, we came to
number’s call data records,
which ascertained that it
was active in three locations
– Madhya Pradesh, West
Bengal and Jharkhand.
The police again obtained
Thakkar's bank transaction
details dating back to the
time when the fraud oc-
curred. The information
showed that the money was
moved to MobiKwik, a mo-
bile payment service
provider.
“We contacted MobiKwik
was also found in the money
trail, which will be recovered
soon.
The remaining amount of
Rs1 lakh was transferred to a
bank account somewhere in
Rajasthan, which is yet to be
traced. “In cases like these,
the account owner is usually
just a dummy, who has no
idea of transactions made
from the account. It looks the
same in this case. We have
made some progress and the
fraudster will be arrested
ment informed the Bombay
High Court on Monday that it
has not taken any decision to
launch the scheme of cluster
of schools, wherein smaller
institutions will be merged
with bigger schools in the
vicinity.
The Nagpur bench of the
HC, in September 2023, had
taken suo motu cognisance of
news reports regarding the
new government scheme de-
clared by the state education
commissioner of merging

broken, fledglings were
trapped in nets, while some
avians also died in the inci-
dent.
“We are of the considered
opinion that there is a prima
facie case of the offence al-
leged in the impugned FIR.
Hence, Dhutia cannot escape
the prosecution from the said
offence. As a result, this ap-
A
ccused axed
outgrown branches
reaching his
building premises. In the
process, several
migratory birds along
with their fledglings fell
to the ground and
suffered injuries.
Prosecution
man, who is the son of a gar-
ment trader, said that he
came across an advertise-
ment regarding an online ap-
plication for the allotment of
a petrol pump station last
year. On December 13, he vir-
tually submitted his candida-
ture, after which he received
a call from a person claiming
to be the Indian Oil company
ior citizen, the scammer per- and learned that the amount soon,” concluded Wagh. smaller schools, which
formed unauthorised trans- was moved to AeronPay,” If police sources are to be caused major unrest as it in-
actions. However, Thakkar said Wagh, adding that curi- believed, Thakkar and his dicated the closure of around
and his son approached the ously Rs79,999 was still in the son were so delighted to get 15,000 schools. It stated that
police after a long gap of 15-20 money trail; meaning the some of their money back the move would affect 1.8 lakh
days. fraudster hadn't withdrawn that they gifted a water dis- students. The plea was then
“At that time, it was too or transferred it. “We asked penser to the police station. transferred to the principal
bench at Mumbai.
“The state submits that the
Fraudster fleeces `1.24 lakh from man
authorities are at the stage of
gathering necessary informa-

plication is liable to be dis-
missed,” said a division
bench of Justices Ajey Gad-
kari and Shyam Chandak.
The accused has been booked
under the Wildlife Protection
Act, the Maharashtra (Urban
Areas) Protection and the
Preservation of Trees Act.
According to the prosecu-
tion, a complaint was lodged
by one Puja Sakpal, founder
of NGO Youth Organisation
in Defence of Animals with
the Khar police station on
May 13, 2014. She alleged that
a tamarind tree, which
served as habitat and nesting
place for several migratory
birds, was axed. In the
process, several avians along
with their fledglings fell to
the ground, leading to many
of them becoming trapped
and injured, said Sakpal.
I
njured birds were
released into a forest
in Airoli. No creature
was killed.
Defence
wasn't on his client as the
tree was located in the adja-
cent compound. Also, some of
the injured birds were subse-
quently released into a forest
in Airoli, pointed out Kulka-
rni, averring that no creature
was killed. State Advocate
AA Takalkar emphasised
that the tree cutting was done
without the requisite permis-
sion.
In its order, the bench re-
ferred to statements of wit-
nesses and spot panchnama,
which indicated that some
birds died in the incident.
official.
Saying that the man's ap-
plication has been selected,
the caller then shared a form,
while asking to share it on
WhatsApp after filling it. Lat-
er, other scammers imper-
sonated Indian Oil officials
and conducted a video meet-
ing. They also showed him
land in Giridih, saying that
the petrol pump station will
come up on the very plot. The
gang took money from the
complainant on various pre-
texts like registration fee and
security deposit. In a month,
the man transferred Rs41.49
lakh to the cons. Subsequent-
ly, the fraudsters even shared
bogus documents, containing
the logo of Indian Oil Corpo-
ration, with the man and
asked him to come to Giridih
on January 12.
to quash ‘rape case’ against his son
AISHWARYA IYER / MUMBAI
Cyber fraudsters are coming
up with unthinkable plots to
fleece their targets. The fol-
lowing case is an instance of
the new evil design in the arse-
nal of digital outlaws. A con
duped a Ghatkopar-based
man of Rs1.24 lakh by putting
him under mental duress, say-
ing that his son was arrested
for rape and demanding mon-
ey to quash the 'case'. The har-
ried man even borrowed mon-
ey from his employer to pay
the fraudster.
The matter surfaced on
Sunday evening when Dinesh
Rajouria, 55, approached the
tion and data so that a com-
prehensive policy decision
may be taken,” said Advocate
General Birendra Saraf. In
view of the statement, the
Pant Nagar police. In his com- and ask what was happening, rated the entire episode to his court said any such policy de-
plaint, he said that he works but the caller threatened him. daughter, who immediately cision should be brought to
as a chef at the Sheth The con demanded Rs4 lakh to called her brother home. The the court’s notice.
Virchand Dhanji Devshi get Rajouria’s son 'out of jail'. father got an uneasy relieve An affidavit was filed by
School, Ghatkopar. On Sun- The con then sent a couple of when his baffled son vehe- deputy director of education
day at around 12.30pm, Google Pay QR codes, mently denied his involve- Sandeep Sangave stating that
he received a call asked the aggrieved ment in a rape case. the “proposed scheme is only
from an unknown Complainant’s to send the money “It was a bogus call, a new at a nascent stage of seeking
number. The world turned upside through them. technique used to extort mon- data to test the viability of the
caller said, “Your down when caller A tensed Ra- ey by making people vulnera- said scheme”. It said that this
son has raped a said his son was jouria borrowed ble and helpless,” said a police inter-departmental letter dat-
girl and police arrested for rape; Rs50,000 from his officer, adding that the num- ed September 21, 2023, was
have arrested him. sought money to employer, while bers used by the fraudsters are leaked to the media, which
If you want your son release him asking his daughter under scrutiny. mis-interpreted the same.
out of jail, you will and elder son to send Meanwhile, Rajouria has The affidavit emphasises
have to pay me.” some money, without ex- also submitted the that the “process of rationali-
Hearing this, Rajouria was plaining the matter. He man- screenshots of the chat and his sation of small schools will
in utter shock. In his state- aged to collect Rs1.24 lakh and bank statement, reflecting vary from one habitation to
ment to the police, he said that transferred it to the con. Upon payments to the con, to the another depending on the
he wanted to call his house reaching home, Rajouria nar- police. local specific situation”.
Pune to Miraj railway track doubling completed
T he track doubling work of the Pune to Miraj has been completed, an official informed on
Monday. The Central Railway Safety Commissioner, Janak Kumar Garg, inspected the Sangli
to Miraj section and approved train operations on the 279.05 km route. This development is
expected to enhance the efficiency and speed of railway services on this route.
THE IDOLS AT SHRI RAMCHANDRAJI KA MANDIR
SHRI RAMCHANDRAJI KA MANDIR RESEMBLES AN OLD WADA
JOSHI SHRI RAM MANDIR IN SHANIWAR PETH
THE IDOLS AT SHRI KALARAM MANDIR ARE INTRICATELY
CARVED FROM BLACK MARBLE
SHARED JOY: CITY WITNESSES
INCLUSIVE DAY OF DEVOTION
Dagdusheth Ganpati witnesses a 40-50% surge in devotee turnout
HAYAT (NOZIA) SAYYED
As the nation celebrated the
consecration ceremony of the
Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on
Monday, Pune echoed with de-
vout fervour as worshippers
sought blessings at various
temples, including the revered
Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai
Ganpati Mandir.
The Dagdusheth temple, typ-
ically welcoming 40,000 to
50,000 devotees daily, experi-
enced a significant surge on
Monday, recording a 40-50% in-
crease, according to members
of the Shreemant Dagdusheth
Halwai Sarvajanik Ganpati
Trust.
"The temple experienced a
significant surge in devotees,
witnessing an extraordinary 40-
50% increase in attendance
from various parts of the city
and the state. Typically, we host
around 40,000 to 50,000 devotees
daily, but on Monday, there
was a remarkable rise. By after-
noon alone, the temple
recorded a footfall of over 75,000
devotees," said the members of
the trust.
Hemant Rasane, a trust
member and Bharatiya Janata
Party (BJP) leader, expressed
the unprecedented turnout,
stating, "Today, it seemed peo-
ple were spiritually together in
a true sense.” He highlighted
the inclusive nature of the day,
noting the participation of indi-
viduals from diverse faiths. He
emphasised, "Today, we have
witnessed a perfect example of
Ram Mandir Consecration Ceremony
BJP leader Hemant Rasane at the Shreemant Dagdusheth Halwai Ganpati Mandir
We have witnessed a perfect example of unity, where not
only different communities, like Muslims, but people from
various faiths too have come together, contributing
towards dakshina, sharing sweets, and exchanging
pleasantries at the temple with other devotees
unity, where not only different
communities, like Muslims,
but people from various faiths
too have come together, con-
tributing towards dakshina,
sharing sweets, and
exchanging pleasantries at the
temple with other devotees."
PUNE
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
Exploring Ram temples in Pune
GAURAV KADAM
A
head of the consecration ceremony
of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, this
author embarked on a heritage
walk guided by Sandeep Godbole to visit
several Ram temples in Pune. Godbole, a
cybersecurity expert by profession, con-
ducts these walks out of personal interest
to showcase the hidden gems in the city.
During this three-hour walk, which had
over 20 participants, Godbole took every-
one on a divine sojourn and explained in-
tricate details of the temples and the city.
"I have been conducting heritage walks
for the past few years. Considering that we,
as a society, have been quite lax in main-
taining our heritage, hardly anything has RAM TEMPLE INSIDE THE SOMESHWAR MANDIR DEVASTHAN
survived. The historic temples, however, COMPLEX IN RAVIVAR PETH
have been reasonably preserved. This win-
dow into the past and our heritage helps us
experience not just spirituality but also
historical vibes. This attempt to help dis-
cover Pune's past and heritage led me to
conduct the Ram Temple walks over the
weekend. It is fulfilling to connect with the
participants and experience their joy too,"
said Godbole.
Speaking about the joyous mood in the
country on account of the inauguration of
the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, he said,
"Temples, even private ones, are hubs of so-
cial activity. Over the last two centuries,
we saw a dwindling interest and associa-
tion. The Ram Mandir in Ayodhya has kin-
dled the inner spirituality we have inherit-
ed. It has helped connect with those who
have maintained these temples even from
their modest means. This rekindling of the
cultural, spiritual, and social connect is
what reclaiming our past is about."
The participants, spanning all ages and
walks of life, listened keenly to Sandeep
Godbole as he gave information about the
temples during the nearly 6km walk, show-
ing no signs of fatigue. They expressed that
the walk was an "eye-opener" as they got to
explore the Ram temples they had never
seen "despite living in the city for many
TULSHIBAUG
years."
RAM MANDIR IN
Varun Godse, an HR Consultant, ex-
BUDHWAR PETH
pressed, "Pune is truly a city of temples, JOSHI SHRI RAM MANDIR IN KASBA PETH
and this sentiment was vividly illustrated
by Godbole. He showcased a collection of
A DIVINE SOJOURN
old and exquisite Ram temples maintained
by trusts and private entities,
underscoring the deep pride the communi-
ty holds for its rich heritage."
T he heritage walk commenced at Joshi Shri
Ram Mandir in Shaniwar Peth, followed
by another Ram temple at the Amriteshwar-
chandeliers and paintings.
The journey then led to the Ram temple
inside the Someshwar Mandir Devasthan
Software engineers, Mihir and Akshata Siddheshwar Temple Complex. The Complex in Ravivar Peth, illuminated
Karandikar, shared, "We've lived here all participants then proceeded to another Joshi attractively with lights. Following this was
our lives but never knew about these old Shri Ram Mandir in Kasba Peth, which was the Shri Ramchandraji Ka Mandir, resembling
temples right in our backyard. Godbole currently undergoing restoration and an old wada. The final destination was the
brought these places to life. This wasn’t painting work. renowned Tulshibaug Ram Mandir in
just a walk; it was a journey into history. Next on the itinerary was the Shri Budhwar Peth, boasting a history of over
We're grateful for this experience." Kalaram Mandir in Somwar Peth, where the 200 years. Initiated by Naro Appaji Khire
Pranav Purohit, Senior Associate at idol of Lord Ram is intricately carved from (Tulshibaugwale), the construction began in
Amazon, added, "This walk was a true eye- black marble. The temple, spacious and 1761, and the exquisite idols of Lord Ram,
opener for me, who has stayed all these accommodating, features a Lakshman, and Sita were sanctified in 1765.
years in the vicinity of such simple, elegant circumambulatory path for devotees. The Despite the extended timeline, the temple's
devotional places and yet never explored garbhagriha (sanctum sanctorum) is crafted construction was concluded in 1795. The
them before. The information provided by from stone, while the sabha mandap wooden work within the temple is notably
Godbole on various temples, their roots, (anteroom) is constructed from wood. The attractive, and the shikhara is quite tall. The
and their influence on the community was sabha mandap, adorned with intricate traditional celebration of Ram Navami takes
a journey filled with historical curiosity." fretwork, is further embellished with place here every year. SHRI KALARAM
Participants Manisha Chitale and Mon- MANDIR IN
ica Gokhale also praised Godbole for con-
ducting an "informative walk". "It was a
Participants Speak SOMWAR PETH
very well-conducted walk of age-old Ram Pune is truly a city of temples, and this This walk was a true eye-opener for me, who has We've lived here all our lives but
temples in the eastern part of Pune. It was sentiment was vividly illustrated by stayed all these years in the vicinity of such simple, never knew about these old temples
a walk full of discovery and devotion," said Godbole. He showcased a collection of old elegant devotional places and yet never explored right in our backyard. Godbole
Chitale. Gokhale added, "It was very inter- brought these places to life. This
and exquisite Ram temples maintained by them before. The information provided by Godbole
esting and can be called an eye-opener be- wasn’t just a walk; it was a journey
cause, despite staying and growing up in
trusts and private entities, underscoring on various temples, their roots, and their influence
the deep pride the community holds for its on the community was a journey filled with into history. We're grateful for this
Pune, I was not fully aware and updated experience
about its rich heritage." rich heritage historical curiosity
– Mihir & Akshata Karandikar
– Varun Godse – Pranav Purohit
Teenager drowns CELEBRATIONS ABOUND
in Panshet dam
STAFF REPORTER
A teenage boy died by drown-
ing in the Panshet dam reser-
voir while trying to save his
two sisters who slipped into
the water while taking selfies
on Sunday afternoon. Police
have identified the deceased
as Dnyaneshwar Balaji Man-
ale (18), a resident of Kharadi.
According to the informa-
tion received, Dnyaneshwar,
along with his sisters and
friends, had gone for a picnic
in the Panshet dam area.
Around 3pm, his sisters,
Anusaya and Mayuri, slipped
into the water while taking
selfies. In an attempt to save
them, Dnyaneshwar also en-
tered the water. Unfortunate- A grand procession took place at Sonya Maruti Chowk on Laxmi Road on Monday. Enthusiastic
ly, he died. The girls were res- participants adorned themselves in traditional costumes, while some were seen dressed up as Lord
cued and are safe. Ram, Sita, Lakshman, and Hanuman, parading in a beauatifully adorned chariot –ANAND CHAINI
LAST WORD
‘Jallosh Shikshanacha 2024’ begins today
STAFF REPORTER aspects of education, such as products. PCMC Commissioner
academic excellence, school The panel discussions will Shekhar Singh said, “The
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Mu- culture, technology integra- feature prominent alumni of event is a part of the PCMC's vi-
nicipal Corporation (PCMC) is tion, parent and community PCMC schools, who will share sion to enhance the quality of
all set to host a grand event, engagement, and student holis- their inspiring stories and in- education in its public schools
'Jallosh Shikshanacha 2024', to tic development. sights with the audience. The and create positive outcomes
celebrate the achievements The event will feature a awards will recognise the stu- for its students. Such events
unite people across all faiths. and aspirations of its students, range of activities dents and schools promote an environment
In a testament to the inclu- teachers, and schools. The and performances, that have achieved where education takes prece-
sive spirit, a member of the event will be held today and to- such as cultural pro- excellence in vari- dence, and where every child
Muslim community, choosing morrow at the Shri Shiv Chha- grammes, exhibi- ous domains of edu- in its community is
to remain anonymous, shared, trapati Sports Complex in Bale- tions, panel discus- cation, such as aca- empowered to pursue their
“As a regular visitor to the wadi. It is a culmination of a sions, awards, and a demics, sports, arts, dreams through quality educa-
– Hemant Rasane Dagdusheth temple, I specifi- two-month-long celebration of carnival. The cultural pro- and culture. tion.”
cally visited today too to con- education in all the 128 schools grammes will include dance, The carnival will offer a fun- PCMC Additional Commis-
The temple's atmosphere re- tribute sweets. I realized the under the PCMC. music, drama, and folk art filled experience for the stu- sioner Pradip Jambhale-Patil
flected a sense of 'Unity In Di- spiritual significance of this It aims to showcase the forms performed by students dents, with games, rides, food said, “'Jallosh Shikshanacha
versity,' with devotees from day for our Hindu brothers. talent and creativity of the stu- from different schools and stalls, and entertainment. The 2024' is a celebration of educa-
various backgrounds joining Hence, I chose to participate in dents, as well as the efforts and zones. The exhibitions will dis- event is expected to attract a tion in PCMC schools. It is an
the celebrations. Rasane urged the joy that many of us are cel- innovations of the teachers and play the work of the students, large number of participants, opportunity to witness the
everyone to view the day as an ebrating nationally. The the knowledge partners. The teachers, and knowledge part- including students, teachers, achievements and aspirations
opportunity to foster mutual re- experience at the temple was event will honour the schools ners, such as projects, models, heads of schools, parents, citi- of the students, teachers, and
spect for different beliefs and truly ethereal." that have excelled in various paintings, crafts, and digital zens, and dignitaries. schools of PCMC.”
GUJARAT
Ambaji Mandir
delivers prasad
at doorsteps
FPJ NEWS SERVICE /
GANDHINAGAR
Devotees rejoice! The revered
‘prasad’ of the Ambaji Man-
dir on Gabbar Parvat in
North Gujarat will now be
just a click away. Starting
Monday, Jan 22nd, the delec-
table Mohanthal and Chikki
sweets offered at the temple
can be ordered online and de-
livered right to your
doorstep.
Making the announce-
ment, Varunkumar Baranw-
al, the Banaskantha district
magistrate and chairman of
Shree Arasuri Ambaji Mata
Devasthan Trust, said, "By
simply making online pay-
ments, devotees can receive
Ma Ambaji's divine blessings
in the form of prasad through
courier convenience. This
service will usher in a new
era of accessibility for mil-
lions of believers who yearn
for a touch of Ambaji's grace,
even from afar."
The launch of online
prasad ordering coincides
with the Pran Pratishtha Ma-
hotsav celebrations at Ram
Mandir in Ayodhya. In Am-
baji, a series of parallel events
have been organized to mark
the occasion. This Monday,
the five-day Van Setu Chetna
Yatra culminates with the
presence of MoS Home, Harsh
Sanghvi. A soulful Bhajan
Sandhya orchestrated by the
renowned singer Maithili
Thakur, in association with
Gujarat Sahitya Akademi,
will captivate the evening at
JP Nadda to launch election
offices across 26 LS seats
AMIT COWPER / AHMEDABAD
A day after the historic 'Pran
Pratistha' ceremony at the
Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, the
national president of the
Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), JP Nadda, is set to
kick-start the party's election
campaign in Gujarat. In a
strategic move, Nadda will be
inaugurating the Gandhina-
gar Lok Sabha seat election
office and virtually launching
election offices across 26 Lok
Sabha seats in the state on
Tuesday.
The timing of this visit is
crucial as it marks the initia-
tion of preparations for the
impending Lok Sabha elec-
tions in Gujarat, anticipated
to be scheduled for April or
May. With the state being the
political home ground of
Prime Minister Narendra
Surat RPF reunites owner
with `9L worth of valuables
MELVYN THOMAS / SURAT
In a unique display of honesty
and efficiency, the Railway
Protection Force (RPF) at
Surat railway station
ensured a tearful reunion be-
tween a distressed passenger
and her misplaced bag con-
taining valuables worth a
staggering Rs 9 lakh.
The incident unfolded on
January 18th, when RPF per-
sonnel Rajan Sandav, CT
Sunil Dhaka, and Pawan Ku-
mar, during their routine in-
spection at the Musafirkhana
(restroom), stumbled upon an
abandoned ladies' handbag.
Following protocol, the
RPF team handed the bag
over to RPF ASI Sadanand
Shukla for further investiga-
tion. Destiny, however, had
other plans. Shortly after, a
frantic Manjuben Ramesh
Kumar Jain, a 68-year-old res-
ident of Kailashnagar, Maju-
ra Gate, arrived at the RPF of-
RAM MANDIR CONSECRATION
Gujarat mothers welcome newborns on big day
MELVYN THOMAS / SURAT
As the echoes of Ram Mandir's
'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony re-
verberate across India, a unique
trend unfolds in Gujarat. Many
expecting mothers, driven by
faith and longing, chose Janu-
ary 22nd for their ‘Muhurat’ de-
liveries, aligning their new-
borns' arrival with the highly
auspicious occasion. This surge
in caesarean section bookings
on this historic day has gynae-
cologists both touched and con-
cerned.
"My due date was February
5th, but when I heard about the
'Muhurt' for the Ram Mandir, I
knew I wanted my child to be
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
5 lose vision after
cataract surgery
Tragedy unfolded on January 10 when 29 patients
underwent corrective operation at a Mandal hospital
AMIT COWPER / AHMEDABAD
Five patients are left with per-
manent vision loss and five
remain critically ill after
complications arose from
cataract surgeries at a trust
hospital in Mandal here. The
incident has sparked outrage
and investigations at both the
state and judicial levels.
Out of the 20 patients ad-
mitted to the M&J Institute of
Ophthalmology in Ahmed-
abad Civil Hospital, ten have
shown improvement, with
two regaining their vision
completely and eight exhibit-
ing gradual recovery. Howev-
er, five face a bleak future,
having suffered extensive in-
fections that have rendered
them permanently blind.
"Despite our best efforts, in-
cluding intensive treatment
with antibiotics, injections,
and medication, the damage
caused by the infections is ir-
reversible," said a senior doc-
tor at the institute.
The tragedy unfolded on
January 10 when 29 patients
underwent cataract surgery
at the Mandal hospital. Just
days later, between January
15 and 18, 20 of these patients
were rushed to the Ahmed-
abad institute, complaining
of vision loss.
Modi, the BJP aims to fortify
its presence and secure a
strong mandate in the up-
coming polls.
JP Nadda's schedule in-
cludes a meeting with the
BJP state organisation,
where key discussions about
election strategies and
preparations will take
centre stage. The Gujarat
BJP is gearing up to present
a comprehensive overview
of the groundwork laid out
for the upcoming general
elections. Party leaders will
brief Nadda about the metic-
ulously crafted plans to en-
sure a seamless and success-
ful campaign leading up to
the polls.
The inauguration of the
Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat
election office holds symbolic
importance, given the signifi-
cance of Gandhinagar as the
fice with her son Rakesh
Jain. With a trembling voice,
Manjuben narrated her story.
She was travelling from
Ahmedabad to Surat on train
number 19418 and had inad-
vertently forgotten her hand-
bag in the Musafirkhana.
Manjuben described the
bag's contents: a pair of gold
bangles worth Rs. 4.40 lakh,
two gold rings worth Rs 1.20
lakh, a pair of earrings worth
Rs 80,000, a gold chain worth
Rs 70,000, and Rs 4,760 in cash
– a lifetime of savings and pre-
cious keepsakes.
born on this blessed day,"
shares a mother, who gave birth
to a healthy baby boy at Surat
Diamond Association Aryoga
Samiti Hospital. "We believe
children born on such an auspi-
cious day will receive Lord
The Gujarat Health and
Family Welfare Department
has wasted no time in form-
ing a nine-member expert
committee to investigate the
incident. Meanwhile, the Gu-
jarat High Court has taken
suo motu cognisance of the
case, calling the incident
"glaring and deplorable."
"This is a serious matter
that demands immediate and
thorough investigation," said
Justice AS Supehia, part of
the bench hearing the case.
"We expect a detailed report
from the state government on
the cause of these complica-
tions and the steps taken to
ensure such tragedies never
capital of Gujarat. Nadda's
presence is expected to ener-
gize party workers and rally
the BJP cadre towards a unit-
ed front as they gear up for
the electoral battle.
In addition to physically in-
augurating the Gandhinagar
office, Nadda will employ vir-
tual means to inaugurate
election offices across 26 Lok
Sabha seats in Gujarat. This
virtual launch reflects the
party's embrace of technology
to reach a wider audience and
create an extensive network
for the election campaign.
The visit of JP Nadda to
Gujarat not only under-
scores the political impor-
tance of the state but also
signals the BJP's commit-
ment to a meticulous and
strategic approach in the
run-up to the Lok Sabha
elections.
The RPF team, touched by
Manjuben's plight, sprung into
action. ASI Bhanwar Lal Daro-
ga meticulously verified Man-
juben's claims, and upon con-
firmation, the bag was
promptly returned to its right-
ful owner. The joy and relief on
Manjuben's face were palpable
as she clutched her bag, ex-
pressing her deepest gratitude
to the RPF personnel for their
honesty and dedication.
"I can't thank the RPF
enough. I had lost all hope of
ever seeing my belongings
again. They have not only re-
united me with my valuables
but have also restored my
faith in humanity," said an
emotional Manjuben, her
voice choking with gratitude.
The incident highlights
the role the RPF plays be-
yond ensuring passenger
safety. Their commitment
to upholding moral values
and going beyond their
duty.
Ram's blessings and grow up
with good values."
Hospitals like Surat
Diamond hospital have wit-
nessed a significant rise in cae-
sarean deliveries scheduled for
January 22nd. "We performed
happen again."
The Mandal hospital has
been put under scrutiny,
with its surgical practices
and hygiene standards being
questioned. The incident has
also raised concerns about
the quality of healthcare pro-
vided in rural areas, particu-
larly in trust-run hospitals.
The families of the
affected patients are under-
standably devastated. "My
father trusted this hospital
with his eyesight, and now
he's lost it forever," said a
tearful daughter of one of the
patients. "We demand
justice and accountability
for this negligence."
In a first such
case, app-based
gambling busted
in Ahmedabad
FPJ NEWS SERVICE /
AHMEDABAD
In a novel twist to the fight
against gambling, the
Ahmedabad cybercrime po-
lice have registered the
state's first case of live online
gambling, busting a racket
operated through a mobile
app. Eight individuals, in-
cluding the mastermind,
were arrested during a Sun-
day raid in the Madhavpura
area of the city.
"The accused used this app
to bypass the hassle of run-
ning physical gambling dens,
fearing police raids,"
revealed BD Bhatt, police in-
spector of the city's cyber-
crime police station. "It was a
live streaming setup, accessi-
ble to anyone with an inter-
net connection across Gu-
jarat."
Acting on a tip-off, police
kept a close watch on the op-
eration run by Usmangali,
believed to be the key figure
behind the app. During the
raid, officers found a mobile
phone mounted on a tripod,
broadcasting the gambling
scene live.
"Entry to the app was re-
stricted," Bhatt explained.
"Usmangali charged an ini-
tial fee of Rs. 10,000 for access,
which doubled as the player's
virtual gambling balance.
For smaller amounts, players
could transfer money online,
but for anything exceeding
ten thousand, Usmangali
even sent his men to place
bets on their behalf."
Authorities believe this
online format was an attempt
to evade detection by conven-
tional police raids. However,
the vigilance of the cyber
crime unit led to the success-
ful bust.
"This marks a significant
development in our fight
against gambling," Bhatt stat-
ed. "The internet opens up
new avenues for criminal ac-
tivity, and we are constantly
adapting our strategies to
combat these emerging
threats."
over 22 deliveries today, all
mothers choosing this date for
their babies' arrival," confirms a
senior gynaecologist at the hos-
pital. "While we understand the
sentiment, it's crucial to priori-
tize medical considerations and
ensure that only those
medically requiring it undergo
surge.
Doctor Haresh Paghda of
Surat's Diamond Hospital said
that after announcing the free
delivery, a large number had
registered for delivery on this
day. About 30 deliveries are ex-
pected till late night. In the six
deliveries that have taken place
so far, one family has named
their son Ram and one family
Bilkis Bano case: All 11 convicts back in jail on SC order
Godhra: All 11 convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape
and murder case surrendered at the Godhra sub-jail late
Sunday night, complying with the Supreme Court's order.
This marks the end of a tumultuous chapter that saw the
Dazzling Mukut for Ayodhya’s Ram
Lalla crafted by Surat diamond firm
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / SURAT
On the eve of the historic Pran
Pratistha ceremony at the
Ram Janmabhoomi temple,
the divine child Ram Lalla re-
ceived a breathtaking golden
crown, handcrafted in Surat
with gems worth ₹11 crore.
This dazzling gift, a symbol of
devotion and meticulous
craftsmanship, comes from
Mukesh Patel, a renowned
jeweller from Green Lab Dia-
mond Company.
“The moment I heard about
the possibility of offering an
ornament for Lord Ram,”
shared Patel, his eyes shining
with emotion, “I knew it had
to be something spectacular.
Ram Lalla, the king of kings,
deserves nothing less.”
The journey began with a
simple suggestion from Di-
nesh Navdia, National Treas-
urer of Vishwa Hindu
Parishad. He saw in Patel the
perfect man to adorn the tem-
ple’s most beloved deity.
Patel, touched by the request,
Gujarat couple arrested in US
‘donkey route’ trafficking case
FPJ NEWS SERVICE/
AHMEDABAD
In a major breakthrough in
the investigation of the
French ‘Vatry plane ground-
ing’ incident, the Gujarat
Crime Investigation Depart-
ment has made its first ar-
rest, nabbing a Mehsana
couple allegedly involved in
trafficking a 19-year-old en-
gineering student to the
United States.
Pushpak Raval and Falgu-
ni Raval were apprehended
on charges of illegally trans-
porting Meshwa Patel, one of
the 66 Gujarati aspirants de-
ported from France in De-
cember after authorities sus-
pected human trafficking
aboard the chartered flight.
This arrest marks a crucial
step in unravelling the net-
work behind the infamous
"Donkey Route" used for ille-
gal immigration to the US.
According to CID sources,
the Ravals lured Patel with
Surat diamond bourse loses sparkle as
Kiran Gems heads back to Mumbai
MELVYN THOMAS / SURAT
The glimmering promise of
the Surat Diamond Bourse,
touted as the world's largest
office building, is facing its
first major challenge with Ki-
ran Gems, the industry's
crown jewel, announcing a
return to its Mumbai base.
This exodus, just a month af-
ter Prime Minister Narendra
Modi's inauguration of the
SDB, has cast a long shadow
of doubt over the project's fu-
ture.
"We told Vallabh Kaka in
the meeting to shift his busi-
ness back to Mumbai and re-
turn when the diamond
bourse is actively opera-
tional," confided a core mem-
ber of the SDB committee, re-
questing anonymity. "You
can't run the show alone. Val-
labh Kaka was all alone, and
nobody supported him."
Kiran Gems, helmed by the
visionary Vallabhbhai
Lakhani, was the first major
player to relocate to the SDB
in November 2023, building
1,200 flats in Surat for its em-
ployees. Lakhani, the brain-
child behind the SDB, envi-
sioned it as a diamond
trading behemoth, attracting
other giants to follow suit.
However, his solo act fell
short, leaving the Bourse
has named their daughter Sita.
Janak Bawecha said, “Today,
Lord Ram has been glorified in
Ayodhya, and there is a festive
mood about it. On the same day,
Lord Rama blessed us with a
son and we named after him.”
While the trend presents
challenges for hospitals, it also
reflects the profound signifi-
cance of the Ram Mandir conse-
cration for many in Gujarat. As
a gynaecologist says, “It's a
beautiful reminder of the power
of faith and the emotional con-
nection people feel with this his-
toric moment. We are happy to
facilitate these deliveries while
ensuring the well-being of both
mothers and newborns."
readily agreed and, with the
full support of his family and
company, embarked on this
divine mission.
“Two of our skilled crafts-
men were flown to Ayodhya
to precisely measure the
idol’s head,” recalls Navdia.
“They returned to Surat and
immediately began the
painstaking process of creat-
ing the ‘mukut’, infusing
every ounce of dedication
into their work.”
The final masterpiece is a
the promise of a coveted
store job in the US, charging
him a staggering Rs 55 lakh
for the clandestine passage.
They reportedly took Rs 10
lakh as an advance before
sending Patel to Dubai on a
visitor's visa via Delhi. How-
ever, instead of Nicaragua,
the intended destination, he
was kept in Dubai under the
supervision of the Ravals'
associates.
Patel's dream quickly
turned into a nightmare. De-
nied the promised job and
with his money confiscated,
he demanded his refund.
This, it seems, led to his in-
clusion on the ill-fated flight
to France, which was ulti-
This exodus, just a month after PM Modi's
inauguration of the SDB, has cast a long
shadow of doubt over the project's future
eerily quiet.
The reasons for Kiran
Gems' retreat are multifold.
Sources whisper of mounting
losses due to the shift, citing
reluctance from Mumbai
merchants to embrace
Surat's commission
structure and a lack of public
transportation between the
city and the Bourse's remote
location. "The employees
were hesitant to relocate, and
the Surat workers weren't
keen on the long commute ei-
ther," added the committee
member.
Farmer’s daughter wins 19th Tata
Mumbai Full Marathon 2024
FPJ NEWS SERVICE /
AHMEDABAD
In a remarkable display of per-
severance and athletic
prowess, Nirma Thakore, hail-
ing from the humble village of
Hajipur in Patan taluka, se-
cured victory at the 19th Tata
Mumbai Full Marathon 2024 in
the Indian elite women catego-
ry. The daughter of a poor
farmer, Nirma not only con-
quered the challenging 41.195
km course but also etched her
name in history by completing
it in an impressive 2 hours, 47
minutes, and 11 seconds.
Competing against a formi-
dable field of participants at the
release of the convicts in 2022 and their subsequent re-
imprisonment following a fierce legal battle. Inspector NL
Desai of the local crime branch said, “All 11 convicts
surrendered before jail authorities late Sunday night.”
sight to behold. Weighing 6
kg, the crown boasts 4.5 kg of
pure gold meticulously craft-
ed into intricate floral motifs.
Nestled within are diamonds
of varying sizes, rubies ablaze
with colour, lustrous pearls,
and sapphires adding a touch
of regal blue. Each gemstone,
hand-selected for its bril-
liance and symbolic signifi-
cance, reflects the divine radi-
ance of Lord Ram.
“The design is inspired by
the ancient crowns worn by
mately grounded due to sus-
picions. Upon his return to
India, Patel's statement to
the CID played a key role in
identifying and apprehend-
ing the Ravals.
Investigators are now
probing the couple's opera-
tions, aiming to unearth the
extent of their involvement
in illegal immigration.
Sources believe more ar-
rests are imminent, poten-
tially leading to the disman-
tling of a larger network fa-
cilitating the treacherous
"Donkey Route".
This case highlights the
dangers of illegal immi-
gration networks preying
on desperate individuals
with enticing promises.
Patel's experience sheds
light
on the manipulative
tactics employed by traf-
fickers, who exploit vul-
nerabilities and aspira-
tions for personal gain,
said a senior CID officer.
A senior functionary of the
Gems and Jewellery Export
Promotion Council (GJEPC)
said, “IT was a wrong deci-
sion of Kiran Gems to shut its
office in Bharat Diamond
Bourse and shift base to
Surat. They (Kiran Gem)
should have operated the
Mumbai office and announce
expansion to Surat”
Adding fuel to the fire is the
sudden resignation of Nagjib-
hai Sakariya, the Bourse's
management committee pres-
ident, raising concerns about
internal discord.
Tata Mumbai Full Marathon
in Mumbai on Sunday, Nirma
Thakore's stellar performance
not only earned her the top spot
in the country but also resonat-
ed the pride of Patan across In-
dia. The young athlete, who has
been honing her skills in
Nashik for the past three years,
demonstrated exceptional
stamina and determination
crossing the finish line with a
emperors,” explains Patel,
pointing to the intricately
carved lotus bud atop the
mukut, “while incorporating
elements of traditional
temple architecture. It repre-
sents both Ram’s earthly
reign and his celestial divini-
ty.”
The culmination of count-
less hours of meticulous labor
and immense devotion, the
mukut adorns Ram Lalla
with a dazzling grandeur be-
fitting his celestial stature. As
thousands of devotees gather
for the temple’s consecration,
the crown not only symbol-
izes wealth and artistry but
also embodies the unyielding
faith and passion that fuelled
its creation.
“This isn’t just a crown,”
adds Navadia, a hint of awe in
his voice, “it’s a testament to
the unwavering devotion of
the people of India to their
beloved Lord Ram. It’s a gift
that represents the hopes,
dreams, and unwavering
faith of millions.”
Harni tragedy:
HC asks state for
action report
FPJ NEWS SERVICE /
AHMEDABAD
The Gujarat High Court, tak-
ing a firm stance in the Harni
Lake boat capsize incident
that claimed the lives of 12
children and 2 teachers, has
registered a suo moto
petition and demanded a
comprehensive action report
from the state government.
Chief Justice Sunita Agar-
wal and Justice Aniruddh
Miyani directed the Secre-
tary of Home Affairs to sub-
mit the report by the next
hearing, scheduled for Janu-
ary 29th.
This decisive action comes
in response to a plea filed by
Brijesh Trivedi, president of
the High Court Advocate's
Association. Trivedi, high-
lighting the sensitivity of the
case and the gross negligence
involved, urged the court to
intervene and ensure justice.
The court, acknowledging
the gravity of the tragedy,
readily accepted the petition.
"It's a setback, no doubt,"
admitted a Mumbai-based di-
amond analyst, "but not a
death knell. The Bourse
needs to actively attract other
players, diversify its offer-
ings, and address logistical is-
sues. It's a long game."
“Pressure tactics don’t
work in the diamond busi-
ness. If you say, I am shifting
and you all have to shift as
well, doesn’t work” he added.
Others remain optimistic.
"This is a temporary blip," as-
serted a Surat diamond mer-
chant. "The Bourse has the in-
frastructure, the potential,
and the government's back-
ing. It just needs time and col-
lective effort to sparkle."
“The future of the Surat Di-
amond Bourse hangs precari-
ously in the balance. Kiran
Gems' departure is a stark re-
minder that the dream of a di-
amond-encrusted future re-
quires more than just a
gleaming building.
It requires collaboration,
adaptability, and a willing-
ness to address the challenges
that lie beyond the glitter and
glamour,” said a diamond in-
dustry analyst, going on to
add, “Only time will tell if the
Bourse can rise above the
dust of this exodus and truly
shine as the world's diamond
hub.”
significant lead.
Nirmaben Bharatji Thakor,
as she is formally known, not
only clinched the gold medal
trophy but also secured a well-
deserved cash prize of five lakh
rupees. This victory adds an-
other glorious chapter to her
growing list of achievements.
In 2019, she emerged victori-
ous in the International
Marathon competition at Pune,
completing 41 km in 3 hours
and 9 minutes. Despite the can-
cellation of the 2020 Marathon
due to the pandemic, Nirma re-
turned stronger in 2021, setting
a new record by completing 41
km in just 2 hours and 50 min-
utes.
Sri Rama Ratha yatra taken out in Bhadradri
HYDERABAD: In view of the ongoing installation of Sri Rama Idol in
Ayodhya temple on Monday, special pujas and celebrations were
organized in the famous Sri Rama temple in Bhadrachalam in Telangana
State. The temple priests performed Archana to the presiding deity by
CPI’S BHUMATHA COMMITTEE
SUBMITS REPRESENTATION TO CCLA
FPJ BUREAU/HYDERABAD
CPI national executive mem-
ber Chada Venkatreddy and
CPI national committee
members met the Bhoomatha
committee at the Telangana
CCLA office and made sug-
gestions to the Bhumata com-
mittee and the shortcomings
in the dharani portal of the
previous government. They
submitted a representation to
the committee members on
the occasion.
In their representation,
they said It was heartening to
note that the new government
and Chief Minister A. Re-
vanth Reddy immediately
constituted a special commit-
tee to rectify the shortcom-
ings in Dharani portal.
“Though the previous gov-
ernment had launched Dha-
rani portal in the year 2020 by
saying that Revenue services
should be transparent, the is-
sues were not resolved . When
it came into effect, lakhs of
acres of land were pushed to-
wards disputes. Though the
land in the entire State is
about three crore acres, it is
not fully registered in the
dharani record. The land sur-
vey in Telangana was done 90
Grievances should be resolved
within a week: GHMC Mayor
FPJ BUREAU/HYDERABAD
GHMC Mayor Gadwal Vijay-
alakshmi said the grievances
received from the public dur-
ing the Prajavani programme
should be resolved within a
week.
Vijayalakshmi along with
Deputy Mayor Srilatha Shob-
han Reddy received applica-
tions from people at the Praja-
vani programme held at the
GHMC headquarters here on
Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, the
Mayor said that in a bid to re-
solve the problems of the people,
the Prajavani programme will
be organised from 10.30 AM to 1
PM at all the zonal and circle of-
fices on every Monday across
the GHMC limits.
She directed the officials to
resolve the complaints re-
ceived from the people and
submit the report every Sat-
urday.
Officials were also directed
to give a receipt to every ap-
Komatireddy lashes out at BRS MLA for
levelling derogatory remarks
FPJ BUREAU/HYDERABAD
Minister for Roads and Build-
ings Komatireddy Venkat
Reddy lashed out at BRS MLA
and former minister
Jagadish Reddy for levelling
derogatory remarks against
him.
Speaking to the media here
on Monday, Komatireddy
Venkat Reddy said that Ja-
gadish Reddy, who went to jail
for illegally selling liquor
during the prohibition
period, was very strange to
talk about him.
"I threw away my ministe-
rial posts for demanding a
separate Telangana State. Ja-
gadish Reddy doesn't have
any right to speak about me
as the latter is an arrogant
person and he is the least
bothered about solving the
problems of people. He is ac-
cusing me of exposing the
Unveiling the Spectacle of Budget Brilliance in Cinematic Wizardry: Hanuman VFX
years ago. The previous
rulers did not make any effort
towards solutions, even
though there were some
shortcomings in the bound-
aries then decided.
“Therefore, forest, govern-
ment, devaswom, waqf board
and bhoodan lands are being
alienated in the dharani por-
tal. It has been two years since
the previous government an-
nounced that it would con-
duct a land survey, but it has
not materialised. We hope the
present government immedi-
ately undertake a comprehen-
sive land survey to find a per-
plication and to resolve every
application received within a
week.
The authorities should in-
form the petitioner in writing
that in how many days such
application can be resolved,
Vijayalakshmi said.
Stating that the cyber crim-
Yadadri power plant scam,
Bhadradri plant irregulari-
ties and Chhattisgarh power
purchase scam,"
Komatireddy alleged.
The Minister said no
amount of gimmicks can stop
placing golden flowers at His Lotus Feet. They also took out Ratha Yatra
in the temple town with the Idols of presiding deities in the Sri Rama
Ratham amidst chanting of Veda mantras, keertans by Haridasas and
cultural programs.
manent solution to this long-
standing problem and remove
the difficulties of the poor
and middle class farmers,”
they said.
The leaders also said the
record purification with the
Dharani portal had caused
many kinds of controversies
and added that many farmers
had committed suicide due to
irregularities in the name of
change of records. “Several
changes have been made in
the registration of revenue
records in the name of Dha-
rani portal. As part of this, the
period of registration of the
inals are calling the benefici-
aries of double bedroom
scheme, asking them to pay
money through Google Pay
and Phone Pay, the GHMC
Mayor urged the
beneficiaries not to belive
their words and not get de-
ceived by sending money.
Jagadish Reddy from going to
jail after coming out of the
vigilance inquiry report. He
is the second person to go to
jail after former chief minis-
ter K Chandrashekar Rao's
family members in
The leaders also said the record purification with
the Dharani portal had caused many kinds of
controversies and added that many farmers had
committed suicide due to irregularities in the
name of change of records.
name of the farmer, which
was earlier registered every
year, has been abolished.
“We congratulate CM for
his efforts to set up the Bhu-
mata Committee and remove
the difficulties being faced by
the farmers in terms of rev-
enue. We request that sugges-
tions should be made to ex-
amine and resolve the follow-
ing issues through the Bhu-
mata Committee,” the party
leaders said.
They said a detailed en-
quiry can be conducted in re-
spect of the farmers, who
have purchased their lands in
the past through plain papers
and have been cultivating
lands for over 12 years and
added that their names can be
registered as pattadars. Stat-
ing that if a family owns land
in the name of the head of the
family and after their death,
they have to face a lot of diffi-
culties in transferring pattas
EU Ambassador to India visits IIIT Hyderabad’s Smart City Living Lab
FPJ BUREAU/HYDERABAD
Hervé Delphin, Ambassador
of the European Union to In-
dia, along with EU delegates
(Pierrick Fillon-Ashida, First
Counsellor, Head of the Re-
search and Innovation Sec-
tion, Delegation of the Euro-
pean Union to India and Sara
Zennaro, Counsellor for
Trade and Economic Affairs,
Delegation of the European
Union to India) visited IIIT
Hyderabad’s Smart City Liv-
ing Lab recently.
Established with support
from MEITY, the Smart Cities
mission, and the Government
of Telangana, IIITH’s Smart
City Living Lab focuses on
various aspects such as water,
energy, solar, pollution,
weather, and
occupancy/crowd manage-
ment for smart cities.
Commenting on the visit,
Benoit Sauveroche, First
Counsellor, Communications,
Network, Content and Tech-
nology Delegation, European
Commission said, “When the
EU delegation asked me if
there was just one place in
Telangana State, Komatired-
dy said.
He further alleged that the
people were laughing at Ja-
gadish Reddy who doesn't
have any credibility among
the people.
C
ontemporary cinema
has evolved dramatically
with the advancements
in technology. Specifically, the
widespread use of visual
effects (VFX) has revolution-
ized the cinematic landscape,
allowing filmmakers to create
compelling, fantastical worlds
and unforgettable emotional
experiences. One prime exam-
ple of this would be "Hanu-
Man," a Telugu film directed by
Prashanth Varma, which has
taken the film industry by
storm with its exceptional visu-
als and unique storytelling.
Despite operating on a
modest budget, Prashanth
Varma teamed up with VFX
veteran Udai Krishna to cre-
ate remarkable visuals that
pushed the boundaries of tra-
ditional filmmaking. Udai Kr-
ishna's expertise in VFX and
HYDERABAD
(virasat) to their heirs, they
said it should be made easier.
Stating that in the land acqui-
sition programme undertak-
en by the government in the
past, the names of other per-
sons were wrongly registered
as pattadars instead of the ac-
tual pattadars in the State,
they said. This was causing a
lot of difficulties to the actual
patta holders.
“The wrong names that
were registered after dha-
rani's arrival continue in this
regard, the Government
should take appropriate ac-
tion and register the names
of the original pattadars in
Dharani. In the past, due to
non-linking of Aadhaar card
on patta and related technical
issues, small, marginal and
poor farmers are unable to
avail Rythu Bhima and Rythu
Bandhu schemes. They
should be corrected immedi-
ately,” they added.
Hyderabad they could visit,
which should it be, I recom-
mended the Smart City Liv-
ing Lab at IIIT Hyderabad”.
IIITH faculty provided an
overview of the ‘live’ lab that
helps test innovations before
implementing them in cities.
The lab has a reference stack
containing sensor nodes for
different aspects. Communi-
cation protocols such as 5G,
Two buses
gutted in TSRTC
bus depot in
Dilsukhnagar
FPJ BUREAU/HYDERABAD
Two buses were completely
burnt and one damaged par-
tially in a fire accident oc-
curred in Dilsukhnagar
TSRTC bus depot in the State
capital in the early hours of
Monday, RTC officials said.
Alerted by the inferno, the
Depot officials immediately
called the Fire Service offi-
cials, who rushed to the spot
and put out the flames and
brought the situation under
control. However, the Fire
service officials could not
find the reasons for the fire
accident in the depot.
At the time of the incident,
many buses were parked in
the depot. However, the fire
fighters extinguished the
flames soon and averted a big
mishap, the depot officials
said.
strategic planning played a
pivotal role in the film's suc-
cess, highlighting the power
of strategic partnerships and
resource optimization in the
VFX industry.
Udai Krishna's journey to
achieving success in the VFX
industry was no mean feat.
Throughout his career, he
faced numerous challenges,
from financial constraints to
limited resources. However,
the limitations he encoun-
tered fueled his creativity, and
he learned to turn constraints
into opportunities. This ap-
proach has enabled him to
take VFX to new heights.
In "HanuMan," Udai Krish-
na leveraged modern technol-
ogy to deliver an exceptional
cinematic experience. He de-
signed a smart pipeline sys-
tem that optimized resources,
HYDERABAD | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
CM Revanth returns to
Hyderabad after foreign tour
FPJ BUREAU/HYDERABAD
Chief Minister A Revanth
Reddy reached Hyderabad on
Monday morning after the
successful completion of his
first foreign tour.
The Chief Minister was re-
ceived a grand welcome by
Harkara Venugopal Rao, Ad-
vsior to State Government (
Protocol and Public Rela-
tions) at Shamshabad
Airport in the city.
Revanth Reddy along with
Minister for IT and Industries
4G, WiFi, LORAWAN, and Wi-
SUN are utilized. The data is
then sent to OneM2M, adher-
ing to IoT standards and in-
teroperability. Data is stored
in a data warehouse with
standardized information
models using IUDX as a data
interchange layer. This en-
sures a standardized view of
all sensor data, accessible to
multiple stakeholders, in-
Sri Ramakrishna Thirtha
Mukkoti in Tirumala on Jan. 25
FPJ BUREAU/HYDERABAD
One of the most important
torrent fete, Sri Ramakrishna
Thirtha Mukkoti will be ob-
served in Tirumala on Janu-
ary 25.
According to Puranas,
there are 3 crore 50 lakh tor-
rents in Tirumala. Among
them, Saptatirthas are promi-
nent including Swami
Pushkarini, Kumaradhara,
Tumburu, Sri Ramakrishna,
Akashaganga, Papavinasana
and Pandava Theerthams are
the most famous.
It is believed that if the
devotees bath in these tor-
rents on the specified full
moon days, they will attain
salvation.
Sri Ramakrishna Theertha
Mukkoti occurs on Pushyami
Nakshatrayuta Pournami on
January 25.
Devotees trek the hard path
In "HanuMan," Udai
Krishna leveraged
modern technology to
deliver an exceptional
cinematic experience. He
designed a smart pipeline
system that optimized
resources, and this
ensured they produced
the desired quality
without overspending.
and this ensured they pro-
duced the desired quality
without overspending.
One of the standout fea-
tures of "HanuMan" is its ex-
ceptional VFX, which is dis-
played impressively in
several sequences. For exam-
ple, in the "Giant Hanuman
statue," the team used cutting-
The Chief Minister was
received a grand
welcome by Harkara
Venugopal Rao, Advsior
to State Government (
Protocol and Public
Relations) at Shamshabad
Airport in the city.
D Sridhar Babu and some
senior officials attended the
World Economic Forum (
WEF) annual meeting in
cluding research and govern-
ment. Currently, 300 nodes
have been deployed across the
campus.
Low-cost sensors were
showcased, monitoring air
quality parameters like
PM2.5, PM10, water level, and
quantity. A retrofit model for
water management was also
explained, involving a small
cap on analog meters to mon-
in the deep woods and take holy
bath on this auspicious day.
TTD has made elaborate
arrangements for the event.
TTD has also appealed that
devotees below 10 years and
above 50 years, persons with obe-
sity and those who have under-
gone surgeries are not allowed to
visit Ramakrishna Tirtham.
edge VFX to create an immer-
sive, realistic experience that
left audiences awestruck.
Moreover, "Hanuman" also
emphasizes the importance of
keeping abreast of emerging
trends in VFX and continually
upskilling. Udai Krishna's jour-
ney illustrates how adopting pi-
oneering VFX production
methodologies and using the
latest software has allowed him
to refine his work continually.
In conclusion, "HanuMan"
serves as a prime example of
the importance of effective
partnership and strategic
planning in the VFX industry.
Udai Krishna's vision and
persistence in the face of
challenges have been crucial
to his success, and they pro-
vide valuable insights for as-
piring VFX artists.
Indeed, the entertainment
Davos, Switzerland and later
visited London and Dubai
cities for discussing the devel-
opment of 56-kilometers long
Musi river front, green urban
spaces, and exploring com-
mercial linkages and invest-
ment models.
The State government
claimed that Chief Minister
Revanth Reddy's Davos visit
was highly successful and
Telangana set a record in get-
ting new investments deals
signed of Rs 40,232 crore dur-
ing the WEF annual meeting.
IIITH faculty provided an
overview of the ‘live’ lab
that helps test
innovations before
implementing them in
cities. The lab has a
reference stack
containing sensor nodes
for different aspects.
itor water flow and send val-
ues. The Center of Excellence
(CoE) on IoT and oneM2M for
Smart Cities at IIITH was
highlighted, particularly fo-
cusing on water level, flow,
and quality monitoring. The
CoE was funded by India-EU
collaboration project on stan-
dardization and its activities
resulted in Smart City Re-
search Center at IIITH.
The EU delegation raised
questions about waste man-
agement, emphasizing its so-
cietal importance. The meet-
ing touched upon IIIT's open-
ness to startups and new
ideas, highlighting a startup
called HydrowVerse focused
on water monitoring.
While persons with dia-
betes, hypertension (B.P), thy-
roid problems, heart diseases
can visit Ramakrishna
Theertham by taking proper
precautions.
A free bus facility from
Gogarbham to Pa-
pavinasanam is arranged by
TTD for the sake of devotees.
industry is a constantly evolv-
ing landscape, and it's
integral that professionals
embrace new possibilities
and make bold moves for-
ward. Udai Krishna's work in
"HanuMan" and his upcom-
ing new venture, "BeastBells,"
highlights how resource uti-
lization and strategic partner-
ships can create ground-
breaking VFX work.
As audiences and film
lovers look forward to the fu-
ture of cinema, it is prudent
to have an eye on VFX artists
who continue to push creative
boundaries with their unique
vision. By embracing effec-
tive strategic partnerships
and resource optimization,
VFX artists can continue to
create revolutionary and awe-
inspiring visuals that leave
audiences captivated!!
South Korea grants extension of truth commission
Seoul: South Korea's presidential office said Monday it approved a request by the country's Truth and Reconciliation
Commission to extend its term by a year through late-May 2025. Investigators had been calling for more time to examine a
broad range of human rights violations linked to Seoul's past military governments, including a widespread falsifying of child
origins that fuelled a government-backed foreign adoption boom in the 1970s and '80s.
WORLD
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

GLOBAL BEYOND BOUNDARIES

BULLETIN
Over 100 flights
cancelled at Dublin
FROM NY TO MEXICO: RAM LALLA CONSECRATION
airport due to storm
Dublin : Airlines cancelled 102
flights in and out of Dublin
airport on Sunday due to a
IN AYODHYA, CELEBRATIONS ACROSS WORLD
Times Square
storm that was forecast to rage
for the rest of the day, Reuters echoes with Bhajans
reported, citing airport
operator.Storm Isha had also
forced 24 aborted landings by
in celebrations,
1700 GMT, while 27 flights Ram Mandir on
opted to divert to other
airports, Dublin Airport said in a NASDAQ screen,
post on social media platform car rally in LA
X.
AGENCIES / Washington/Port of Spain
Nearly 18,000 candidates
in fray for polls in Pak Joyous Ram devotees and mem-
Islamabad: Pakistan's election bers of the Indian diaspora
commission has released the around the world gathered at sev-
final list of nearly 18,000
candidates for the February 8 eral places, including at the
general elections. Jailed former iconic Times Square in New
prime minister Imran Khan's York, and organised prayers, car
name is not on the list of
candidates. Geo News
rallies and other religious events
to celebrate the consecration of
Mexico gets its first Ram Temple
reported Among these, 11,785

candidates will contest the polls
independently, while 6,031 will
compete under the banner of
their respective political parties.
Cameroon starts world's
first malaria vaccine prog
for children
Yaounde: Cameroon will be
the first country to routinely
give children a new malaria
vaccine as the shots are rolled
out in Africa. The campaign due
to start on Monday was
described by officials as a
milestone in the decades-long
effort to curb the mosquito-
spread disease on the
continent, which accounts for
95 per cent of the world's
malaria deaths.
Taiwan says 6 Chinese
balloons flew through
its airspace
Taipei: Taiwan said on Monday
that six Chinese balloons either
flew over the island or through
airspace just north of it, while
Chinese warplanes and navy
ships were also detected in the
area. The dispatch of such
balloons, which generally
disappear into the Pacific to the
east, appears to be on the rise,
though their purpose has not
been publicly announced. The
Defence Ministry noted the
balloon sightings on a list of
Chinese People's Liberation
Army activity in the waters and
airspace around Taiwan.
UN migration agency
seeks $7.9 bn to help
people
Geneva: The UN's migration
agency is launching its first
"global appeal," seeking $7.9
billion to help people on the
move and ensure smoother
pathways to migration, at a
time when the fallout from
climate change, conflict and
both economic distress and
opportunities has caused
millions to leave their homes.
'Ram Lalla' in Ayodhya on Mon-
day.
The Indian diaspora gathered
at New York's Times Square to
witness the live screening of
'Pran Pratistha' ceremony at Ram
Mandir. The iconic location was
lit up to mark the ceremony. Peo-
ple were seen donning traditional
attire, dancing, singing bhajans
and other songs.
At SV Lotus Temple in Fairfax
County of Virginia, a suburb of
Washington DC, members of the
Sikh, Muslim and Pakistani
7 killed, 40 missing
as landslide strikes
southwest China
AGENCIES / Beijing/Kunming
At least seven people were
killed and 40 others went
missing after a landslide
struck southwest China's
mountainous Yunnan
province on Monday.
The disaster struck the
Liangshui village of Zhao-
tong city at 5:51 am Beijing
time, the state-run Xinhua
news agency reported.
Seven people were con-
firmed dead and 40 others
remain missing in the
landslide, the report said.
The 47 victims are from 18
different households, res-
cue officials said.
Over 500 residents were
evacuated from the land-
slide-hit areas as the
provincial commission for
disaster reduction activat-
ed a Level-III emergency
response for disaster
relief, state-run CCTV re-
ported.
Indian diaspora at
Times Square celebrate
American communities also
joined the celebrations.
Over 2,500 people attended the
event on Sunday. Pictures of the
Ram Mandir were also displayed
on the NASDAQ screen. In Los
DeSantis quits US Presidential race, endorses Trump
Now, Nikki
Haley is sole
Republican
challenger
against former
US president
AGENCIES / Washington
Florida Governor Ron De-
Santis has announced that
he is withdrawing from the
Republican party's presi-
dential primary race and
endorsing Donald Trump
as the party's nominee,
leaving Indian-American
politician Nikki Haley as
the sole challenger against
the former US president in
the nomination contest.
DeSantis, who came in
second in the Iowa caucus-
es with 21 per cent, sus-
pended his campaign on
Sunday.
He said that it was clear
to him that a majority of
Republican primary voters
O
n the eve of 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony at Ayodhya, the city
of Queretaro in Mexico got the first Lord Ram temple. Quere-
taro also hosts the first Lord Hanuman temple in Mexico. "The
'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony was performed by an American Priest
A screen displaying the image of Lord Ram at Times Square on the occasion of
Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Ayodhyas Ram Temple, in New York, USA on Sunday with Mexican hosts & the idols brought from India.
Angeles, 1,000 people attended a nounced a Ram Mandir Yatra to More than 5,000 people attended inauguration "Let us rejoice as
car rally to celebrate the occa- visit over 1,000 temples in the two the celebration on Sunday which Shri Ram returns to Ayodhya.
sion. About 250 cars participated countries. Thousands of people was marked by cultural events In Fiji, Ram Lalla Utsav was or-
in the rally. in Trinidad and Tobago, a and the singing of popular Ram ganised from January 18-22 by
Immediately after the inaugu- Caribbean nation with a large songs. The Mauritian govern- the Indian Council for Cultural
ration of the Ram Temple in Ay- number of Indian-origin popula- ment granted a one-off special Relations in Suva and Shree
odhya, World Hindu Council of tion, attended a grand event on leave for two hours to public ser- Sanatan Dharm Pratinidhi Sab-
America (VHPA) and Vishwa the eve of the consecration of vants of the Hindu faith to attend ha of Fiji to commemorate the
Hindu Parishad of Canada an- 'Ram Lalla' in Ayodhya. prayers marking the "landmark" inauguration. PTI
will honour that pledge.
Rep. Nancy
He has my endorsement
because we can't go back Mace of South
to the old Republican
guard of yesteryear. A Carolina backs
repackaged form of
Trump over Haley
warmed-over corporatism
that Nikki Haley repre- AGENCIES / Charleston
sents." "Following our sec-
ond-place finish in Iowa, Donald Trump has picked
we've prayed and deliber- up another endorsement
ated on our way forward. from Nikki Haley's home
Ron DeSantis If there was anything I state of South Carolina,
could do to produce a with Rep. Nancy Mace
occupant from January favourable outcome, more backing the former
president in this year's
2017 to January 2021, lost campaign stops, more in-
to incumbent Joe Biden in terviews, I would do it," he GOP presidential primary.
the 2020 elections. added. Mace had stayed out of the
2024 Republican primary as
Supporters former President Donald Trump cheer during a Trump, so far the most With the withdrawal by
two fellow South
campaign rally at the Rochester Opera House on Sunday. AFP popular Republican presi- DeSantis, who once was
Carolinians - Haley and
dential candidate with a seen as a formidable chal- Sen. Tim Scott - entered
wanted to give Trump an- a social media platform. majority of the party lenge to Trump, it's now a
other chance. Haley, 51, the former US members supporting him, race of two in the party
the race last year. On
Monday, a day ahead of the
"I can't ask our support- ambassador to the UN, is as per all major polls, won between Trump and Haley. New Hampshire primary,
ers to volunteer their time the only Republican left in the Iowa Caucus last week Political pundits now say Mace told The Associated
and donate their resources the Republican nomina- and is leading in the New that the former president Press that she was backing
if we don't have a clear tion race against Trump, Hampshire primaries, is set to be the Republican Trump over Haley, who
path to victory. According- who is seeking to enter the which is scheduled for party's nominee and that lives in her congressional
ly, I am today suspending White House for a second Tuesday. the November 2024 presi- district and supported her
my campaign," the 45-year- term. DeSantis said: "I signed a dential elections will be a in 2022 against a Trump-
old politician said in a The 77-year-old former pledge to support the Re- repeat of the 2020 elec- backed challenger.
video message posted on X, president, a White House publican nominee, and I tions: Trump vs Biden.

Crossword # 1025 YOUR DAY By Vinayak Vishwas Karandikar Easter Sunday Saudi Arabia won't Putin's campaign
Across ARIES: Today is the LIBRA: Today is the
bomb attack
recognise Israel without a presents petitions
1 Trivial lies (4) day to travel and take day to travel, study Sri Lanka church backing his
to declare 273 path to a Palestinian state
4 Hold tightly (6) care of health. Expect and control speech.
8 Come together (3)
expenditure for health Expenditure for
run in elections
10 Bustles or fusses (4) Relatives and
and study. People in travel, tourism spouse, health and travel is
13 Popular South African
music (8) and education will be benefited. Ill expected. People from health, victims as saints supporters of the
Israeli hostages
AGENCIES / Moscow

health of or travel with family communication and travel will be AGENCIES / Colombo block a road with Russian President
14 City in UP (7) tents during a
members is indicated. Some people benefited. Ill health of or travel Vladimir Putin's campaign
15 Drooped as from heat protest calling for
may suffer from ear pain. with family members is indicated. Sri Lanka's Catholic staff on Monday presented
(6) church has decided to their release scores of boxes filled with
17 Stole (9) TAURUS: Today is the SCORPIO: Today is the move towards declaring as outside Israeli PM signed petitions support-
21 Comrade (3) saints all the 273 people, in- residence, in ing his run in the March
day of gain and loss. day to travel and take Jerusalem AP/PTI
22 Russian space station cluding 11 Indians, killed presidential election, a
(3)
Expect expenditure for care of health. Expect
in the 2019 Easter Sunday AGENCIES / Jerusalem vote in which he's almost
23 Mount ___ : hill travel, business and expenditure for suicide bombings on its hood and described plans certain to win another
resort in Rajasthan ? common purpose (4) 18 Ketu's counterpart (4) premiums. People from education and health. People in art, fifth anniversary.Cardinal Saudi Arabia's top diplo- for open-ended military term in office.
(3) 3 Office note (4) 19 Devilish ones (4) communication, security and entertainment and communication Malcolm Ranjith, the Arch- mat said the kingdom will control over Gaza. Putin, although closely
26 Review the decisions 5 Neither gas nor solid 20 Pinch (3) entertainment will be benefited. will get success. Ill health of or bishop of Colombo, an- not normalise relations Relatives of hostages tied to the dominant
of the lower courts (9) (6) 23 Similar (5) Long journey with or ill health of dispute with family members is nounced the move while with Israel or contribute to storm parliament United Russia party, is run-
27 Thick digits ? (6) 6 Decimal base (3) 24 Speak or say (5) family members is indicated. indicated. Toothache indicated. addressing a mass on Sun- Gaza's reconstruction committee meeting ning as an independent, a
28 Made to giggle (7) 7 Accumulates by 25 State of equilibrium day."A person can be without a credible path to a path that would prolong
32 Untidy (8)
34 Europe's currency (4)
skimping ? (6)
9 An umpire may give
(6)
26 Walking disorder (6)
GEMINI: Today is the
day to celebrate
SAGITTARIUS: Today
is the day to face
named a saint only after
the completion of 5 years
Palestinian state - a non-
starter for Israel's govern-
O n Monday, dozens of
family members of the
hostages stormed a committee
his grip on Russia for at
least another six years.
you out this way (3) 28 Tug (3) success in business problems or losses, so since one's sacrifice. ment. meeting in Israel's Parliament, The 71-year-old leader has
35 Marry (3)
and career. act wisely . Expect Therefore, we will move to- Prince Faisal bin yelling: "You won't sit here twice used his leverage in
36 Watchword (6) 11 Excavated or 29 ___ fixe (an
wards declaring Easter Farhan's remarks in an in- while they are dying there!" the past to amend the con-
37 Read superficially (4) unearthed ? (3,2) obsession) (4) Expenditure for business or vehicle expenditure for children, health Some had to be physically
Sunday victims as saints terview with CNN broad- stitution so he could theo-
Down 12 Cranium (5) 30 Wait in concealment is indicated. People dealing with and premiums. People in police, on April 21 this year," Ran- cast late Sunday were some restrained as they shouted at retically stay in power un-
1 Young horse (4) 15 Used to be (4) (4) property, education and security and maintenance will get jith said. of the most direct yet from the lawmakers, and at least one til he's in his mid-80s. He is
2 A group of political 16 Brass wind 31 Adverse fate (4) communication will be benefited. success. Family dispute is On April 21, 2019, nine Saudi officials. person was escorted out. The already the longest-serving
party united for a instrument (4) 33 BSE deal (3) Success party for education or indicated. Some people may suffer suicide bombers belonging Israeli Prime Minister meeting was briefly suspended Kremlin leader since Sovi-
but later reconvened. Relatives
Solution
25 Stasis, 26 Abasia, 28 Tow, 29 Idee, 30 Lurk, 31 Doom, 33 IPO. marriage celebration is indicated. from cough. to the local Islamist ex- Benjamin Netanyahu - who of the hostages, as well as et dictator Josef Stalin,
12 Skull, 15 Were, 16 Tuba, 18 Rahu, 19 Imps, 20 Nip, 23 Alike, 24 Utter, tremist group National faces mounting domestic other protesters, have set up a who died in 1953.
Down: 1 Foal, 2 Bloc, 3 Memo, 5 Liquid, 6 Ten, 7 Hoards, 9 Lbw, 11 Dug up, CANCER: Today is the CAPRICORN: Today is Thawheed Jamaat (NTJ) pressure over the plight of tent camp outside Netanyahu's Russian election law re-
28 Tickled, 32 Slipshod, 34 Euro, 35 Wed, 36 Slogan, 37 Skim. day to travel and the day to study, linked to ISIS carried out a Israeli hostages, including residence in Jerusalem and quires independent candi-
15 Wilted, 17 Purloined, 21 Pal, 22 Mir, 23 Abu, 26 Appellate, 27 Thumbs, invest. Expect travel and invest. series of blasts that tore an angry protest inside a vowed to remain until a deal is dates to present at least
Across:1 Fibs, 4 Clutch, 8 Gel, 10 Ados, 13 Mbaqanga, 14 Lucknow, expenditure for Expect expenditure for through three churches parliamentary committee reached to bring the rest of the 300,000 signatures gathered
and as many luxury hotels meeting on Monday - has captives home. Other protests from 40 regions of the coun-
business, health and travel. People education, vehicle and house. have called for new elections.
in Sri Lanka. rejected Palestinian state- try to get on the ballot.
from medical and tourism fields People in medical, automobiles and
FPJ - SUDOKU - 27 Level: Very easy will get success. Ill health of or communication fields will be
tour with family is indicated. Some benefited. Ill health of or travel Following Antisemitism Backlash On X
people may suffer from ear pain. with family members is indicated.
LEO: Today is the day
to work and enjoy.
AQUARIUS: Today is the
day to face problems or
Musk privately visits Auschwitz death camp
Expect expenditure for losses, so act wisely. AGENCIES / Poland cal figures attending a conference of
education, travel and Expect expenditure for the European Jewish Association on
communication. People in health, business and family needs. Elon Musk visited the site of the the rise of antisemitism.
education and tourism will get People in fields of medicine, Auschwitz-Birkenau World War II Later Monday, Musk was to discuss
Nazi German death camp on Monday, antisemitism online as part of a con-
success. Dispute or long journey communication and insurance will after the billionaire faced criticism for ference by the European Jewish Asso-
with family members is indicated. get success. Domestic life may be subscribing to an antisemitic conspir- ciation held in Krakow ahead of the
You may suffer from back pain. disturbed due to workload. acy theory and allowing hate Jan 27 International Holocaust Re-
messages on his social media membrance Day, which takes place on
VIRGO: Today is the PISCES: Today is the platform, X, formerly known as Twit- the anniversary of the camp's 1945 lib-
day of losses, so plan day to earn and enjoy. ter. eration.
it accordingly and take Expect expenditure for The private visit was apparently in Musk sparked outcry in November
wise decisions. Expect business, education & response to calls from some Jewish re- wooden barracks that were simple with his own tweets responding to a
WHAT TO DO: Fill in the grid so expenditure for premiums and entertainment People in fields like ligious leaders for Musk to see with shelters for the inmates and the ruins user who accused Jews of hating white
that every row, every column and maintenance. Technical, insurance banking, communication and his own eyes the most symbolic site of of a gas chamber can be found and people and professing indifference to
every 3x3 box contains the digits and maintenance people will be entertainment will be benefited. A the horrors of the Holocaust. where a monument to the victims antisemitism. "You have said the actual
Musk was photographed visiting the stands. International ceremonies are truth," Musk tweeted in a reply.
1 to 9. Every puzzle has only one benefited. Family disputes are family get-together is indicated. You Birkenau site. Birkenau is an area held there each year. After advertisers starting pulling out
correct solution. indicated, so communicate wisely. may suffer from toothache. near Oswiecim, in southern Poland, Musk had been expected to make the of X, Musk said the post was the
fenced off with barbed wire, where visit on Tuesday, together with politi- "dumbest" he had ever written.
EDIT INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: We must all learn to live together
as brothers — or we will all perish together as fools.
— MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR

FREE PRESS
FOR FREE FLOW OF TRUTH
Though interim, budget must look to the future
seen for the past 34 years. the pain to farmers losing out on ex-
So here are some pointers as sug- port profits. This also holds good for
Fiscal
Uphill battle Prudence
gestion to the Finance Minister for
the interim budget.
The first is about income tax ex-
emption. The obligation to pay even
milk pricing which is heavily con-
trolled. The union budget should ac-
knowledge this urban bias in agri-
cultural policies and let go of the
for Oppn ÷Ajit Ranade a single rupee of income tax kicks in
only when your minimum income is
above 7.5 lakh. This income is 300%
knee-jerk reactions concerning ex-
port bans. The budget can also bless
forward and derivatives markets in

A
midst the current euphoria over the Ram temple

consecration in Ayodhya, the Opposition
I.N.D.I.A grouping has its task cut out to achieve
its single most important goal of ousting the BJP govern-
ment in the general elections that are just a few months
away. How it strategizes to achieve this goal is important.
If the parties in the bloc are only aiming to improve their
individual tallies, it is unlikely that they will rock the
BJP boat, given that the saffron party has got everything
in order, be it caste affiliations, welfare schemes or its ap-
peal among the poor and marginalised. The only thing
that will help the I.N.D.I.A alliance is a genuine attempt
at seat-sharing whereby egos are discarded and the best
candidate to defeat the BJP nominee is chosen for each
and every seat. This essentially means that parties like
the Congress must agree to cede seats to powerful region-
al allies like the Trinamool Congress in Bengal, Sama-
jwadi Party in Uttar Pradesh, or RJD/JD-U in Bihar. In
Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan, the Congress can have a
larger share of seats as it is in direct contest with the BJP
there. In Punjab and Delhi, the Aam Aadmi Party is a
force to be reckoned with and the Congress will have to
come to terms with it. Among the southern states, Kerala,
Karnataka and Telangana will see the Congress taking
most of the seats. However, in Tamil Nadu it will have to
bend to its regional partner, the DMK. All this
negotiating requires cool heads and rational thinking. In
this regard, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has
proved to be the right man for the job, given that his ex-
perience and his connect with the people have earned
him the respect of all the parties in the grouping.
In UP, a beginning has been made by the I.N.D.I.A al-
liance with the SP and RLD of Jayant Chaudhary
arriving at an understanding on seats in the influential
western belt, a stronghold of the Jats. The Congress con-
tinues to have an exaggerated sense of its importance in
the key heartland state. Having won only one seat in the
2019 elections, it must come to grips with reality and con-
cede the bulk of seats to the regional parties. Mayawati’s
BSP, though much weakened, still enjoys pockets of influ-
ence but so far it has stayed away from the I.N.D.I.A al-
T
he union budget for the finan-
cial year 2024-25 will be pre-
sented in Parliament by the
Finance Minister on February 1.
This budget proposal will apply for
the period April 1, 2024, to March 31
2025. Since the elections to the 18th
Lok Sabha are due in the next five
months, the FM will present only an
interim budget, and it will be passed
by a vote on account. What this
means is that the present govern-
ment cannot announce major initia-
tives which have potential electoral
benefits for the incumbent govern-
ment. The government also cannot
pledge major new expenditures,
which will become the
responsibility of the next govern-
ment to fulfil. Hence the February
budget speech is expected to be most-
ly about items which are inevitable
and routine expenditure items, and
will also have revenue estimates
based on linear extrapolation. We
should not expect any big bang re-
forms or large welfare freebies.
Even then it cannot be forgotten
that this is the annual budget pres-
entation to the nation, an economy
soon to be the third largest in the
world. The budget proposals can and
should contain announcements
which can push the reform process
ahead, even if keeping the restraint
on electoral populism and also not
excessively burdening the incoming
government. This is the continuity
of the reform process that we have
Maldives imbroglio: Beware the ides of March!
Heart of
of the per capita income of India,
which is the average income of
every man, woman and child. No
other country gives an income tax
exemption limit which is so high.
Hence the FM is well advised to re-
sist increasing this limit further.
This high exemption limit means
that India’s income tax to GDP ratio
is quite low. It also means that the in-
creased burden is on collecting taxes
via indirect tax like Goods and Serv-
ices Tax (GST). Indirect taxes are
unfair. Since GST is paid by all,
whether rich and poor, the burden
falls disproportionately on the poor.
We need to reduce the median GST
rate from 18 to 12%. And we can do
that only if we collect more direct
taxes such as income tax. India’s
high exemption limit of 7.5 lakh is
also misleading. Because by the time
your income crosses 15 lakh you pay
the highest marginal tax rate of
nearly 42%. Which means that our
marginal tax rate on income goes
from zero to 42 in just 7.5 lakh in-
come.
A healthier structure should be
like this: zero income tax till first 2.5
lakh income, 10% tax for income be-
tween 2.5 to 7.5, 20% tax between 7.5
to 25 lakh, 30% from 25 to 50 lakh and
a higher rate above 50 lakh. The total
tax collected might actually go up if
we switch to this structure. Of
course, we will need to collect empir-
ical data to confirm this.
A second point for the FM to note is
course, Beijing are on New Delhi to
see how the Goliath responds to the
challenge. Prime Minister Narendra
The union budget should acknowledge the urban bias in
agricultural policies and let go of the knee-jerk reactions
concerning export bans
about fiscal consolidation. The fiscal
deficit is about 5 to 6% of the GDP.
This keeps adding to the debt moun-
tain which is at 82% of the GDP. This
high appetite for borrowing by the
government leaves less room for
credit and loans to be available for
others. India’s debt to GDP ratio is
stuck around 80%-plus, and the IMF
says it might reach 100% if not
checked. Look at Jamaica. It has re-
duced its debt to GDP ratio from
140% to 72% in the past fifteen years.
That is cut by half. Surely India can
go from 82% to 60%, as recommend-
ed by various committees appointed
on fiscal responsibility. Of the tar-
geted ratio of 60%, the union govern-
ment’s share is 40 and the states’
share is 20. For this to happen the fis-
cal deficit must be kept in check.
lance will start flying on March 1 to
carry patients in medical emergen-
cies. Not a helicopter, not a Dornier.
Caving in to populist demands like
the Old Pension Scheme will be fis-
cally disastrous and also unfair to
the large workforce without any so-
cial security.
The third point is about farmers’
incomes. This was supposed to dou-
ble by 2022 or 2023. It has not hap-
pened. One of the reasons for this, is
that farm prices are not allowed to
increase. Whenever agricultural
prices of commodities like sugar,
rice or onions shoot up, the union
government arbitrarily imposes ex-
port bans. So, farmers are unable to
exploit the opportunities to make
some healthy windfall profits. The
government’s ban on food items is
due to concerns about an urban
backlash. The urban consumers’ in-
flation pain is more important than
will do anything and everything to
come out of India’s shadow.
Importantly, Muizzu is repeatedly
agricultural commodities.
A fourth suggestion relates to the
education sector. The higher educa-
tion sector badly needs massive
funding to expand research, fill in
vacancies for teachers, and increase
student intake and scholarship
amounts. All of this cannot be done
only with government funds. To en-
able a greater flow of private funds
into education, all higher education
institutions, or those which meet a
certain criteria of quality, age and
scale can be given free access to for-
eign funding. If we welcome foreign
direct investment (FDI) in all sectors
including defence, why is the educa-
tion sector so over-regulated when it
comes to receiving foreign funds?
Can FCRA permission be made very
liberal for educational institutions?
This is worth exploring and can fea-
ture in the FM’s proposals.
These are a few ideas to table in
Parliament on February 1. The bud-
get’s size is about 15% of the national
GDP (in nominal rupee terms). It is
being presented just before the for-
mation of the next Lok Sabha, which
will oversee major initiatives like
the next census and delimitation.
Even then, it should signal continu-
ity of economic reforms and a path
toward fiscal consolidation.
Dr Ajit Ranade is a noted Pune-based
economist. Syndicate: The Billion Press
(email: editor@thebillionpress.org)
Cochin from 2018 to 2021 and has di-
rect knowledge of the contentious
subject. According to Chawla, first

liance. In Bihar, there appears to be some uncertainty.
Amit Shah certainly set the cat among the pigeons with
his cryptic remark that the BJP would consider any pro-
posal for erstwhile allies to return to the NDA, hinting at
a rethink by Nitish Kumar who is purportedly unhappy
the Matter Modi’s government has so far main-
tained a studied silence as it is obvi-
ously taking stock of the situation to
make doubly sure that it doesn’t
÷S N M Abdi worsen; erring on the side of caution
usually makes good diplomatic
Our (Maldivian) Dash 8 aircraft is
being readied for it.”
Muizzu’s other not-so-publicised
move is to stop importing medicines,
which are an essential commodity
like foodgrains, from India. In the
invoking “democracy” to fortify his
case for the removal of India’s de-
fence contingent from Maldivian
soil. In interview after interview, in-
cluding to The Times of India, he
stressed that “if India does not with-
and foremost it’s a bit rich to de-
scribe the technical staff and pilots
training Maldivians as troops, as
they are not armed. Troops have an
offensive connotation; they are es-
sentially there for the maintenance

C
onsidering Maldives’ geo-
with the I.N.D.I.A bloc for not giving him a key role. The graphical location, Male-New
reshuffle in the JD-U whereby Lalan Singh was replaced Delhi differences after Presi-
dent Mohamed Muizzu’s ascension
as party president by Nitish Kumar is indicative that all
initially seemed to be a tropical sore
is not well in the Mahagathbandhan. With the Lok Sabha which would heal on its own. But
elections only weeks away, this does not bode well for the alas, the sore is festering and has be-
Opposition grouping that seems to be totally unprepared come septic. And nobody is applying
any balm on it, let alone administer-
to take on the BJP juggernaut. There is no cohesive strat-
ing steroids or antibiotics.
egy in place, nor is there any command structure in the Maldives, whose population is a
grouping. While Kharge has been unanimously chosen microscopic half-a-million, or sub-
as the chairperson, there is no clarity on who the con- stantially less than the number of
venor will be. The Opposition parties’ reaction to the Ay- heads in a Lok Sabha constituency,
is today at loggerheads with eco-
odhya temple consecration is another case in point.
nomic powerhouse and nuclear-
Apart from the Left parties, who immediately refused the armed “Big Brother” India. Backed
government invitation on the grounds that a religious by China, the tiny island nation has
ceremony was being turned into a BJP-RSS event, all the flung the gauntlet at its giant neigh-
other parties dithered in their responses. The Congress bour. The deadline of March 15 that
Male has unilaterally fixed for India
waited till the last minute to reject the invitation, accus- to take back its troops from the ar-
ing the saffron party of politicising a religious event. In chipelago is echoing across the
the process they have allowed the BJP to take credit for length and breadth of South Asia.
the temple, a matter of faith to millions of Indians. The Without a doubt, the ‘ultimatum’
has suddenly given the India-Mal-
consecration ceremony has been turned into a virtual PR
dives clash an altogether new di-
blitz by the Narendra Modi government with the entire mension.
nation’s eyes riveted on Ayodhya and the Prime Minister All eyes in Islamabad, Kathmandu,
who presided over the ceremony. A pliant media that is Thimphu, Dhaka, Colombo and, of
now single-mindedly focused on the temple consecration
has virtually ignored the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra of
Rahul Gandhi which is on a two-month Manipur-to- Have Courage
Mumbai journey traversing 15 states. Therefore, the — Dada J P Vaswani
I.N.D.I.A bloc is at a distinct disadvantage in the electoral
D
stakes. It faces an uphill battle and only a miracle can ear young friends, I
have spoken to you of
help it succeed. And history has proven that miracles are
few and far between.
idealism, simplicity,
service and sacrifice.
Let me say to you, simplici-
ty and service, sincerity and
sacrifice are not easy. They
INDIA 75 YEARS AGO
FPJ Archives
JANUARY 23, 1949
demand courage and convic-
tion. And therefore we need
volunteers who are children
of Shakti – and the Shakti I
speak to you is the power of
the spirit. For this is our true
heritage; this is our ancient
ideal.
When I talk to you of
courage, I do not refer to the
courage of an Alexander
or Julius Caesar, who
came and saw and con-
quered. I hold up as
role models before
you Sri Rama, Gauta-
ma the Buddha
and Mahavira,
GUIDING LIGHT
who had the moral, spiritual
courage to walk the way of
truth and stand up for what
they believed in. Buddha's
message is a message of hope
and courage. Strive with de-
sires! Conquer trishna! Be a
hero in the strife! And who
are the real heroes of human-
ity? They who, like Asoka,
turn from war to peace. When
he accepted Buddha, Asoka
turned his back on war and
Let The Dutch Quit By Jan. 1950 sent missionaries of peace,
far and wide; and Mahinda,
ASIAN CONFERENCE DEMAND Asoka's son, went to Lanka
and laid there the foundation
New Delhi, Jan. 22. After six hours of closed session the Asian of a new civilisation of broth-
Conference on Indonesia adjourned to meet in an open session on erhood and peace. Buddhism
Sunday morning, after unanimously adopting three resolutions. It is not a pessimistic faith that
is understood the first resolution contains the recommendation to dwells on suffering and mis-
the Security Council for a just solution of the Indonesian issue
sense. Anyway, the world will soon last two years, as the “India Out” draw its forces, it will amount to dis- of aircraft and not for combat.
enough know whether we are thick- campaign gathered steam, Maldives’ regarding the democratic will of the Chawla told me that while India
or thin-skinned! pharma dependence on us was being Maldivian people and imperil the fu- does not have boots on the ground —
The March 15 deadline to remove 90 increasingly viewed as its Achilles’ ture of democracy in the country”. contrary to what Muizzu is going all
Indian military personnel stationed in out to project to build up his case – if
Maldives is a lightning rod for crum- our defence personnel are
bling bilateral relations. Muizzu, un-
The deadline of March 15 that Male has unilaterally fixed ultimately evacuated, it would mean
mistakably, wants to rewrite all the for India to take back its troops from the archipelago is that the helicopters and Dornier air-
rules of engagement with India after craft would also have to be brought
spending five days in China on a state
echoing across the length and breadth of South Asia back as there will be nobody to oper-
visit marked by unusual pampering. ate and service them. Muizzu, in any
And he is not mincing his words; he is case, has already announced that
shooting from the hip. His new-found heel and there was persistent talk of He is obviously harping on democra- come March 1 the Indian choppers
defiance is evident from his remarks somehow rectifying the situation. cy to put India on the back foot as of and the Dornier will not be needed
that “we may be small but that doesn’t Not surprisingly, among the meas- late we have quietly promoted our- as Male would be pressing its own
give you the license to bully us”. Muiz- ures Muizzu announced on his re- selves from the “world’s largest aircraft into service.
zu did not name India but there is no turn from Beijing, to decouple his is- democracy” to the “mother of But, most importantly, Chawla is
doubt in anyone’s mind that the salvo lands from India, is the open declara- democracy”, to raise our global pro- of the view that Maldives has the
— which made headlines — was tion that Male will henceforth be im- file. And to exert even more pres- sovereign right to take a decision on
aimed at us. porting medicines directly from Eu- sure, Muizzu keeps saying that India Indian personnel and assets — and
The media is highlighting the time rope and America. Importantly, he has agreed to take back its military being a democratic and law-abiding
limit to send Indian troops packing, described European drugs as “gen- personnel, whereas New Delhi is country, India will comply with
but the fine print paints an even uine” — implying that Indian drugs biding its time with its lips wisely their decision. The admiral’s stand
grimmer picture: the helicopters are not — and added that ending the sealed. is very clear. But the coming weeks
and the Dornier aircraft gifted by In- practice of buying medicines from a I picked retired Vice Admiral Anil and months will reveal how exactly
dia, which our military personnel “specific country” will “end our de- Chawla’s brain on the subject of the Modi government will deal with
have operated for years to ferry the pendence on a particular group of Male’s determination to get rid of the ticking bomb.
sick and injured between islands, people”. He chose his words very, the Indian military by March 15. The author is an independent,
will not be used after March 1. In very carefully to send a loud and Chawla was Flag Officer of the Pegasused reporter and commentator
Muizzu’s own words, “An air ambu- clear message that the island nation Southern Naval Command in on foreign policy and domestic politics
LETTERS crossing tracks for changing platforms is
also very dangerous. Since people
increased by 25 lakh. Anyway, every year
1.60 crore new people above 15 years of
TO THE EDITOR apparently have no regard for their own working age are added. The unemployment
safety, the railways should stop them from rate remaining high is a sign of great
Paddy prices increase
ery; rather, it insists that zest entering the tracks at all points. It is a economic danger. Pulses for protein and
is essential to overcome suf- sincere wish that Mumbai's lifeline should vegetables for other nutrients are the staple
fering and attain liberation. It
teaches us to empower our-
selves to eradicate suffering
D espite a 15% increase in paddy
production in the Tungabhadra basin,
considered Karnataka’s rice belt, paddy
not become “suicide-friendly”.
Maya Bhatkar
food of the poor, and their prices have
been consistently sky-high.
Government advocates point out that the
through wisdom and right ac-
tions. That, my friends, is
prices have increased by 25%. This is due
to an artificial scarcity triggered by
Dire straits for the poor decline in the purchase of two-wheelers
should not mean that the lower class
true courage.
Courage is the key. To live a
full life, to live according to
hoarding allegedly by big farmers who
anticipate a substantial drop in the rabi
crop as water from Tungabhadra and
A ccording to data, the poor's dish has
become cheaper compared to the
previous month, while it has become much
is in trouble, rather the increase in car
sales is a sign that people are shifting from
two-wheelers to cars due to prosperity.
God's plan, to live life pur- Almatti reservoirs will be used only for more expensive compared to the same They are perhaps forgetting that the
posefully and meaningfully, drinking due to low storage this year. month last year. Expensive vegetables, statistics on the dire situation of
requires courage. Millers and big farmers with storage especially onion, tomato, garlic, green malnutrition are from the government
Life demands of us that we capacity are benefiting. Poor farmers vegetables and pulses, are costing the NFHS. If the number of people eating pizza
live with courage. Without cannot store paddy and are forced to sell at common people dearly. The latest SBI repot increases, it would be a big mistake to see
the courage to endure, faith low rates to repay loans. The Agriculture says that the gap between rich and poor this as an increase in the overall prosperity
and hope would not flourish. Department should act against hoarding if has reduced, 20% of small industries have of the country. Then, in a country where
Each one of us is there is shortage and affects people. become big industries and 36.3% of 45-50 crore people of working age are
called upon to fulfil our Tauqueer Rahmani taxpayers have moved from low to high engaged in low-wage agriculture,
tasks in life. To fight income group in eight years. That means portraying everything as green would be
the good fight, as I
have said repeated-
Deadly tracks everything is “green” in the country. But on
the contrary, the government told the
an optical illusion.
N Ashraf
ly. Evil is within us,
evil is outside
us. Every-
S uicides on track up by 21% is very
serious, as local trains are the lifeline of
Mumbai. Now there are very few railway
Parliament that in the last three years, 25
thousand units of MSME sector were
closed, out of which almost half was closed
Dear reader,
We are eager to know your opinions, comments and
suggestions. Write to editor.indore@fpj.co.in Using snail
where, there are wrongs to be crossings, but people are still dying by in the year 2023. CMIE data shows that in mail? Send your letters to Free Press, Free Press House, 3/54,
righted, weaknesses to be suicide on the tracks. The ease of accessing the last three months, employment in cities Press Complex, AB Road, Indore 452008
fought and conquered. We the tracks needs to be addressed. People decreased by 12 lakh and unemployment
cannot say, “I will not fight!”
The Lord tells us, even as he MIKA’S MATRIX
tells Arjuna: “Stand up and LORD GANESH
fight! For life is a battlefield.” MESSAGE FOR THE DAY
Stand up and fight evil!
Stand up and fight injustice! A day of showcasing your skills, being
Conquer the ego! Vanquish confident about yourself, & reconsidering
your weaknesses! before posting on social media.
Republic Day – January 26, Be patient and don’t let anxiety
2024 overpower you. Be careful of hidden
Dada J P Vaswani is a
enemies, trust the vibe.
Teamwork is important, ask for help.
humanitarian, philosopher, Creativity and intuition will be high.
educator, acclaimed writer,
powerful orator, messiah of Tip for the day: Hold vermillion,
ahimsa, and non-sectarian say your wishes and then apply it
spiritual leader to Lord Ganesha's forehead.
Lots of divine miracles your way, Sheetal Sapan Mhatre.
 MONEY INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

CIPLA Q3 PROFIT RISES

BIZ BULLETIN Colgate-Palmolive FROM PILGRIMAGES TO PORTFOLIOS
India Q3 profit up
Zensar Q3 consol PAT
down 7% QoQ at `1.62 bn 35.7% to `330 cr Unpacking the Rise
Zensar Technologies Ltd's consolidated
net profit for the December quarter fell
7% sequentially to 1.62 bln rupees.
Revenue from operations for the quarter
fell 3% to 12.04 bln rupees. On a year-
on-year basis, the net profit rose 111.4%
32% TO `1,068 CRORE
PTI / New Delhi
PTI / New Delhi

Colgate-Palmolive India Ltd on

and revenue rose 0.5%. The company's
other income rose to 421 mln rupees
from 363 mln rupees a quarter ago.
Karur Vysya Bank's Q3
PAT up 42.56% at `412 cr
Private sector Karur Vysya Bank has
reported a 42.56 per cent jump on its
net profit for the October-December
2023 quarter to Rs 412 crore, the lender
said on Monday. The Tamil Nadu-based
bank had reported a net profit of Rs 289
crore during the corresponding quarter
of previous year.
Tamilnad Mercantile Bk
reports `284 cr PAT in Q3
Private sector Tamilnad Mercantile Bank
has reported a net profit of Rs 284 crore
for the October-December 2023 quarter,
the bank said on Monday. The Tuticorin-
based bank had reported a net profit at
Rs 280 crore during the corresponding
quarter of the last financial year. The
bank's total income during the quarter
under review grew to Rs 1,387 crore
from Rs 1,173 crore registered in the
same period last year.
Drug major Cipla on Monday re-
ported a 32 per cent increase in
consolidated net profit at Rs 1,056
crore for the December quarter,
on the back of robust sales across
geographies.
The Mumbai-based company
had posted a consolidated net
profit of Rs 801 crore in the year-
ago period, Cipla Ltd said in a
statement.
Total revenue from operations
in the third quarter of the current
fiscal rose to Rs 6,604 crore as
compared with Rs 5,810 crore in
the year-ago period.
Cipla MD and Global CEO
Umang Vohra said the company's
topline growth for the quarter
was 14 per cent year-on-year.
The company's One India busi-
ness grew at a healthy 12 per cent
year-on-year backed by a strong
performance across branded pre-
scription, trade generics and con-
sumer health, he noted.
"In North America, we contin-
ue to scale newer peaks by
posting highest-ever quarterly
revenue yet again at USD 230 mil-
lion, supported by positive trac-
tion in key assets and base busi-
ness," Vohra said.
The company's South Africa
business further extended its mo-
mentum from last quarter by
growing at 15 per cent in local
currency terms driven by strong
execution across various seg-
ments like prescription and OTC,
he added.
"Our focus continues on expan-
sion in chronic therapies, grow-
ing big brands, global wellness as
well as developing our R&D
pipeline in respiratory and pep-
tides. We will continue to focus on
driving profitable growth across
businesses," Vohra added.
The company said it suffered a
one-time charge of Rs 1.95 bln on
account of impairment of assets
as the company decided to amend
the deal with Pulmatrix Inc for
the drug Pulmazole.
Monday posted a 35.71 per cent
increase in net profit to Rs 330.11
crore for the December quarter
mainly led by a double-digit
growth in the toothpaste seg-
ment. The oral hygiene product
maker had posted a net profit of
Rs 243.24 crore in the year-ago pe-
riod, Colgate-Palmolive India Ltd
(CPIL) said in a regulatory filing.
Its sales were up 8.21 per cent
to Rs 1,386.41 crore in the third
quarter of the current fiscal. It
was at Rs 1,281.21 crore in the cor-
responding period a year ago.
CPIL's total expenses were Rs
970.14 crore, marginally down
during the quarter.
CPIL's total income in the
quarter under review was at Rs
1,413.54 crore, up 8.6 per cent.
"We are pleased with top line
growth for the quarter supported
by the strong performance of our
core equities. Profitability indi-
cators are on an upward trend
and we continue to enhance the
investment support behind our
brands," Prabha Narasimhan
MD & CEO said.
O
of Religious Tourism
n January 22, 2024, India is
set to mark a significant
occasion as the inauguration
of the Ram Mandir takes place in
Ayodhya. Thousands are expected
to flock to the iconic temple daily,
and this event is poised to impact
various sectors and stocks,
signalling the significant growth of
religious tourism in the coming
decade. In this article, let’s explore
how this auspicious occasion is
anticipated to fuel religious tourism,
bringing benefits to diverse sectors
and companies!
Unveiling the Momentum
of Religious Tourism
In a strategic move, the BJP-led
government, under PM Modi's
leadership, is set to inaugurate the
iconic Ram Mandir in Ayodhya. The
event has garnered global
attention, with the ceremony being
live-cast at Times Square, New York.
According to data released by the
Ministry of Tourism, religious
tourism destinations earned Rs
1,34,543 crore in 2022, up from Rs
65,070 crore in 2021. More than
60% of tourism in India is now
associated with religious and
opened a tent city in Ayodhya, with
75% of the property already
booked. Additionally, Praveg
secured a contract to develop a tent
city in Lakshadweep.
Allied Digital Services Limited:
This small-cap stock gained
attention as the Master System
Integrator for the Ayodhya Smart
City Project, involving the
establishment of a multi-location
CCTV surveillance system.
IRCTC Limited: Being a monopoly
in online rail ticketing, the company
is launching 1,000+ trains to
Ayodhya starting January 18.
Apollo Sindoori Hotels Limited: The
company is developing a multi-level
parking facility in Ayodhya,
complete with a rooftop restaurant
for over 1,000 guests.
Genesys International Limited:
Investors focused on this company
as its mapping product became

Coforge Q3 net profit

rises 4% to `238 crore
Coforge Ltd on Monday posted a 4.3 per
cent year-on-year rise in consolidated
net profit for the December quarter at Rs
238 crore. The net profit stood at Rs
228.2 crore in the corresponding period
previous year. The revenue of the
company in the third quarter of FY24
was up 13 per cent at Rs 2,323.3 crore,
according to a regulatory filing.
Oberoi Realty Q3 consol
PAT falls 48.7% YoY
Oberoi Realty Ltd's consolidated net
profit for the December quarter fell
48.7% on year to 3.60 bln rupees.
Revenue from operations for the quarter
fell 35.3% to 10.54 bln rupees.
Sequentially, net profit fell 21.2% and
revenue 13.5%. Analysts had estimated
Oberoi Realty's consolidated net profit
for Oct-Dec at 4.53 bln rupees and
topline at 12.2 bln rupees.
Spandana Sphoorty PAT
jumps 79% to `127 crore
Spandana Sphoorty Financial on Monday
reported a 79 per cent jump in net profit
at Rs 127 crore in the October-December
quarter of current fiscal on improved
asset quality, loan growth and higher
interest income. The Hyderabad-based
lender said its income jumped to Rs 657
crore, up 75 per cent, in the quarter
under review from Rs 375 crore registered
during the same period of last fiscal.
Waaree Renewable Tech
profit rises to `64 crore
Waaree Renewable Technologies Ltd
(WRTL) on Monday said its consolidated
Profit After Tax (PAT) more than doubled
to Rs 64.46 crore in the December
quarter, aided by higher revenues.
MRPL posts
`3.87 billion net
profit in Oct-Dec
vs loss year ago
INFORMIST / Mumbai
Mangalore Refinery and Petro-
chemicals Ltd posted a net profit
of 3.87 bln rupees for the Decem-
ber quarter, as against a net loss
of 1.88 bln rupees in the year-ago
period. Revenue from opera-
tions--net of excise duty--for the
quarter fell 7.1% to 246.77 bln ru-
pees. Sequentially, the net profit
fell 63.5%, while revenue rose
28.3%.
Revenue from
operations--net of excise
duty--for the quarter fell
7.1% to `246.77 billion
The company's other income
fell to 395.8 mln rupees from 573.0
mln rupees a year ago.
In Oct-Dec, total expenditure,
including finance cost, was at
278.32 bln rupees compared with
313.14 bln rupees a year ago. Fi-
nance cost was at 2.74 bln rupees
as against 3.38 bln rupees a year
ago.
Tax outgo for the quarter was
2.04 bln rupees. In the same quar-
ter a year ago, the company had
a tax write-back of 1.0 bln rupees.
For the nine months ended De-
cember, the company's net profit
was up 236.7% to 24.59 bln
rupees, while revenue--net of ex-
cise duty--was down 22% at 650.8
bln rupees.
On Saturday, shares of MRPL
closed 1.2% lower at 174.9 rupees
on the National Stock Exchange.
Odisha govt clears JSW's `40,000 crore
proposal to set up EV manufacturing units
PTI / Bhubaneswar
The Odisha government on Mon-
day approved 14 proposals includ-
ing the JSW Group's plan to set up
electric vehicles and component
manufacturing units in Cuttack
and Jagatsinghpur districts with
an investment of Rs 40,000 crore,
a senior official said.
The proposals were approved
at the Cabinet meeting chaired by
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
"The Cabinet approved a spe-
cial incentive package for the
JSW Group's ambitious EV and
component manufacturing proj-
Hotel Tip Top Plaza celebrates the ICG Air Station Daman conducts ‘Run For Fun’
consecration ceremony of Ram Temple to commemorate 48th Coast Guard Raising Day
Jaydeep and Urvi Shah, owners of Hotel Tip Top Plaza celebrate the
consecration ceremony of Ayodhya's Ram Temple at Hotel Tip Top
Plaza along with family and friends.
ects at Naraj in Cuttack, and
Paradip in Jagatsinghpur dis-
trict", chief secretary Pradeep Ku-
mar Jena told reporters.
These projects, with a com-
bined investment of over Rs
40,000 crore and employment po-
tential of over 11,000, are set to
usher in a new era of industrial
growth and job creation in the
state, he said.
The JSW Group has proposed
to set- up an EV & EV battery
manufacturing project at Naraj,
Cuttack. The company is also
planning to set up an original
equipment manufacturing
(OEM) plant for EVs and compo-
nents in the same facility in two
phases, he said, adding, that JSW
is planning to invest Rs 25,000
crore in the state, generating em-
ployment for more than 4,000 peo-
ple through this facility.
The Indian Coast Guard (ICG) is the
fourth largest Coast Guard in the
world and in the past few decades
it has evolved formidable force
which ready relevant and
responsive. The accomplishment of
its charter of duties is possible only
by able bodied and sharp minds.
Towards this ICG organises many
events promoting the ‘’Fit India’’
mission of the Government On the
occasion of its 48th Raising Day,
Indian Coast Guard Air Station
Daman Organised ‘‘Run For Fun’’
event on January 21, 2024 at the
Namo Path, Devka Beach, Nani
Daman. Member of Parliament of
Daman Lalubhai B. Patel
inaugurated the "Run For Fun" and
encouraged participants to exhibit
spirit of Sportsmanship, and go an
spiritual destinations.
Cos in the Spotlight
With the upcoming inauguration of
the Ram Mandir, several companies
have gained investor attention as
they cater to the demand for
increased tourist influx:
InterGlobe Aviation Limited: The
market leader has announced direct
flights from Mumbai to Ayodhya,
starting January 15, to
accommodate the surge of
devotees.
Indian Hotels Company Limited:
The Tata Group’s hospitality chain
has established two branded hotels,
Vivanta & Ginger, in Ayodhya, Uttar
Pradesh.
Praveg Limited: The company has
Teji Mandi (TM Investment Technologies Pvt Ltd) is a SEBI registered Research
Analyst (RA). Information in this article should not be construed as
investment advice. Please visit www.tejimandi.com to know more.
extra mile to cross the finish line
triumphantly with flying colors.
Around 2500 participants including
Officers, Subordinate Officers,
Enrolled Personnel, DSC Jawans,
Ayodhya’s official guide.
It's crucial for investors to note that
these stocks shouldn't be blindly
bought, as many have already
experienced significant price
movements.
What’s in it for Investors?
By exploring this emerging theme,
the aim is to monitor stocks in the
hospitality and allied industries,
identifying potential beneficiaries of
the government's push for tourism
in specific states/regions. With the
rise in disposable income, people
are increasingly willing to spend on
travel and recreational activities,
presenting an opportunity for
investors to benefit from this
evolving trend!
stakeholders from Daman UT
administration, college students,
school children and Local populace
across different sections of society
took part in the event.

PERILS OF FREEBIES not only detrimental to fiscal health but,

more importantly, the beneficiaries de-
velop a kind of dependency and lethargy
that keep them where they are.
As for definition of freebies, here is
what RBI in its December 2, 2023 report
on State Finances: A Risk Analysis has to
say - While there is no precise definition
of freebies, it is necessary to distinguish
them from public/merit goods, expendi-
ture on which brings economic benefits,
such as the public distribution system,
employment guarantee schemes, states’
BY SANJAY MEHTA support for education and health (Singh,
2022). On the other hand, provision of free
that would ultimately impede or stall
growth.
A nation in such a situation of alarm-
ing proportions of freebie culture could
face bankruptcy. Venezuela, a socialist
country and once a rich economy, has
now completely collapsed as its people
stopped working because they were get-
ting all or most of their needs free from
government. Cuba is another example.
Socialist ecosystem breeds culture of free-
bies and bleeds economy. China became
what is today because it adopted
capitalist economic model. Before that it
was the country of abject poverty.

O
n July 16, 2022, Prime Minister
Modi spoke first time about revdi
(freebies) culture and called it dan-
gerous for the country’s development
while inaugurating an expressway in UP.
Again, on October 23 the same year he
said in Bhopal that “thousands of taxpay-
ers write to me, and I am happy that a ma-
jor section of the country is gearing up to
free the country of the revdi culture.”
Ever since the debates on ‘revdi cul-
ture’ or ‘culture of freebies’, are raging in
political circles as well as in media and
many sections of the society.
Opposition parties taunted PM for
hypocrisy and double standard when BJP
announced slew of pre-poll promises in
several states which went to elections af-
ter that assertion by PM. But those who
know Modi’s style of working know that
he took that stand on freebies fully know-
ing it would be difficult for all political
parties, including BJP, to resist from re-
sorting to politics of populism for elec-
toral gains. But he has set the ball rolling
as a long-term objective to put an end to
unjustifiable handouts that are so devoid
of fiscal prudence and has little, if any,
impact on the well-being of the society,
and surely detrimental to economy. This
may be is in his to-do list after the 2024
general election.
The idea is on the table, and it is worth
deliberating.
The debate on freebies is complex but
crucial nonetheless. Complex because
there are diverse views on what consti-
tutes freebies and what constitutes social
welfare. And crucial because it is impor-
tant to distinguish kind of handouts that
electricity, free water, free public trans-
portation, waiver of pending utility bills
and farm loan waivers are often regarded
as freebies, which potentially undermine
credit culture, distort prices through
cross-subsidisation eroding incentives
for private investment, and
disincentivise work at the current wage
rate leading to a drop in labour force par-
ticipation.
My definition of freebies is very clear.
Any handout which has no basis in policy
or offered in perpetuity is a freebie. Free
electricity and free water, for example.
Any handout offered by political parties
in run up to an election is a freebie. Free
sarees, pressure cookers, television,
washing machines, free ride in public
transport, cash transfers to graduates, to
farmers, loan waivers, free this and free
that. No policy vision behind it except
luring electorates for votes. At cost of
public money. Any subsidy not going to
right people but cornered by better-off is
a freebie.
Such freebies hurt because they crowd
out resources from other useful purposes,
like education, healthcare, rural roads,
other infrastructure projects that con-
tribute to growth. Such freebies also hurt
those for whom it targeted. Soon people
develop a mindset where they begin to
look at such subsidies or handouts as en-
titlement, their right. This is detrimental
to any nation as the human capital re-
main lethargic, devoid of any aspirations
or enterprise or hard work because they
get used to ‘free’ everything, including
cash doles. This results into decrease in
productivity, wastage of human capital
That explains why in India the culture
of freebies has taken roots. For decades
after independence, it followed socialist
policies with economy growing at
abysmal growth of 3 percent, which kept
the poor in perpetual poverty and
brought the nation to the brink of bank-
ruptcy. It was only after the post-1991 era dia’s economy would today be double its to fool people with handouts. Court which recently waded into freebie
of reforms that liberalised economy the size at $7.5 trillion, not $3.75 trillion. Per The recent Bollywood movie 12th fail debate when it sought responses from the
growth accelerated, and poverty began to capita income would be nearer $5,000 has beautifully captured aspiration of Union government and the Election Com-
decline rapidly, and at the same time than $2,500 and poverty levels below 5 per youth, even in remote rural area. All that mission of India (ECI) on the continued
recorded impressive improvements in cent, not today’s 10 per cent. In short, 150 the protagonist from a very poor family practice of freebies being promised by po-
most human development outcomes. million more Indians would have been aspiring to become an IPS or IAS wanted litical parties before elections, with an ob-
Thus, it is the high growth which is a bet- lifted out of the poverty they live in to- was uninterrupted and affordable elec- servation that the promise of freebies was
ter way of ensuring social wellbeing and day.” Unquote. tricity so that he could work during the a serious issue.
better life and livelihood. The recent assembly election outcome day to support the family and read at If the BJP comes back to power, as al-
In his recent book, Modi: The in Telangana has demonstrated that of- nights, water on tap so that the family did most certainly predicted to win comfort-
Challenge of 2024- The Battle for India, the fering doles don’t always win elections. not have to trudge miles to get water and able majority in the 2024 general election,
author Minhaz Merchant writes, quote The incumbent BRS party government good schools with quality education He the PM Modi must act on his vision to rid
“Poverty and socialism went hand-in- led by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar rejected summarily all offers of cash or the country’s polity from the scourge of
hand. While the GDP of countries in the Rao was tipped to win again on the back help in kind. indulging in rampant freebie politics by
rest of Asia—from Malaysia to Thai- unprecedented welfare schemes rolled Prime Minister Modi understands this. being catalyst in encouraging national
land—grew at over 7 per cent a year out by them that covered all sections, gen- He won three terms as chief minister of debate on freebie politics and come up
through the 1960s and 1970s, India ders and ages of the state population. If Gujarat on the back of his growth-orient- with some kind of binding legislations to
crawled at the Nehruvian growth rate we take out welfare schemes that could be ed policies. The BJP led by Modi won enforce rationality of freebies and ac-
(wrongly dubbed the “Hindu growth considered productive, the rest still cost election after election in states and at the countability that would make all political
rate”) of under 3 per cent a year. Had In- the state the whopping 52000 crore rupees centre since 2014 was because of the parties declare how they are going to fund
dia’s GDP growth matched that of other annually. They still lost. Point to ponder strong focus on growth and social trans- the welfare measures and ensure public
Asian countries in that 20-year period, In- for all political parties that there is a limit formational schemes that improved life expenditure efficiency.
and livelihood of masses. Sadly, the same The nation is hoping on Modi Ki Guar-
The debate on freebies is complex but crucial nonetheless. BJP too succumbed to populism in re- antee to get rid of politics of competitive
cently concluded assembly elections. The freebies which are perils to nation’s econ-
Complex because there are diverse views on what constitutes hopes are still not lost to free India of com- omy and its people.
freebies and what constitutes social welfare. And crucial petitive populism that strain finances.
because it is important to distinguish kind of handouts that not The prime minister’s assertion that the Views are personal
freebie culture is dangerous for the coun- The author is Deputy Director General, IMC
only detrimental to fiscal health but, more importantly, try’s development is a silver lining. Be- Chamber of Commerce and Industry and
the beneficiaries develop a kind of dependency and lethargy cause he believes in delivering that he Executive Secretary,
firmly thinks is in national interest. Indo-Vietnamese Chamber of
that keep them where they are. Another hope is from the Supreme Commerce & Industry.
 BIZ BULLETIN
SRF board to meet Jan 30,
mull `10 bn NCD issue
SRF Ltd's board will meet on Jan 30 to
Govt to sell 3 gilts worth `330 billion on Thursday
The government will sell three dated securities worth
330 bln rupees on Thursday, the Reserve Bank of India
said in a release on Monday. The weekly gilt auction is
typically conducted on Friday. Indian financial markets
are shut on Friday for Republic Day. The RBI said:
It will sell 70 bln rupees of the 7.37%, 2028 bond;
160 bln rupees of the 7.18%, 2033 bond and 100 bln
rupees of the 7.46%, 2073 bond.
MONEY
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
consider issuance of non-convertible

Sony terminates $10 bn Zee India merger 'Tax buoyancy to

debentures, aggregating up to 10-bln-
rupees in one or more tranches, as per an
exchange filing. The board will also
consider the company's unaudited
financial results for Oct-Dec and Apr-Dec
in addition to a proposal relating to the
declaration of an interim dividend for the
financial year, the filing said.
InterGlobe names Aditya
Pande as Group CEO
Domestic travel conglomerate InterGlobe
Enterprises on Monday announced the
appointment of Aditya Pande as Group
Chief Executive Officer. The appointment
of Pande is effective from March 1, 2024
and he will report to (Group Managing
Director) Rahul Bhatia, the Gurugram-
based firm said in a statement.
Jindal Stainless elevates
Tarun Khulbe as CEO
Jindal Stainless Ltd on Monday said it has
elevated Whole Time Director Tarun
Khulbe as Chief Executive Officer (CEO). A
decision in this regard was taken at the
company's board meeting last week,
Jindal Stainless Ltd (JSL) said in a
regulatory filing.
Instant refunds on failed
UPI transactions: Razorpay
Full-stack fintech platform Razorpay on
Monday launched an industry-first 'instant
refunds' feature on failed unified
payments interface i(UPI) transactions in
the country. The solution by Razorpay POS
will provide instant refunds for failed UPI
transactions within two minutes, as
against the industry benchmark of 5-6
business days, said the company.
Elecon Engineering bags
project worth `82 crore
Elecon Engineering on Monday said it has
been awarded an order worth Rs 82.78
crore from ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel
India Ltd. The contract entails
manufacture and supply of belt conveyor
mechanical equipment and technological
structure for ArcelorMittal Nippon Steel
India's Hazira Plant in Surat, Gujarat.
Udaan Group CFO quits
amid senior-level rejig
Homegrown B2B e-commerce platform
Udaan has seen another top-level exit as
its Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
Aditya Pande who has decided to pursue
opportunities outside of the company
after three years. The CFO's role will now
be taken care of by Kiran Thadimarri,
Group Finance Controller, and Vishnu
give headroom
Entertainment giant is seeking $90 mn as break-up fee for violating terms of merger pact and "invoking arbitration" for higher social
PTI / New Delhi "The merger did not close by the end date as, among
other things, the closing conditions to the merger were sector budget'
Sony Group Corp on Monday said it is calling off a USD
10 billion merger of its India unit with Zee Entertain-
not satisfied by then, " the filing said.
Sony said it was "extremely disappointed that the
ment, following a stalemate over who will lead the conditions to the merger were not satisfied" by the dead-
merged entity. line, which had been set as January 21. The company
The entertainment giant sent a termination notice to added that it "remained committed to growing our pres-
Zee on the deal, which was announced more than two ence" in India.
years back, and is seeking USD 90 million as break-up In a stock exchange filing, Zee said it had also re-
fees for violating the terms of the merger pact and "in- ceived a demand from Sony for a USD 90 million termi-
voking arbitration". nation fee over "alleged breaches" of the terms of the
In a stock exchange filing on the issue, Zee on its part deal.
denied all claims made by Sony and said it is exploring "The company categorically denies all claims and as- PTI / New Delhi
legal remedies. "Zee has displayed utmost commitment sertions" by Sony and is evaluating all options, Zee said
towards the merger by undertaking several permanent
and irreversible steps, resulting in one time and recur- take on global powerhouses Netflix and Amazon.
in the filing adding it "will take all the necessary steps
to protect the long-term interests of all its stakeholders,
The increased tax buoyancy as re-
flected in both income tax and GST
ring costs for Zee," it said. "Sony Pictures Networks India Pvt Ltd (now known including by taking appropriate legal action". monthly collection data will provide
A standoff over leadership is said to be the reason for as Culver Max Entertainment Limited), a wholly- Zee said it had taken "all efforts and steps" in line headroom to the government to allo-
the deal being called off. Sony had resisted demand by owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation, today is- with the merger agreement and had consistently cate more funds for farmers and so-
Zee chief executive Punit Goenka, who was sued a notice terminating the definitive agreements en- worked towards implementation of the deal. cial sector schemes in the forthcom-
investigated by market regulator SEBI over fraud alle- tered into by SPNI and Zee Entertainment Enterprises The Indian firm had seen a decline in financial per- ing interim budget, without sacrific-
gations, to stay on after the merger. Ltd. relating to the merger of ZEEL with and into SPNI, formance with profits declining due to rising streaming ing fiscal prudence, sources said.
The deal was seen as crucial for both companies for which was previously announced on December 22, costs and falling advertising revenue. Zee's four-year The focus in the interim budget,
survival in the world's fastest-growing large economy. 2021," the Japanese firm said in a statement. agreement with Disney's Star for TV broadcasting which will be the last major
The deal would have created an entertainment con- The definitive agreements provided for the merger to rights for certain cricket events may be at risk after the economic document of the Modi 2.0
glomerate with more than 70 Indian TV channels, pop-
ular Bollywood studios and an extensive film library to
close within 24 months. On expiry of such a period, the
deadline was extended by a month.
deal collapses as it has to pay USD 1.32-1.44 billion over
the tenure of the pact.
Government ahead of the general
elections, is likely to be on the issues
being faced by poorer sections of the
society, especially in rural areas.
Domestic coal-based power RBI mute spectator letting banks According to sources, collections
from income and corporate taxes
have been showing buoyancy in the
generation up 7% in Apr-Dec levy high interest despite rule: HC current fiscal, and the total direct tax
mop-up is likely to exceed budget es-
timates by about Rs 1 lakh crore.
PTI / New Delhi Thermal power producers INFORMIST / New Delhi lenders. In the case, petitioner The government had budgeted to
Manmeet Singh had sought a collect Rs 18.23 lakh crore from direct
Domestic coal-based power gener- contributes to more than Expressing its surprise at how loan of Rs 900,000 from Standard taxes in this fiscal. Till January 10,
ation increased 7.14 per cent to 872 70% of the total the Reserve Bank of India issued Chartered Bank and the latter, the mop-up stood at Rs 14.70 lakh
billion units (BU) in the April-De- guidelines regarding loans but while sanctioning the loan, had crore, which is 81 per cent of budget
cember period of the current fis-
electricity generation did nothing for their implemen- agreed to charge a 12.5% variable estimates.
cal. The rise in domestic coal- tation, the Allahabad High Court rate of interest and the entire On the Goods and Services Tax
based electricity generation re- tributes to more than 70 per cent has observed that the central amount was to be paid in 144 (GST) front, Central GST revenues
flects an ample supply of coal to of the total electricity generation. bank has just been a mute specta- Surprisingly, RBI had months. However, the petitioner, are expected to exceed budget esti-
meet the growing energy demand Coal-based power generation in tor allowing the banks to arbi-
been issuing guidelines who has been paying the equated mates of Rs 8.1 lakh crore by about Rs
in the country, the coal ministry the country registered a growth of trarily charge a very high rate of monthly installments on time, 10,000 crore. According to estimates,
said in a statement. around 10.13 per cent during interest. "Surprisingly, RBI had but has done nothing for chose to close the loan account. there will be a shortfall of around Rs
Domestic coal-based power gen- April-December period of FY'24, been issuing guidelines but has the implementation of After closure of the loan ac- 49,000 crore in excise and customs du-
eration was 813.9 BU in the year- as compared to the corresponding done nothing for the implemen- count, when the petitioner ties collections in this fiscal year.
ago period, it said. period of previous year while tation of the same. They have the same, the HC said checked the bank statement, he The Centre's gross tax revenues is
In the country, power is gener-
ated from conventional sources --
overall power generation grew
6.71 per cent during the same peri-
just been a mute spectator allow-
ing the banks to charge arbitrar- if the benefit of doubt is given to
realised that the bank had illegal-
ly taken Rs 2.7 mln against the
expected to exceed the Budget esti-
mates of Rs 33.6 lakh crore by Rs
thermal, nuclear and hydro-- and od, the ministry statement said. ily a very high rate of interest," the bank that it is free to charge sanctioned loan of Rs 900,000. 60,000 crore. ICRA in its interim
renewable sources -- wind, solar, Coal imports for blending observed a bench of Justice Ma- the interest rate, it is the duty of Feeling aggrieved, the petitioner budget expectations report had said
biomass etc. Thermal power pro- dropped by 40.66 per cent to 17.08 hesh Chandra Tripathi and Jus- the RBI to see that customers are filed a complaint against the that it expects gross tax revenues to
ducers use coal as the main fuel to MT during April-December tice Prashant Kumar. not inconvenienced by the huge bank before the Banking Om- grow 11 per cent in the next fiscal
run the units and the dry fuel con- period of current fiscal. The high court said that even rate of interest charged by the budsman, RBI. (2024-25).
‘EVs devpt, adoption to play major role in Air India begins MORGAN STANLEY REPORT

Menon, who heads corporate strategy
and investor relations (IR), the company
said on Monday.
Worst start to a year for
Chinese stocks since 2016
China's stock market had a rough 2023
and the rout has accelerated in the first
few weeks of the New Year, after Beijing
dashed hopes that it might do more to
support the struggling economy, a media
report said. Hong Kong's benchmark Hang
Seng Index fell 2.3 per cent on Monday,
closing at its lowest level since October
2022. The index has lost more than 12
per cent so far this month, nearly as much
as it lost in all of 2023, CNN reported.
Fonebox Retail's IPO to
open on Jan 25
Ahmedabad-based Fonebox Retail on
Monday said it has fixed a price band of
Rs 66-70 per share for its initial public
offering (IPO). The initial share sale of the
company will open for public subscription
on January 25 and conclude on January
30, the company said in a statement.
India's transition to low carbon economy’
PTI / New Delhi
The vision to make India a devel-
oped nation by 2047 includes a ma-
jor shift towards electric vehicles,
supported by tax incentives, pro-
duction linked incentive schemes,
and the mandatory provision of
charging infrastructure, a top
government official said on Mon-
day. Secretary in the Department
for Promotion of Industry and In-
ternal Trade (DPIIT) Rajesh Ku-
mar Singh said that the develop-
ment and adoption of Electric Ve-
hicles (EVs) play a pivotal role in
India's transition to a low-carbon
economy.
"The comprehensive vision for
2047 includes a substantial shift
towards electric vehicles across
various segments, supported by
tax incentives, Production Linked
Incentive (PLI) schemes, and the
mandatory provision of charging
infrastructure," Singh told PTI.
He said that a shift in the modal
share of freight from road to rail
will be an effective lever to decar-
bonise the freight transport
sector.
He added that the government's
authorisation of 100 per cent For-
eign Direct Investment (FDI) for
renewable power projects under-
scores the nation's dedication to
sustainable development.
Viksit Bharat @2047 is the vi-
sion to make India a developed na-
tion by 2047, the 100th year of inde-
pendence.
The govt's authorisation
of 100% FDI for RE
projects underscores the
nation's dedication to
sustainable development
The vision encompasses vari-
ous aspects of development, in-
cluding economic growth, social
progress, environmental sustain-
ability, and good governance.
Singh said that he discussed
these things in a session on 'Fi-
nancing Industrial Ecosystems of
the Future' at the recently con-
cluded WEF meet at Davos. "The
agenda for the session was to dis-
cuss how public and private insti-
tutions can provide financing that
will benefit the cluster partner-
ship model in creating shared in-
frastructure and innovative de-
carbonisation projects," he said.
commercial ops
of A350 aircraft
PTI / Mumbai
Private carrier Air India on Mon-
day commenced the commercial
operations of its first wide-body
A350 aircraft with a flight taking
off for Chennai from the Mumbai
airport. The 316-seater A350-900
aircraft has a three-class cabin
configuration with 28 private
business suites with full-flat beds,
24 premium economy and 264
economy seats.
"Air India flight AI-589 took off
from Mumbai's Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj International
Airport on Monday for Chennai,
with a full-capacity load of pas-
sengers," the airline said in a
statement. The aircraft will ini-
tially fly on domestic routes --
Bengaluru, Chennai, Delhi, Hy-
derabad, and Mumbai -- for crew
familiarisation and regulatory
compliance.
Prefer Japan and India
equities versus overall EMs
IANS / New Delhi
Foreign brokerage, Morgan
Stanley said in a report that it
continues to prefer Japan and In-
dia versus overall emerging mar-
kets (EM) and China this year.
MSCI EM has remained weak
at the index level with YTD per-
formance of -6.1 per cent, follow-
ing subdued absolute and rela-
tive performance in 2023.
Within EM markets, the top
three performers are Turkey,
Egypt, Colombia; in contrast, Ko-
rea, Chile, Hong Kong were the
bottom three performing mar-
kets. Within EM sectors, all sec-
tors have delivered negative ab-
solute returns YTD.
Materials, Real Estate and
Consumer Discretionary are the
worst three performers while
Energy, Utilities and Financials
are the best three, the report
said.
Japan has made a strong start
to 2024 with TOPIX gaining +5.3
per cent YTD (in JPY terms or
+0.2 per cent in US$) as of Janu-
ary 18.
Strong nominal GDP growth
and positive earnings revisions
as well as a structural trend to
rising ROE have been driving
the outperformance versus RoW.
Japan remains a key OW market
at the global equity level with a
TOPIX base-case target price of
2600 (+4 per cent upside) and a
rising likelihood of our bull case
of 2800 (+12 per cent upside) com-
ing into play as fund re-alloca-
tions to Japan have been high
year to date driving multiple ex-
pansion.

Insurance brokerage
Lockton enters Indian mkt
US-based independent insurance
brokerage Lockton on Monday announced
its entry into the Indian market. With over
135 offices worldwide, Lockton's entry in
the country is subject to regulatory
approval. This will meet India's growing
demand for risk consulting and
management services, the company said
in a statement.
Hero MotoCorp to set up
assembly plant in Nepal
Hero MotoCorp on Monday said it will set
up a facility for assembling products in
Nepal in partnership with CG Motors, its
newly appointed distributor in the
country. The facility will be located in
Nawalpur district and have a capacity of
75,000 units per annum, the country's
largest two-wheeler maker said.
SC to hear Google-CCI
antitrust case on Apr 30
The Supreme Court on Monday said that it
will list the cross appeals by Google LLC
and Google India Pvt Ltd, and the
Competition Commission of India in the
antitrust case on Apr 30 as there would
be no Constitution bench hearing that
Increase import duty on paper, Govt may increase agri-credit target
paperboards to 25%, says IPMA to `22-25 lakh cr in interim Budget
PTI / New Delhi
Domestic paper and paperboard
manufacturers have demanded a
hike in import duty to 25 per cent
on paper products and the impo-
sition of a quality control order in
the upcoming Budget to discour-
age cheap inward shipments.
The Indian Paper Manufactur-
ers Association (IPMA), in a
statement on Monday, said that
in its pre-budget submissions to
the government, it has urged for
increasing the basic customs
duty on the import of paper and
paperboard from 10 per cent to 25
per cent as India's WTO Bound
rate is 40 per cent on these prod-
ucts.
The association has also asked
for the issuance of quality control
orders (QCOs) for different grades
of paper to ensure the supply of
NASSCOM-INDEED FUTURE OF WORK REPORT 2024
Govt's faster testing
for electronics to
cut device launch
quality products to Indian con- PTI / New Delhi According to the sources, there time by half: ICEA
sumers and check the import of is more focus on agri-credit and
sub-standard products into the The government is likely to an- the government is implementing
country. IPMA President Pawan nounce in the upcoming interim several campaigns to identify the
Agarwal urged the government to Budget a substantial increase in left out eligible farmers and bring
keep paper and paperboard on the the agricultural credit target to them in the credit network.
negative list while reviewing the Rs 22-25 lakh crore for the next
existing FTAs (ASEAN, South fiscal and ensure every eligible
The agriculture ministry has
also created a separate division
Korea and Japan) and formulat- farmer has access to institutional on 'credit' in order to give a fo-
ing new ones. credit, according to sources. cused approach, the sources
He mentioned The govern- The government's agri- added.
BUDGET FOR FY2025
that any increase ment's agri-credit credit target is `20L crore Further, the sources men-
in customs duty will not impact target is Rs 20 lakh crore for the tioned that the credit disbursal IANS / New Delhi
the duty-free imports coming into current fiscal. for the current fiscal for various agricultural and al-
the country under the FTAs. Currently, the government lied activities has been exceeding The government's faster electronics
"Suitable safeguard, anti- provides interest subvention of also being provided to farmers the target in the last 10 years. testing decision will allow original
dumping and countervailing two per cent on short term agri- who repay on time. Farmers can In the current fiscal, about 82 equipment manufacturers (OEMs) to
duties on imports of various loans of up to Rs 3 lakh for all fi- also avail long term loans but in- per cent of the agri-credit target choose the most suitable testing
grades of paper should be ex- nancial institutions. This means
peditiously imposed, espe- farmers are getting a farm loan of
terest rate is as per the market
rate.
of Rs 20 lakh crore has been
achieved till December 2023.
method for their products, thereby ex-
pediting the market launch of their
cially after the recommenda- up to Rs 3 lakh at a concessional For the 2024-25 fiscal, there About Rs 16.37 lakh crore credit electronic items, the India Cellular
tion of the Directorate Gener- rate of 7 per cent per annum. could be a sharp increase in the has been disbursed by both pri- and Electronics Association (ICEA)
al of Trade Remedies An additional interest subven- agri-credit target to Rs 22-25 lakh vate and public banks in the said said on Monday. The government re-
(DGTR). tion of 3 per cent per annum is crore, sources said. period, the official data showed. cently introduced a more efficient
parallel testing process for products
under the Compulsory Registration
Order (CRO) of 2021.

Technology industry of choice for Gen Z students

day. The counsels for both Google and the
antitrust regulator told the top court that
two days were not enough for hearing the
case and instead, four days should be
given to decide the matter.
Gau Life Sciences
introduces Goutilizer
Gau Life Sciences has announced the
launch of Goutilizer – a revolutionary
organic nano fertilizer developed through
meticulous scientific research. Marketed
under the names Gou-Gro and Goutilizer
Gold Organic Fertilizer, this product aims
to bring about a paradigm shift in the
agricultural chemicals market.
—Agencies
PTI / New Delhi
The technology industry in India continues to
draw Gen Z students with 77 per cent of them
showing interest towards the sector, a report
by Nasscom-Indeed said. Millennials and Gen
Zs constitute around 90 per cent of the tech
workforce in India enabling higher genera-
tional diversity and driving a shift in prefer-
ences.
"Learning and Growth and Culture and
Ethics are the top criteria for both Millennials
and Gen Z when selecting an organisation,
highlighting the employers' continued focus
on skilling and upskilling to navigate the cur-
rent work environment and develop their de-
sired career paths," the Nasscom-Indeed Fu-
ture of Work report 2024, which was released
on Monday, said. "The technology industry in
India continues to be the industry of choice for
Gen Z students with 77 per cent... showing in-
terest towards the industry," it said.
The survey by Nasscom and Indeed in-
volved 185 employers and over 2,500 individu-
als from current and future workforces. As
much as 84 per cent of organisations are ex-
ploring or are open to gig models, with
startups and the Business Process Manage-
ment (BPM) sector leading in hiring in this
segment, it said.
For the future workforce, criteria for select-
ing an organisation remains similar, whereas
career progression, compensation, benefits,
and learning opportunities are the primary
factors that drive them to continue with an or-
ganisation, it said.
The report examines the transformative
landscape across three pivotal pillars -- the fu-
ture of jobs, workforce dynamics, and the
evolving workspace. Generation Z refers to in-
dividuals born in late 1990s and the early 2010s.
The gig economy has profoundly transformed
traditional job roles and organisational struc-
tures, leading to more diverse skills, increased
resource allocation agility, dynamic team con-
figurations, and updated role definitions.
This new approach significantly
reduces the time required for testing
and registering electronic products,
cutting it down from the previous 16-
20 weeks to just 8-12 weeks. "This de-
velopment will allow OEMs to choose
the most suitable testing method for
their products, thereby reducing cer-
tification timelines, preventing
launch delays, and ultimately con-
tributing to a more conducive busi-
ness environment for the industry",
said Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman,
ICEA. ICEA has consistently raised
industry concerns regarding unwar-
ranted delays in obtaining the testing
certificates required for the launch of
any new electronic items.
 England Cricket Team arrives in Hyderabad
SPORTS INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
HYDERABAD: The England Cricket Team arrived at the Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Hyderabad on Sunday evening
ahead of their five-match Test series against India.The long-format series between England and India will kickstart from January
25 onwards in Hyderabad and will conclude on March 11 in Dharamshala with the fifth and final Test.This time Ben Stokes will
lead a new-look England Test team for the series.Debutants Tom Hartley and Shoaib Bashir were both part of the England

AXAR V/S KULDEEP; INDIAN TEAM WILL GO WITH GUJARAT SPINNER, FEELS HARBHAJAN DUE TO PERSONAL REASON

‘TARGET SHOOTER’
If the Indian team management under Rahul Dravid follow the “rank turner”
template for the upcoming England series starting January 25, Kuldeep can be
seen warming the bench at least in the initial stage of the five-match series
NEW DELHI
Having got to play only
eight Tests since making
his debut against
Australia in 2017 does
make Kuldeep Yadav one
of the unluckiest Indian
cricketers in recent times.
India spin great Harbha-
jan Singh, who is known
for his forthright opinions,
feels that although in
terms of skill and quality
Kuldeep will be ahead of
the Gujarat left-arm spin-
ner, there is no better
choice than Axar if pitches
are diabolical in
nature.”Look, the way I
look at it that when both R
Ashwin and Ravindra
Jadeja are in playing
eleven and you are looking
at a third specialist spin-
ner, it should be Kuldeep.
“Because Kuldeep as a
wrist spinner will bring
that variation. But I be-
lieve Axar’s selection in
Test matches is purely on
his batting skills. At No 8
or 9, he can bat and that’s
what he brings to the
table,” Harbhajan, who is
currently in Dubai, said
when asked about his pre-
ferred choice.But the ‘Tur-
banator’ wanted to set the
record straight.
“While Axar brings his
superior batting to the
table (compared to
Kuldeep), I don’t see a logic
why you need a superior
batter at No. 9 when his
skill-sets are completely
identical with that of Jade-
ja’s.”You are then taking
the aspect of variation out
of equation. So for me, ide-
ally, Kuldeep should play,”
he reasoned.
Axar had taken 50 wick-
ets in 12 Tests but it’s only
fair to mention that 27 out
of those 50 wickets came in
his first three Tests
against England in 2021
and the next 23 wickets
have come in nine
games.Against Australia
at home, he got only three
wickets in four Test
matches including going
wicketless in two of those
games (Delhi and Indore).
The five Tests will be
held in Hyderabad,
Visakhapatnam, Rajkot,
Ranchi and Dharamsala.
Except for the last game on
a track which is tradition-
ally known to help pacers
but of late has turned into
a batting belter, all the oth-
er four venues will offer
significant help for Ash-
win and Jadeja.Axar’s
biggest plus point on rank
turners is not trying to
turn the deliveries and just
landing it on spot allowing
the pitch to do the rest. On
crumbling surfaces, he
bowls those under-cutters,
where the ball skids after
landing on its skin rather
than seam.
These type of deliveries
stay low and batters from
SENA countries are often
confused whether to go on
front-foot or back-foot.
But on better tracks,
Axar has been found want-
ing as he doesn’t have too
many variations in his
repertoire.The plus point
for Kuldeep is his ability to
extract turn and bounce.
Being able to turn the ball
back into right-handers
and also take it away (left-
arm wrist spinner’s goo-
gly) but there remains a
possibility of being
slightly slower through
the air.
“If you look at our
batting performances on
rank turners, you would
know that we haven’t also
done very well. Our
batting also could struggle
if there is excessive turn
and hence you then want a
longer tail and that’s
where Axar comes into ef-
fect with his batting.”Now
coming to the bowling. On
turners, you need a “target
shooter”. One who would
just keep on bowling wick-
et to wicket, hitting more
or less same length over af-
ter over.”On turners, you
won’t need to turn or show
variations to get wickets.
When it comes to that dis-
cipline, Axar is fantastic at
target hitting and hence he
remains favourite,” Harb-
hajan added.
England spinner Bashir’s
arrival delayed due Kohli withdraws
to visa issues
England’s first practice session at the Rajiv Gandhi In-
from first two Tests
ternational Stadium on Monday began without un-
capped off-spinner Shoaib Bashir, who is still in the
UAE due to visa issues delaying his arrival in India.
Bashir, who plays for
against England
Somerset in England’s HYDERABAD
domestic cricket cir-
cuit, is of Pakistani her- Three days ahead of
itage and is the only the start of the five-
member from the Test match Test series
side facing paperwork against England at
issues. Dan Lawrence, the Rajiv Gandhi
named as Harry International Stadi-
Brook’s replacement, is um, India have been
expected to arrive in dealt with a huge
Hyderabad on Monday blow as talismanic
night.Head coach Bren- batter Virat Kohli
don McCullum insisted has withdrawn
Bashir will be available from the first two
for selection ahead of matches, citing per-
the opening Test on sonal reasons.
January 25. “Bash will In a statement, the
join us hopefully tomor- Board of Control for
row as well. He’s got a Cricket in India
couple of issues with (BCCI) said a re-
his visa coming placement will be
through. We’re confi- named soon by the
dent on the back of the selection committee
help from the BCCI and after Kohli request-
the Indian government ed to withdraw
that (the issue) will sort from the Test
itself out pretty quickly matches in Hyder-
as well.”“Things take time, don’t they? Everyone is do- abad and Visakhap-
ing what they can. It’s a process we need to go through. atnam, while re-
We’re pretty confident that we’re close. The time that questing for his pri-
Bash had with the squad over in Abu Dhabi, where he vacy to be respect-
fitted in seamlessly, will serve him greatly,” he said. ed.
“Virat has spoken
to Captain Rohit Sharma, frontrunners to replace
Gill, Shastri to be honoured at BCCI Awards the team management and
the selectors and has em-
Kohli.Patidar recently
scored 151 against the Eng-
HYDERABAD phasized that while repre- land Lions in an unofficial
senting the country has al- Test and Sarfaraz scored a
Former India all-rounder and head coach Ravi Shastri ways been his top priority, half-ton in the second in-
will be honoured with BCCI’s Lifetime Achievement certain personal situations nings of the same
Award here on Tuesday. demand his presence and game.There is talk of in-
Shubman Gill will be presented with Cricketer of the undivided attention.” cluding veteran Chetesh-
Year award following a memorable 12 months when he RAJAT PATIDAR VS war Pujara in the line-up
became the fastest to cross the 2000-run mark in ODIs SARFARAZ KHAN AS considering his experience
and also scored five hundreds in the format.”He (Shas- REPLACEMENT: It is un- of 20,000 plus first-class
tri) has been chosen for the honour while Gill will be derstood that one among runs, including 7000 in
awarded the cricketer of the year,” said a BCCI offi- the two heavyweight India Tests.However, it will be
cial.The BCCI awards will be held for the first time ‘A’ performers — Rajat interesting if the current
since 2019 and both India and England teams are ex- Patidar of Madhya selection committee under
pected to be in attendance ahead of the first Test begin- Pradesh and Sarfaraz Agarkar is ready to look
ning here on Thursday. Khan of Mumbai — are back or move forward.

GAVASKAR FEELS JAISWAL, BISHNOI, ARSHDEEP INCLUDED

Yashasvi could establish himself in Gough hails Surya named captain of

Test side during England series Anderson’s spirited ICC T20I team of the year
NEW DELHI commitment NEW DELHI wickets
Hangzhou at the
in Women’s T20I team of
the year, Deepti is the
In the lead-up to the highly anticipated Test series LONDON India’s middle-order batter Asian Games in Octo- only Indian to have
against England, Former India cricketer Sunil Suryakumar Yadav was named the ber.Other players made the cut. The off-
Gavaskar has voiced his confidence in young Former Eng- captain of ICC Men’s T20I team of who made the cut spinner claimed 21
opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, saying land cricketer the year, which also includes in Men’s T20I team wickets in 17 outings, in-
the youngster will solidify his position in Darren Gough Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ravi Bishnoi, of the year in- cluding four three-wicket
the Indian Test squad by the end of the is full of admi- and Arshdeep Singh. In the ICC clude England hauls early in the year.
England series. ration for Women’s T20I team of the Year, all- She also bowled an im-
Gavaskar expressed his optimism James Ander- rounder Deepti Sharma is the only portant spell of 3/15 in
about Jaiswal’s performance, cit- son’s unwaver- Indian player to be four overs against the
ing the left-hander’s ability to ing commit- included.Suryakumar has been opener West Indies, as the spinner
adapt to home conditions. ment to the game, especially as the 41-year-old fast bowler named in the Men’s T20I team of Phil Salt, West helped her country reach the
“Yashasvi Jaiswal will easily made adjustments to his run-up ahead of the gruelling the year for a second straight year Indies wicket- knockout stages of the tourna-
settle in home conditions. He’s five-Test series in India. and is currently in the running for keeper-batter ment. Deepti also chipped in with
also a left-hander. I think he’ll Set to become the oldest player to feature in an over- T20I Men’s Cricketer of the Year. Nicholas Pooran, the bat when required, making
establish himself completely in the Indian seas Test for England in almost three decades, Ander- His first innings of 2023 was just New Zealand bat- 106 runs at a rate of better than a
Test team after this series,” Gavaskar told Star son in an interview has earlier revealed that he is com- seven against Sri Lanka. ter Mark Chap- run a ball.Other players who
Sports.The 74-year-old also turned his attention to ing with a “better run-up to get that speed and momen- Leg-spinner Bishnoi took 18 man, Zimbabwe made the cut in Women’s T20I
Shreyas Iyer, expressing hope that the batter would tum”.He has worked on it after a forgettable Ashes at wickets in just 44 overs across the all-rounder Sikan- team of the year includes Sri Lan-
shine against England. Having scored 707 runs in 12 home last year where he returned with five wickets year, and was even ranked at the dar Raza, Uganda ka captain Chamari
Test matches for India at an average of 39.27, Iyer’s re- from four Tests at 85.40 apiece. top of the ICC Men’s T20I bowler spinner Alpesh Athapaththu, Australia wicket-
cent struggle against South Africa raised concerns. “It just goes to show the desire to carry on playing. rankings. Bishnoi travelled on In- Ramjani, Ireland keeper-batter Beth Mooney, as
Gavaskar, recalling Iyer’s brilliant performances The only thing is when you’ve been doing something dia’s tour of Ireland, taking four pacer Mark Adair well as pacer Megan Schutt and
in Indian pitches during the World Cup, anticipates so long as Jimmy has, when you start quickening up, wickets across two matches, before and Zimbabwe fast- all-rounders Ellyse Perry and
a similar display in the Test series.”In the World you bring more injuries into play, more hamstring, calf, being picked in the Asian Games bowler Richard Ash Gardner, South Africa batter
Cup, Shreyas Iyer batted brilliantly in Indian pitch- groin-type injuries,” Darren Gough told English publi- squad to compete in Hangzhou. Ngarava. Laura Wolvaardt, West Indies
es, so I’m hoping he’ll play similarly at No.5 in the cation news.”Let’s hope not because I think even at Arshdeep returned to the team in //Deepti is the captain Hayley Matthews, Eng-
Test series. He batted aggressively, was quite his age he can perform. Everybody talks about his August for the tour of the USA and only Indian to land vice-captain Nat Sciver-
watchful at the start and then his stroke-making age but with Jimmy you have to take age out of it. If the Caribbean with a performance have made the Brunt and left-arm spinner So-
after reading the pitch was a delight to watch. I he keeps taking wickets he keeps playing. If he does- of 3/38 in Lauderhill against the cut phie Ecclestone, New Zealand
hope he’ll replicate that,” Gavaskar added. n’t, he doesn’t, it’s that simple,” Gough said. West Indies, before taking four In the all-rounder Amelia Kerr.

RANJI TROPHY ROUND UP CONFIDENT: BAZBALL FOR SUCCESS IN INDIA

There’ll be lot on
Abdul Samad steers Jammu Rohit’s mind as Cook worries over England’s lack of preparation
leader: Zaheer
and Kashmir to first win NEW DELHI
LONDON

England’s “lack of match prepa-

CUTTACK
Abdul Samad helped Jam-
mu & Kashmir overcome a
tricky chase with an un-
beaten 66, steering his
team to a two-wicket win
over Odisha in Ranji Tro-
phy here on Monday.
It was the first win of the
season for J&K after shar-
ing points with Delhi and
Himachal in their two
home games marred by
bad light in Elite Group D.
Resuming at 72 for four,
J&K needed another 77
runs for the win and they
somehow managed to cross
the line.IPL regular Samad
stood like a rock as wickets
kept falling at the other
end. His knock comprised
seven fours and two sixes.
MUMBAI DEMOLISH
KERALA, REGISTER
HAT-TRICK OF WINS:
Thumba (Kerala): Spin duo
of Shams Mulani and
Tanush Kotian exploited
the conditions beautifully
to trigger a stunning bat-
ting collapse as Mumbai
registered a handsome 232-
run win after skittling out
Kerala for 94 in their Ranji
Trophy Group B match
here on Tuesday.
On a turning fourth day
wicket, the home side
crumbled under relentless
pressure with left-arm
spinner Mulani returning
with 5/44 from his 16 overs.
Off-spinner Kotian pro-
vided the perfect support,
claiming 5-1-6-2.Mulani is
now the leading wicket-
taker for Mumbai with 17
to his name. Veteran seam-
er Dhawal Kulkarni (2/32)
triggered the collapse in
the first over of the day
when he dismissed Jalaj
Saxena (16).
ANDHRA BEAT AS-
SAM BY 172 RUNS : In
Dibrugarh, Andhra posted
their maiden win of the
season defeating hosts As-
sam by 172 runs and log six
points. Andhra now have
nine points from three
matches.
Chasing an imposing 363,
Assam managed to add 109
runs to their overnight to-
tal before being bowled out
for 190 in 48.2 overs.
Overnight 46, skipper
Riyan Parag ended up with
75 and after his dismissal
wicketkeeper-batter Sumit
Ghadigaonkar put up a re-
sistance in his 60 (102
balls).
CHHATTISGARH
DENY BENGAL 3 at home, Rohit scored 345 runs in four
POINTS: Bengal were left
ruing their luck as visitors
Chhattisgarh showed re-
silience, led by Ashutosh
Singh’s gritty 88 from 240
balls, that denied the home
side a first innings lead.De-
spite the pressure, the No.
4 batter displayed com-
mendable shot selection
and stayed firm at the
crease as Chhattisgarh
saw through the final day,
finishing at 214/6.As the
innings was incomplete on
the fourth day, both the
teams returned with one
point each.
the top four in the India A side we
faced and Cheteshwar Pujara
played in one of the other
istan (3-0) last year.
“...there is no doubt what Eng-
land are going to try to do in
ration” in India ahead of the gru- games,” he recalled. India and I now think it is their
With three days elling five-Test series could be a best chance of success. They
left for India- “problem” but the team can bank
BAZBALL WAY FORWARD won’t follow the traditional rules
England Test on its ‘Bazball’ approach to up- of batting in the subcontinent. I
series to begin, stage Rohit Sharma and his men, Cook, howev- always found the key time
former left-arm feels Alastair Cook, who led the er, was confi- was the first 30 balls when
fast-bowler Za- Englishmen to a memorable Test dent in Eng- you are trying to accli-
heer Khan be- triumph in the country back in land’s matise,” Cook said.
lieves a lot will 2012. Bazball ap-
be on the mind of Rohit Sharma in his dual Having opted for a month-long proach,
ROOT BEST PLAYER
roles as the opening batter and leader of the training camp in ‘subcontinent- which advo- OF SPIN
team. like conditions’ of Abu Dhabi, cates an at-
During the 2021 Test series against England Ben Stokes and Co. arrived in Hy- tacking style Identifying Joe Root as a
derabad on Sunday, just four of play. The key asset, Cook hailed the
matches at an average of 57.50, with his high- days before the opening Test on team demon- former England captain as
est score in the series being a majestic 161 in Thursday. strated it in one of the best-ever players
the second Test at Chennai. Overall, Rohit has “A problem England will have the success- of spin.”He’s scored a lot of
scored 747 runs in nine Tests against England is a lack of match preparation,” ful tour of runs in the subcontinent in re-
at an average of 49.80, including two centuries Cook, who had top-scored with Pak- cent years in Sri Lanka and
and three fifties. 562 runs in the 2-1 come-from-be- India, and he has done
“Since the time Rohit has been an opener in hind win over India in the it by being very
Tests, he’s scored some brilliant hundreds in 2012-13 series, wrote in his proactive, but in
the toughest of conditions. You’ve seen him column for ‘The Sunday what seemed to
adapt nicely in England when it came to leav- Times’.”It is the nature of be a very risk-
ing the ball. He said that he had worked a lot the modern tour. When free way.
on it.”“You’ve seen that in Chennai when he we won in India in 2012 There’s a lot
played a match-defining knock. Winning the we had three warm-up the other bats-
toss, batting first and getting the opposition games against good men can learn
completely out in the first innings and being sides — Yuvraj Singh, from how he
instrumental in that is something which gives Ajinkya Rahane and goes about it,”
satisfaction to any player, playing at the high- Murali Vijay were in he explained.
est level,” said Zaheer to JioCinema.
 Guinea soccer team appeals to fans to ‘celebrate carefully’
ABIDJAN (IVORY COAST): The Guinea soccer team has appealed to fans to “celebrate carefully” after several supporters
were killed in traffic accidents back home following the team’s win over Gambia at the Africa Cup of Nations.”We are
deeply saddened by the loss of some of our supporters during the celebrations of the win over Gambia. Celebrate
carefully and take care of yourselves,” the Guinea soccer federation said on the social media platform X.
SPORTS
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

SPORTS DIGEST AUSTRALIAN OPEN KIYG 2023

Bopanna-Ebden duo Daughter of a welder,

SEEDED PLAYERS HITESH, DARSHAN,
PRIYANKA, AARADHYA START WITH VICTORY
Prakash, Praneel make an
upset in the second round
Sapna shines with
enters quarter-finals
INDORE: Organized by Madhya Pradesh Tennis Association and
Path India Pvt Ltd In the International World Tennis Tour Junior
Indore ITF J-60 Tennis Championship being played at Indore
Tennis Club. In the boys category, unseeded Prakash Saran and
Praneel Sharma made a spectacular upset and made it to the
a second gold
CHENNAI
The 43-year-old Bopanna and Ebden, who are seeded second in the draw, A childhood obsession for
were broken early in both sets but showed themselves to be up to the medals introduced Chandi-
garh’s Sapna to sports and
task with some great returns against the 14th seeds she is now fulfilling that
dream as a judoka in the
MELBOURNE
Czech teenager Noskova ongoing Khelo India Youth
Games 2023 in Chennai,
.The 43-year-old Bopanna and Ebden, who are seeded sec- Tamil Nadu.
ond in the draw, were broken early in both sets but
showed themselves to be up to the task with some great re-
advances to quarterfinals Sapna’s journey started
with yoga before she was
turns against the 14th seeds.The Indo-Australian pair will Czech teenager Linda Noskova advanced to her first influenced by some friends
second round. Top seeded Hitesh Chauhan of India, second next meet the sixth-seeded Argentine duo of Maximo Gon- Grand Slam quarterfinal after Elina Svitolina retired due to take up judo five years
seeded Darshan Kumar of Malaysia, Priyanka Rana of America in zalez and Andres Molteni. to a back injury early in the first set. ago. Sapna is now a proud
the girl’s category, fifth seeded Aradhya Verma of India started They are also the highest seeded pair to remain alive in The Ukrainian player, owner of 12 medals, which
with wins in the first round. MP’s Adhiraj Thakur, Vivan who was in tears, had a includes a second Khelo In-
Bidasaria, Poorvika Jain had to face defeat in the first round. medical timeout at 2-0 dia Youth Games gold
Unseeded Vraj Gohil and Prakash Saran created a sensation with down and was trailing 3-0 which she won in the un- judo. I instantly liked the
a thumping win. In the boy’s category, unseeded Praneel when she decided to der-40 kg category here on sport and decided to pursue
Sharma defeated fifth seed Vraj Gohil 7-6(4), 6-4 and Prakash quit.”Obviously, today Sunday.Sapna, whose fa- it… and that’s how the jour-
Saran defeated sixth seed Venkat Batalanki of America 3-6, 7- was not the way I had ther is a welder and mother ney started,” she said. Now,
6(1) and 6-3. planned to win,” said the a housewife, said her par- a student of Class 12, Sap-
TOP SEEDS WIN EASILY: In the first round of the boy’s category, 19-year-old Noskova, who ents don’t have any clue na’s initial days in the
top seed Hitesh Chauhan of India defeated Prabir Chavda of beat top-ranked Iga about her sport but they sport were affected by the
India in straight sets 6-3, 6-1. Meanwhile, second seeded Swiatek in the third have never stopped her Covid-19 pandemic but she
Darshan Kumar of Malaysia made his brilliant debut in the round.”I feel sort for Eli- from participating. never missed a day of train-
tournament by defeating India’s Tavish Pahwa 6-2, 6-3. na, I hope she gets very “I was mad about medals, ing.“Our trainer used to
Third seed Roshan Santosh of America had to sweat to win. well soon.” The first game no matter what the sport take online classes, and we
Adhiraj Thakur played well but could not reach the second of the match lasted 11 was. The only thing I want- were assigned to make
round. In the first round match, Roshan defeated Adhiraj 6-3, 5- minutes and contained 20 ed was to win medals. At small videos of our train-
7, 6-1. Fourth seeded Pratyaksha of India defeated Dikshan points. Noskova broke the nearby school, I saw ing, and I did not miss a
Chikara 6-1, 6-1, eighth seeded Aradhya Kshitij defeated serve and held for 2-0 be- some kids doing yogasana day’s training. I somehow
Sarmpreet Sharma 6-4, 6-3, Mahit Mekhla defeated Vishnu fore Svitolina had a time- and I joined them. But some felt that if I missed a day of
Balachandra of America 6-2, 7 -6(3). Whereas Smit Patel out. days later, I befriended training I would miss a
defeated Vivan Bidasaria 6-2, 6-4. When she returned, the Ukrainian player had had her some other kids there and medal on resumption of
PRIYANKA’S EASY VICTORY: In the first round of the girl’s serve broken for a second time. She shook Noskova’s found them training for competitions.
category, top seed Priyanka Rana of America made a great start hand and retired.
by defeating Aarushi Rawal 6-4, 6-2. Sixth seed Diya Ramesh FIRST WORLD QUALIFICATION FOR PARIS 2024
defeated Alina Farid 6-1, 6-3, fifth seed Aradhya Verma defeated Alcaraz downs
Purvika Jain by 6-1, 6-2, Vamika Sharma defeated Raja Kilaru by
6-4, 5-7, 7-5, Shaili Thakkar defeated Saanvi Mishra by 6-1, 6-2
Kecmanovic, to face Zverev Shiva, Jaismine to lead
to reach the next round.
COLORFUL START OF THE COMPETITION: The tournament
started in the hospitality of Nitin Agarwal . On this occasion, the men’s doubles competition and Monday’s win was a
Carlos Alcaraz and Alexander Zverev set the stage for an
enthralling showdown, each earning their place in the
9-member boxing squad
General Secretary of Indian Tennis Federation Anil Dhupar, praiseworthy one against the former top ranked doubles quarterfinals on Monday. The second-seeded Spaniard,
Tournament Director Arjun Dhupar, Chief Referee Gitika Pal were pair in the world.Bopanna’s service let him down initially Alcaraz, exhibited domi- NEW DELHI
present. The programme was conducted by Sajid Lodhi. as he was broken in the second game of the first set with nance as he dismantled 60th-
the 14th seeds racing to a 3-0 lead within first 15 minutes ranked Serbian Miomir Kec- Six-time
Title to Anita, Shreya, Kavya, Aarav, Ishman, of the start. However, the veteran Indian, who recently re- manovic in straight sets, Asian Cham-
Milan, Aishani and Aaradhya tired from Davis Cup duties, was back in his groove with clinching a 6-4, 6-4, 6-0 pionships
INDORE: In the Ramesh and Ramesh Cup open school some signature backhand down the lines and deft over- victory in 50 minutes at Rod medallist Shi-
badminton competition, Anita Binu and Kavya Sharma won the head lobs which were placed inches inside the baseline. Laver Arena. va Thapa and
title of 15 years girls and boys, Shreya Agarwal and Aarav Raj In the seventh game of the first set, Mektic and Koolhof The Spaniard, known for 2022 Common-
Singh Bagga won the title of 13 years girls and boys category, made some glaring unforced errors, allowing the Indo- his powerful groundstrokes, wealth Games
Ishman Saluja and Milan Tembhere won the titles of 9 years girls Aussie pair to get their foot in the door. has previously triumphed bronze medal-
and boys, Aishani Goyal and Aradhya Sagar won the titles of 11 There was no looking back for them after that as they over Kecmanovic in a decid- list Jaismine are set to (92kg), 2022 Asian Games
held both nerve and serve. Bopanna was a livewire at the ing-set tie-break in Miami in spearhead Indian bronze medallist Narender
nets and his anticipation won his team half of the points 2022. While their first Grand challenge as the Boxing Berwal (+92kg) and 2023
as he used deft volleys in the alley between Koolhof and Slam meeting lacked the dra- Federation of India (BFI) World Championship
Mektic. The bisection was very precise, leaving the oppo- ma of their previous en- named nine-member squad bronze medallists Mo-
nents wrong-footed. n the second set also, Bopanna lost counter.Alcaraz’s relentless for the first World Qualifi- hammed Hussamuddin
his first service game with the Dutch-Croat duo going up baseline striking and aggres- cation Tournament of (57kg), Deepak Bhoria
4-2 and showing signs of a revival, which looked sive play left Kecmanovic with little room to mount a Paris Olympic Games 2024. (51kg) and Nishant Dev
imminent but was not to be.Mektic’s first serve really let comeback, showcasing the form that has propelled him to The world qualification (71kg) have also been in-
their team down as they had a success percentage of a the upper echelons of men’s tennis. tournament is scheduled to cluded as they will fight for
mere 55 percent compared to a whopping 77 percent by the Earlier, sixth seed Alexander Zverev faced a formidable take place in Busto Arsizio, Paris 2024 quotas in their
winners, despite conceding breaks in both games. Ebden challenge in a five-set marathon against Cameron Norrie. Italy from February 29 to respective categories.The
didn’t lose a single game on his serve. The German managed to secure a hard-fought 7-5, 3-6, 6-3, March 12.Besides Thapa players have been selected
In the eighth game of the second set, Bopanna upped his 4-6, 7-6(3) victory after an intense battle lasting four hours (63.5kg) and Jaismine after a comprehensive
game once again and forced the opposition to commit er- and 50 minutes. Zverev’s experience and determination (60kg), the youth world evaluation process, con-
rors, and they made a comeback into the contest.The tie- propelled him to his third Australian Open quarterfinal champion Ankushita Boro ducted by the high-perfor-
years girls and boys category. The prize distribution took place breaker saw Bopanna-Ebden race to a 3-0 lead and from in five years.As the stage is set for their upcoming clash, (66kg), reigning National mance unit based on vari-
in the chief hospitality of MPCA’s Secretary Sanjeev Rao. that point, it was always going to be an uphill task for Zverev carries a narrow 4-3 head-to-head record against champions Lakshya Cha- ous performance parame-
Chetan Sharma of Guruji Product awards, Ramesh & Ramesh their opponents. Alcaraz. har (80kg), Sanjeet Kumar ters, the BFI released read.
Sports Club President Chandraprakash Goyal, retired Assistant
Commissioner of Central Excise Shyam Mangal, RP Singh Nayyar
were the special guests. On this occasion, Dharmesh Yashalha FAINT HOPES OF REACHING ASIAN CUP KNOCKOUTS SPANISH LEAGUE
and Rani Goyal were also present.Event secretary Shalini
MADRID GETS 3 FAVOURABLE VAR
Pardeshi expressed the gratitude.
Madhya Pradesh secure second
place in two categories
India look for win against Syria to keep alive DECISIONS TO BEAT ALMERIA
INDORE : In the recently concluded 67th National School AL KHOR (QATAR),
Kurash Competition in Tyagraj Stadium, New Delhi, Srishti Tiwari MADRID
of Indore won the silver medal and Aryansh Raghuvanshi won Winless, and pointless, af-
the bronze medal, giving Madhya Pradesh the overall second ter losing two group Real Madrid needed help
position. matches, India need noth- from VAR - a lot of help - to
Girls of Madhya Pradesh captured four championships by ing more than a win avoid an embarrassing
against a tricky Syria to setback at home against
keep alive their faint hopes last-place Almeria in the
of making the knockout Spanish league on Sun-
stage of AFC Asian Cup day.
football tournament here Madrid got three favor-
on Tuesday. able video reviews in the
A 0-2 and 0-3 defeat to second half, then scored a
Australia and Uzbekistan winner nine minutes into
laid bare India’s inability stoppage time to rally to a
to give strong competition 3-2 win over Almeria, the
to the top teams of the con- only team yet to win in the ran Torres completing his The goal came after
securing second position in both the 14 and 19 years age group tinent but a win against league this season. hat trick in stoppage time. three separate VAR deci-
and third position in both the boys category. This was the best Syria can salvage some Nehru Cup tournaments. even that will not guaran- The dramatic late win The Catalan club remains sions allowed Madrid to
performance from Madhya Pradesh so far.Madhya Pradesh pride for the Sunil The last time the two tee them a place in the moved Madrid two points seven points behind stay in the game after
Kurash Association Secretary Kailash Batham said that in the Chhetri-led side. sides met, the match ended round of 16.With a goal dif- in front of Girona, which Madrid. trailing 2-0 in the first
national competition, international judge Rahul Vyas was Syria are currently in a 1-1 draw in the 2019 In- ference of minus five — the hosts relegation-threat- Dani Carvajal scored half. Madrid was awarded
appointed as the jury and Mahesh Purohit, Vikram Singh Dangi ranked 91st in the FIFA tercontinental Cup in deciding factor if teams ened Sevilla later Sun- Madrid’s winner from a penalty kick that made it
and Vaishali Tiwari were appointed as technical officers. chart, 11 places above In- Ahmedabad, and Stimac are tied on points — after day.Barcelona moved close range after a cross 2-1, saw an Almería goal
dia (102nd) but a victory is was also in charge of the two matches, it may be dif- back into third place with into the area, erupting the disallowed that would
Open sub-junior, junior and senior skating not impossible for the Igor Indian team then. ficult for India to be one of a 4-2 win over Real Betis, crowd at the Santiago have made it 3-1, and got
competition concludes Stimac-coached side as India will finish third in the four third-placed teams with substitute João Félix Bernabeu Stadium and the 2-2 equalizer after the
INDORE: Open sub-junior, junior and senior district level roller they had won in the past — Group B if they beat Syria out of six to progress to the breaking the deadlock in sending the Almeria play- goal had been initially dis-
skating competition was organized under the guidance of in 2007, 2009 and 2012 at Al Bayt Stadium but knockout stage. the 90th minute and Fer- ers into despair. allowed by the referee.
Indore District Roller Skating Association at Ajit Club and
Resort, Indore. List of winning players- reverse singles to accomplish the win. But the to put Chandigarh 2-0 ahead. A hesitant and
*Like every year, this year also this competition was played in Siddhi Yadav, Arsh Patel, Samaraddhi Dubey, struggle of Tamil Nadu continued. Hansini, who error-prone Hansini lost 11-5, 8-11, 5-11, 11-7, 6-
two phases. In the first phase, in boys and girls category, this Aspreet Kaur, Aashna Khan, Rishabh, Kashvi Shah, had a not-so-good season, was the Achilles heel. 11 to Teetiksha, and Vani regrouped after the
time also according Advika Mungi, Parth, Jagvi Arora, Harmony Jain, However, she made up for the first singles losses marathon first game loss to beat unsure Ananya
to the age group Shaurya Jain, Veer Dev, Gatik Bhabhad, Era in the knockout rounds to steady the rocking 19-21, 11-4, 9-11, 13-11, 11-6 in the second
classes from nursery Vishnoi, Vrinda Varshney, Srajal Patel, Anay boat. Despite Manal Antal winning the second singles.
to ninth and Tripathi, Covid Srivastava, Vaidika Singh, Nishtha singles, Haryana lacked the depth to go through. Chandigarh seemed on their way at that time to
above,Competition of Khandelwal, Alakh Patel, Shivansh Sharma, Vivan Surprisingly, Ankolika Chakraborty lost her singles upset Tamil Nadu. But Teetiksha and Vani failed to
non shoe attach and Chaudhary, Taksh Patel. to Himanshi Chowdhary of Karnataka. But combine as a duo in the doubles, and the script
inline and Syndrela Das made good when she combined for Tamil Nadu took a swift change. Hansini and
Teams struggle, but Maharashtra
competition of shoe with Ankolika to put Bengal 2-1 up and soon Ananya’s well-coordinated efforts brought them
attach wise and girls are on track returned for the reverse singles to wrap it up in back into the match as they pulled one back.
backward was INDORE: Maharashtra beat Telangana 3-0 to their favour.The girls from Maharashtra, Delhi, Hansini dropped her first game in the reverse
organized in the storm into the team semifinals of the Under-15 Karnataka, and West Bengal had no hurdles and singles but easily beat Vani 6-11, 11-7, 11-5, 11-9
second phase. The Girls in the 85th UTT Cadet and Sub-Junior beat their rivals 3-0. However, Telangana, Haryana to leave the final job to Ananya, who beat
National Table Tennis Championships at the way to the semifinals. That is a concern for and Uttar Pradesh faced initial resistance before Teetiksha 11-3, 8-11, 11-7, 11-6.A bit more effort
chief guests of the
Abhay Prashal Indoor Stadium here Monday. them.Maharashtra relied on three of their players subduing NCOE, Kerala and Gujarat 3-1 in their in the doubles by the Chandigarh girls could have
competition were
Joining Maharashtra in the semifinals are Delhi, and juggled with them cleverly. As a result, they pre-quarterfinal contests. turned the tables on Tamil Nadu, but the two
Ashok Bharuka,
Tamil Nadu, and West Bengal, who beat Uttar got the desired results through Divyanshi But a gusty performance by Chandigarh made trustworthy players averted the imminent danger
Nagesh Vyas Chain
Pradesh, Haryana, and Karnataka identically 3-1 Bhowmick, Riana Bhoota, and Kavya Bhatt. So, it everybody sit up and watch their encounter that lurked until the doubles.Meanwhile, the
Singh Thakur and Monica Kapoor, Vice Principal of Bhavans
and stayed in the medal hunt.Of the four teams, was a cakewalk for them against Telangana. against Tamil Nadu in the morning. Not only that, under-13 singles knockout began this afternoon.
Prominent School, who gave away prizes to the winners.Guests
only Maharashtra has shown consistency and Prisha Goyal , Avisha Karmakar and Tushti Sood Teetiksha Goel and Vani Sharma showed much The doubles and the singles main draw events
were welcomed by Ravi Chaparia, Govind Maithil, Yogesh
kept their opponents at bay, while the rest have did the job for Delhi against UP despite losing the promise and held their nerves against the will begin on Tuesday after the group fixtures in
Karosiya and Salman Khan. Pankaj Srivastava expressed the
fumbled and dropped a rubber to two on their doubles. Avisha beat Yashika Tiwari 3-2 in the experienced M. Hansini and Ananya Muralidharan u-15 and u-11 get over tonight.
gratitude, while program was conducted by Satish Sharma.
 18th Convocation T he 18th Convocation of CEPT University was held
on Jan 20. In this convocation, 572 students
students received University Awards of Proficiency.
CEPT University also, for the first time, bestowed
received their degrees; two students were awarded two honorary doctorates. Alain Bertaud was
of CEPT the Doctor of Philosophy Degree, three students
their Master of Philosophy degree, 356 students
bestowed with a Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris
Causa) in Urban Planning and Christopher Benninger
University their postgraduate degrees and 211 students their
undergraduate degrees. Sixty-three meritorious
bestowed with a Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris
Causa) in Architecture.. – ANI/Ahmedabad
INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024

ABVP-SFI scuffle in Jadavpur

TISS, IITB STUDENTS CELEBRATE University over worship programme
RAM MANDIR'S INAUGURATION
PTI / KOLKATA

Members of the Akhil

Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad
(ABVP), the students' wing of
SUNIDHI VIJAY / MUMBAI RSS, worshipped Lord Ram
on the Jadavpur University
The students of Mumbai’s Tata Insti- campus here on Monday, co-
tute of Social Science (TISS) and the inciding with the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), consecration ceremony of the
Bombay, also celebrated the conse- Ram temple in Ayodhya.
cration ceremony of the Shri Ram At the same time, the Stu-
Janmbhoomi in Ayodhya on Mon- dents Federation of India
day with a series of events. (SFI), one of the majority stu-
Rathyatra, rangoli celebration, dent unions in the university,
procession and live screening are staged a protest rally inside
some of the few events in which the the campus and held a semi- Jadavpur University
students actively took part. nar where speakers de-
TISS students organised Aarti nounced "any attempt to Roy said, "The Arts Faculty CV Ananda Bose voiced con-
(Hindu ritual) and chanted hymns to change history and divide so- Students Union (AFSU) cern on attempts to "hold reli-
mark the day. “The students also or- ciety by the fascist regime." rejects any communal and fas- gious activities on the campus
ganised a mass diya celebration ABVP state committee cist intention of RSS-BJP. We which violates the secular
(lighting up small clay lamps) to cel- leader Saptarshi Sarkar told are organising cultural func- spirit and has no relation with
ebrate; they had adorned saffron out- PTI that around 50 people as- tions, discussions and film education and public inter-
fits. A small sweet distribution cere- sembled at the union room screenings to uphold the mes- est."
mony was also carried out on the to worship Lord Ram and sage to save the culture, her- A university official said
campus”, a student told The Free watched the live streaming itage and pluralistic charac- the institute has nothing to do
Press Journal (FPJ). of the consecration ceremo- teristic of India." with any programme being
The IIT Bombay students also or- ny of Ram temple in Ayod- The SFI held programmes held by any individual group
ganised a series of events to hya. on the campus till the after- if that does not affect peace on
celebrate the grand inauguration of "Apart from the ABVP noon. the campus or violates the ac-
the Ram temple. “A Gaushala members and students, some The All Bengal University ademic ambience.
(cow shed) was inaugurated The staff of the university were Teachers' Association (ABU- "The semester exams are
in the campus at 2.30 pm, also present. The programme TA) in a letter to West Bengal taking place smoothly. We
after which a Deepotsav students will continue till evening", he Chief Minister Mamata can't comment on any pro-
(lighting of clay lamps) celebrated the added. Banerjee, Education Minister gramme being by any student
event was held”, a stu- occasion through JU SFI leader Sourayadipto Bratya Basu, and Governor outfit."
dent told the FPJ. Rathyatra, rangoli
IIT Bombay students Shobhayatra at IIT Bombay
celebration,
also organised a proces-
sion a day before the in-
auguration of the Ram
temple. Another student
processions and live
screenings.
There were also
reports of IIT Bom-
bay organising events
TISS also sent out notices to stu-
dents, warning them to not hold any
kind of protest against the consecra-
On the other hand, Thakur Col-
lege of Science and Commerce also
took out a rally to show their support
Experts advocate for inclusive
said, “I took part in the yatra
which crossed several hostels and
like Geet Ramayan along
with Ramdhun, in which a selec-
ended at the Devi Padmavati temple. tion of songs and ‘Ram bhajans’
tion ceremony. Another notice by
TISS talked about all events being
suspended till further guidelines
for the temple. The students were in-
formed that the rally was solely for
spiritual purposes and not to further
study-abroad ecosystem
The yatra started with a great pomp were to be performed on the campus. are issued, however, it was circulat- any political agenda, they were
and show, with many faculties and The event was unofficially ed in the context of movie asked not to engage in any kind of
students joining the event.” organised on Jan 20. screening. political sloganeering.

Delhi: Hindu BIHAR

College organises
Delhi: HC seeks response from
cricket match as Govt, MCD over RTE benefits PIL
part of 125 years EDUCATION DESK / MUMBAI
celebrations The Delhi High Court has on
PTI / NEW DELHI
Monday sought responses
from the Government of NCT
Delhi, the Municipal Corpo-
The Hindu College here on ration of Delhi (MCD) and
Saturday organised a other respondents on a
cricket match between its public interest litigation
alumni members and its (PIL) against the alleged de-
team nial of Right to Education
comprising staffers and stu- (RTE) statutory benefits to
dents as part of its 125-year over 600,000 students
celebrations. enrolled in Delhi’s govern-
Principal's XI won the ment and MCD-run schools.
match The students are allegedly de-
against prived of the benefit as no
Alumni XI, bank account details are pro-
according vided by them.
to a state- The High Court bench
ment issued headed by the Chief Justice
by the col- issued notices to all the re-
lege. spondents to file their count-
The cricket match served er affidavits within four
as a platform for friendly weeks after hearing the mat-
competition and a reunion ter.
for the alumni, who shared The next hearing is sched-
anecdotes, memories and uled on Apr 10.
laughter, fostering a sense of The PIL filed by advocates
unity, it said. Ashok Aggarwal and Kumar
Venkat Sundaram gifted Utkarsh allege that the stu-
his book "Indian Cricket dents of the schools run by
Then and Now" while Arun the Directorate of Education
Bhardwaj presented his book (DoE), Government of NCT
and the MCD are being de-
prived of statutory benefits
like uniforms, writing mate-
Himachal CM rial, etc, as guaranteed to
them under the Right of Chil-
flags off educa- dren to Free and Compulsory
Education Act, 2009, read
tional tour vehi- with Delhi Right of Children
The PIL alleges that around 6 lakh students have been
deprived of benefits by DoE and MCD-run schools
to Free and Compulsory Edu-
cation Rules, 2011, also read
with Delhi School Education
Act 1973 and the rules framed
thereunder.
According to the plea,
these benefits should have
been provided at the com-
mencement of the new aca-
demic year.
Around 269,488 students
studying in schools run by
the DoE and 383,203 students
studying in schools run by
the MCD are allegedly de-
prived of statutory benefits,
the plea claimed.
The plea submitted that re-
port mentioned in the Audit
Memo dated Nov 14, 2023, re-
vealed that since the 2016-17
academic year, MCD-run
schools’ students have not
been paid statutory
monetary benefits and the
condition is nearly the same
in the case of the DoE-run
schools. The PIL demanded
that the relevant teams of the
DoE and the MCD ensure
that the bank account im-
passe is sorted out quickly
and the students can get their
share of the benefits.
The plea further alleged
that the RTE of all students
who have operational bank
accounts is also being violat-
ed as benefits given by the
DoE and the MCD are always
delayed.
In fact, in many cases, the
students get these benefits at
the end of the academic ses-
sion rather than at the com-
mencement of the academic
session, it added.
The PIL further stated that
though the current academic
year 2023-24 is ending, no
benefits like uniform,
writing material, notebook,
scholarship, etc, have been to
any student studying the
MCD schools to date.
(With inputs from ANI)
Nitish Kumar
inaugurates 500-
bed medical col-
lege in
Samastipur
PTI / SAMASTIPUR
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish
Kumar inaugurated the 500-
bed Sriram Janki Medical
College and Hospital
(SJMCH) at Sarairanjan in
Samastipur district on Sun-
day.
The land for the institute,
which also has 100 MBBS
seats, was donated by the Sri-
ram Janki Trust. It was built
at an estimated cost of Rs 591
crore, officials said.
Soon after the inaugura-
tion, the CM chaired a meet-
ing of senior officials of the
state health department and
staff members of the hospital.
He hoped the new hospital
would go a long way in meet-
ing the healthcare require-
ments of the region. "With the
inauguration of this hospital,
people of this area will not
have to go to other cities for
better treatment. All medical
facilities with advanced tech-
nologies are available here",
the CM said.
"The capacity of this hospi-
tal will soon be increased to
1,000 beds. The Centre also
played an important role in
setting up this medical col-
lege", the CM said.
Experts at the round table conference in Mumbai
STAFF REPORTER / MUMBAI
UniScholars, in collaboration
with ObserveNow, recently
organised a higher education
leaders' roundtable to delve
into the theme of "Fostering
an Enhanced Study Abroad
Ecosystem."
The event, held in Mumbai,
brought together prominent
voices from the education
sector, including Srinivasan
Iyengar, Director of Jamnalal
Bajaj Institute of Manage-
ment Studies, and Monica
Kennedy from the Australian
government to deliberate on
critical aspects shaping the
landscape of study abroad
programmes in India.
Iyengar shared a com-
pelling perspective on India's
progress, emphasising the
need to retain talent within
the country. He urged a shift
in focus, asserting that the
world is now looking at India
for leadership and innova-
tion.
Kennedy acknowledged In-
dia's talent pool. She ex-
pressed a desire to welcome
Indian students not only to
Australia but also to Aus-
tralian campuses within In-
dia.
Addressing the issue of un-
equal access to international
opportunities, the discussion
veered towards the role of
government in facilitating
programmes such as interna-
tional student and teacher ex-
Experts discussed the
government's role in
facilitating programmes
such as international
student and teacher
exchange initiatives
change initiatives, MUNs,
and international confer-
ences like ‘Round Square’.
The suggestion was to make
these programmes more ac-
cessible by implementing
them at a governmental level,
ensuring coverage across all
schools and colleges. This ap-
proach would democratise
access to global exposure, fos-
— SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT
tering a sense of the global vil-
lage concept among all stu-
dents.
Tina Khatri, School Coor-
dinator, Free Press & FP
Schools, highlighted the in-
equality that students in
India face in terms of interna-
tional opportunities. She
said, "If you're studying in an
elite international school or
college, then you can get ex-
posure, more opportunities
and tune in to the concept of a
global village. However,
many students don't get the
opportunity to expand their
horizons through interna-
tional student and teacher ex-
change programmes; MUNs,
international conferences
like ‘Round Square’, etc."
Khatri proposed govern-
ment intervention to run
such programmes at a broad-
er level, ensuring coverage
across all schools and col-
leges. Additionally, she advo-
cated for collaborative efforts
between educational institu-
tions to create a more inclu-
sive study-abroad ecosystem.

cles for Kerala REPUBLIC DAY

AU students unveil
ANI /
SHIMLA (HIMACHAL PRADESH)

Himachal Pradesh Chief

Minister, Sukhvinder Singh
Sukhu on Saturday flagged
off the educational tour vehi-
cles carrying students going
to Kerala under the 'teacher
and student exchange pro-
gramme' of 'Ek Bharat
Shreshtha Bharat' scheme
from Chauda Maidan in
Shimla.
The programme was or-
ganised under 'Samagra
Shiksha'. This year 240 stu-
dents from different districts
have been included for the
educational tours. The stu-
dents will board the Rajdhani
Express from New Delhi to
Kerala on Sunday. The Chief
Minister said that under the
'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat'
scheme, the students of the
state would get the opportu-
nity to know and understand
the art, culture and customs
of Kerala.
He added that the personal-
ity of students develops
through educational tours.
The experiences gained dur-
ing such visits help students
understand the values of life
from the right perspective.
Along with developing the
students' understanding of
diversity in India, the visit
would also help them imbibe
the innate feeling of brother-
hood, stated the Chief Minis-
ter.
Pran Pratishtha of Ram Lala
in Ayodhya : Indian students
across the world celebrate
SIMPLE VISHWAKARMA / MUMBAI
The Pran Pratishtha (consecration)
ceremony of Lord Ram's idol at the
Ram temple in Ayodhya resonated
with Hindus worldwide, sparking
waves of excitement and devotion that
reverberated across the world.
The festivities extended beyond the
consecration itself, with the inaugura-
tion of new temples dedicated to Ram
Lalla alongside the recently construct-
ed Ram Janmabhoomi Temple in Ayo-
dhya.
Diverse celebrations in major cities
Dheeraj Soundankar, a master's stu-
dent specialising in Advanced Manu-
facturing in Work Design and Sustain-
ability Management from TU Chem-
nitz, Germany, shared insights into the
diverse celebrations in Germany.
"Major cities hosted various func-
tions like Dhol Phatak and adorned
public spaces with saffron flags", he
told The Free Press Journal (FPJ).
In his city, however, the celebrations
were more subdued, with residents re-
lying on YouTube live streams to wit-
ness the preparations and the worship
in Ayodhya. Small student groups took
the initiative to organise personalised
activities locally.
The invitation to the Berlin event
Global participation: Berlin, Tokyo,
and New Zealand
The global reach of the celebrations
was evident in events organised across
different countries. In Berlin, the
Shree Ganesh Hindu Temple hosted an
elaborate celebration, featuring 1008
Ram Jyoti Prajwalan and Ram Dhum,
enhancing the festive spirit.
Shreyas Atre, residing in Japan,
highlighted the efforts of Tokyo
Marathi Mitra Mandal and the Indian
Association in Nishikasai, Edogawa
City, Tokyo, where a significant Indian
community organised a vibrant event.
New Zealand also delved into the vi-
brant gathering at Auckland's Eden
Park, where devotees thronged the
Indian students celebrate the
inauguration of the Ram
temple in Ayodhya in
different parts of the world.
Ram Mandir to observe the Pran
Pratishtha ceremony.
Shubhang Chohan told FPJ, "The
Shri Ram Mandir Parivaar actively in-
vited devotees to join the historic Ayo-
dhya program in Eden Park on Jan 21,
marking the opening of Shri Ram Jan-
mabhoomi Mandir Ayodhya."
The temple committee has also ex-
tended a warm invitation to all devo-
tees through a Facebook post, empha-
sising the global resonance of this sa-
cred moment.
huge rangoli of
Ram Lalla,
Ayodhya temple
PTI / PRAYAGRAJ
A huge 3D rangoli featuring Ram
Lalla and Ayodhya Ram Mandir,
made by a group of students at the Al-
lahabad University, has been unveiled
at the Vishwa Hindu Parishad camp
in the Magh Mela area here on Mon-
day.
The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi
Parishad's Rashtriya Kala Manch,
which was involved in making the
50x30 feet rangoli, used 321 kg of natu-
ral colours for it, the ABVP said.
ABVP's state media convenor Abhi-
nav Mishra claimed the 3D rangoli is
the largest in the world in its category.
The unveiling of the 3D rangoli took
place at noon to celebrate the conse-
cration at Ram temple in Ayodhya.
Forty ABVP students from the univer-
sity were involved in making the ran-
goli. They began the process on Jan 19.
Aanchal Singh, state co-secretary of
ABVP, said, "On the occasion of the
consecration of Shri Ram Lalla Vigra-
ha, the construction of this magnifi-
cent picture symbolises the first step
towards the reconstruction embodied
by the Ram temple in India."
"A significant number of people are
flocking to witness the beauty of this
grand depiction of Shri Ram and Ayo-
dhya temple”, said Sachin Singh Ra-
jkumar, secretary, ABVP, Prayag Ma-
hanagar.
Grand finale of National
School Band Competition
held in Delhi
ANI / NEW DELHI
The grand finale of the Na-
tional School Band Competi-
tion 2023-2024 is being held
at the Major Dhyanchand
National Stadium in New
Delhi on Sunday.
The grand finale of the
National School Band Com-
petition, jointly organised
by the Ministry of Defence
and the Ministry of Educa-
tion as part of Republic Day
celebrations, will take place
on Jan 21 and 22.
A total of 16 band teams—
four from each zone (East,
West, South and North)—
are vying for musical su-
premacy during the two-day
event, which has been or-
ganised to popularise Indian
music and tunes as envi-
sioned by Prime Minister
Narendra Modi.
The competition is being
held in four categories (Boys
Brass Band, Girls Brass
Band, Boys Pipe Band and
Girls Pipe Band).
The top three teams in
each category will be given a
cash prize (1st: Rs 21,000,
2nd: Rs 16,000, 3rd: Rs
11,000), a trophy, as well as
certificates. A consolation
cash prize of Rs 3,000 each
will be given to the remain-
ing team in each category.
The jury for the grand finale
will be appointed by the
Ministry of Defence, includ-
ing members from each
wing of the Armed Forces.
The competition was or-
ganised at three levels, viz.,
state and zonal, and con-
ducted by all the states and
union territories for all
schools (CBSE, ICSE, KVS,
NVS, and Sainik schools,
etc.).
486 teams comprising
12,857 children participated
in the state-level competi-
tion, while at the zonal level,
73 teams comprising 2,002
children took part.
This initiative aims to re-
juvenate the spirit of patri-
otism and unity amongst
children in schools through-
out the country and moti-
vate them on the path of ho-
listic education.

www.freepressjournal.in
Exploring Lord Kubera’s
vastu significance for your home
JYOTI S
L
ord Kubera,
the Hindu deity
associated with
wealth and prosperity,
holds a significant place
in Vedic traditions
and mythology. Many
individuals seeking
financial well-being
and abundance turn
to Lord Kubera for
blessings and guidance.
In addition to spiritual
practices, the principles
of Vastu Shastra,
an ancient Indian
architectural science,
also emphasize the
importance of creating
a harmonious and
positive environment
within one’s living
space. Let’s delve into
the significance of Lord
Kubera in Vastu and
how incorporating his
energy into your home
can potentially attract
prosperity.
Understanding
Lord Kubera:
significance of Lord
Lord
Kubera is often In Vastu Shastra, the
depicted as the arrangement and orientation of
guardian of various elements in a living space are
wealth and believed to influence the energy flow and,
the treasurer consequently, the overall well-being of the
of the gods occupants. Lord Kubera’s energy
in Hindu is harnessed to attract wealth
mythology. and financial prosperity by
He is believed incorporating specific
to be the Vastu principles into the
king of the design and layout of a
Yakshas, a class
of benevolent
spirits associated with
nature. Kubera is not
only the custodian
of riches but is also
considered a symbol
of abundance,
prosperity,
and material
success.
AJANTA SEN
A
mong many
gifts of Mother
Nature, fruits and
vegetables are probably the
most precious ones. Loaded
with some exceptional
natural characteristics,
these fruits and vegetables
are the sources of all the
goods that humans need
to eat to stay healthy
and fit. Most of the green
vegetables are very good
for health, as they are
rich in various natural
ingredients that the human
body needs to grow and
to stay healthy. Among
these vegetables, you can
find cluster beans that are
popularly known as guar
beans or gawar beans.
These cluster beans have
some great ingredients
that people know for their
health benefits. If you are
willing to get almost all the
natural ingredients from
one food, then you must
consider eating cluster
beans. The benefits of
cluster beans are many,
and most of these benefits
are extremely good for
maintaining overall health.
NEHA GHOSH
A
sthma is an
inflammatory
condition that
has affected 300 million
people worldwide and
about a tenth of those
living in India. In the
Indian subcontinent,
the prevalence of
childhood asthma has
continued to increase
in the last 10 years.
The types of
Asthma and its
asthma are:
types Child-onset asthma
Asthma Adult-onset asthma
occurs when Exercise-induced asthma
the inside Cough-induced asthma
walls of the Occupational asthma
airways Nocturnal asthma
are swollen Steroid-sensitive
or inflamed. asthma
This makes
What Causes
the airways very
sensitive to irritations
and increases your
susceptibility to an
allergic reaction. As
inflammation and
swelling make your
airways become
narrower, less air
is able to pass
through the airways
which affects your
breathing.
VASTU | LIFESTLYE
HEALTH & WELLNESS
INDORE / BHOPAL | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
AMRITHA K Effortless Integration:
Colors and décor:
Incorporate colors
associated with wealth
and prosperity, such
as shades of green,
W
e all know how
good rosewater is
for the skin. Well,
rosewater is almost like the
Flower waters
for radiant skin
queen of skincare products.
purple, and gold, in the Anyway, while rosewater is
northern part of the really good for your skin,
house. Display symbols we are here to tell you
of abundance like that it is about time
cornucopias, coins, and
gemstones to enhance
you start including #"!$" '&%$#"! "!$"$#
other types of flower
the positive vibes. Use water into your
To use Citrus Orange
flower water for glowing
!#$ &"
mirrors strategically in skincare routine. Use Rosemary flower
this area to amplify the skin, apply it after cleansing
And today, we water as a cleansing tonic
sense of abundance. your face. Soak a cotton pad
will guide you for your skin. Apply it with
with the flower water and
through some a cotton ball to help prevent
Yantras and symbols: gently wipe it across your face.
Water element: of the most imperfections and enhance
Install Kubera Yantras or The antiseptic properties help
Lord Kubera is beneficial the skin’s overall clarity.
symbols in the northern part cleanse and purify the skin,
often depicted holding a flower waters The antioxidant content
of the home, particularly in the while its moisturizing and
mongoose that spits out that are NOT in Rosemary contributes
Puja or meditation room. These toning effects leave the
jewels. Incorporating rosewater. Let’s to a healthier complexion
geometric diagrams are designed skin refreshed and
a water feature like a take a look. by protecting the skin from
to enhance the flow of positive rejuvenated.
fountain or an aquarium environmental damage.
energy and attract wealth. in the northern part of
Directional placement: the house symbolizes
!$"$#" !"!"# " '$"$$" !$&# $" $" $ "
Lord Kubera is associated the flow of wealth and To address Combat oiliness and
Revitalize dull skin with Rejuvenate
with the northern direction, prosperity. oily skin sebum on oily skin by using
known as the ‘Kubera Moola’ or Honeysuckle flower water. Use normal and oily skin
Clutter-free spaces: concerns, with Sage flower Geranium flower water.
‘Kubera Kona.’ Placing the main Keep the northern it as a facial mist or apply with
incorporate Tea water. Apply it as Apply it as a toner to help
entrance or the location of the area of your home a cotton pad to infuse your skin
Tree flower water a natural toner to balance oil production and
wealth vault in the northern part clean and clutter- with radiance. Honeysuckle’s
into your skincare benefit from its keep the skin refreshed.
of the house is believed to invite free. A well-organized rejuvenating properties
routine. Apply it antibacterial and The natural astringent
positive energy and financial space allows for the contribute to a brighter and
with a cotton pad antiseptic properties. properties of Geranium
abundance. free flow of energy, more vibrant complexion.
to help control contribute to a matte finish,
preventing stagnation excess oil and  ! $ Sage helps maintain
making it an excellent
Vastu For a radiant complexion, a healthy skin
and facilitating the combat bacteria. choice for those with oily
incorporate Chamomile flower balance, making it
attraction of prosperity. The antibacterial skin.
suitable for all skin
Kubera:
Lord Kubera’s Vastu
properties of tea water into your skincare
routine. Spritz it on your face types. $ $"
tree make it an Combat acne,
significance extends effective choice as a refreshing mist or use
beyond religious beliefs, '&%$#" " $$# for maintaining a it as a toner after cleansing.
discoloration, and
irritations with Lavender
offering practical Floral waters or eaux florales clear and balanced The soothing properties of
flower water. Use it as a
applications in creating have been used in cosmetic complexion. Chamomile help calm sensitive
spot treatment or as a facial
a harmonious living formulations for centuries, since and inflamed skin, leaving it
mist to benefit from its
environment. By aligning around the 2nd century AD. The first with a wonderful glow and a
antibacterial properties.
your home with the flower water used was derived &"$" feeling of freshness. It’s also
Lavender helps soothe the
principles associated from orange blossoms and rose Incorporate Bay gentle enough for infant
skin, promoting a clearer
with Lord Kubera, you petals, however today, several Laurel flower water into care, providing a natural
complexion.
may enhance the positive aromatic herbs are used due your routine for combination and mild option for
home: energy flow and create to their moisturizing, toning, and oily skin with acne baby’s delicate skin.
$%%$ "&  "
an atmosphere conducive and anti-inflammatory blackheads. Use it as a daily skin- Energize and refresh
to prosperity. Whether properties. As opposed to cleansing lotion to take advantage $" your skin with Peppermint
you approach it from essential oils, flower waters of its antiseptic abilities. Bay For a deep cleanse and skin Hybrid flower water. Use it
a spiritual or practical are safe to use because they laurel helps purify purification, incorporate Witch Hazel as a facial mist to invigorate
standpoint, incorporating are derived from flowers, the skin, reducing flower water into your routine. Apply the skin, especially if
these Vastu principles which contain a small amount the occurrence it with a cotton ball to help reduce you’re prone to acne. The
may pave the way for of essential oil. Now that we of acne and freckles, discoloration, and varicose refreshing properties of
greater financial well- know a lill bit about flower blackheads. veins. The mild antiseptic properties peppermint help revitalize
being and abundance waters, let’s explore the types of make it suitable for sensitive skin, the skin, leaving it with a
in your life. flower waters for healthy skin. cleansing pores and promoting a healthy skin tone. cooling sensation.
Cluster beans calm the Help in the easy digestion
Health Benefits: nerve cells: Neurological
health disorders are
increasing very fast. Doctors
of food: These cluster beans
have a good store of fibre PRAVEEN KUMAR How to make
in them that allows people
Cluster beans
believe that these diseases to get a better digestion
a salad healthy
are likely to increase further
S
capacity after eating them. alads are very
in the times to come. You This is yet another big healthy. They
must be happy to importance of this healthy help you get Make it colourful.
Though cluster know that cluster vegetable. enough fruits and Add slices of
Cluster beans beans have a
beans are not very They have They provide essential vegetables into tomato (manganese,
strengthen the bone:
popular among the
The vegetable is a    
 very unique nutrients: The previous your system in the vitamins C, K, C,
people, it does not property descriptions clearly show raw form. Even if potassium) or beetroot
rich store-house of pregnant women: Cluster
reduce the importance that helps that cluster beans have a you hate salads, (folate) or onion
phosphorus that beans are loaded with a large
of this vegetable at them to good stock of all the essential you don’t need to (phytochemicals,
strengthens the quantity of minerals that a
all. Knowing about calm the nutrients that the human worry as vegetables fibre) or pomegranate
bones of the human pregnant woman needs to meet
the health benefits nerve body needs. They are loaded consumed in any seeds (anti-oxidants,
body. Women, who the requirements of her body.
of cluster beans is cells with vitamins A, B, K and form are healthy calcium, potassium,
often complain of This store-house of minerals not
essential, before against also have minerals like iron, compared to not fibre and vitamins A,
orthopaedic defects, only helps the to-be mothers irritations consuming them
one tries to get it phosphorus and many more. C, E).
can eat cluster beans but also to the unborn babies and other at all. Ensure that
and starts eating it that lay comfortably They better the immunity: Add some fruits.
to get rid of these such issues. you eat a salad at
on a regular basis. inside the mother’s Various faulty ways of Use slices of apple
problems forever.
Following are some of womb. They living are causing a huge least once or twice (flavonoids, vitamin
the greatest benefits They protect against better blood a week. Also, you C) or strawberries
damage to the body. In such
of including cluster heart diseases: This is the circulation: Cluster a situation, it is of high don’t need to restrict or other berries
beans in the regular most important one among all the importance to repair the your salads to only (flavonoids, fibre,
beans have a good quantity
diet, which everyone health benefits of cluster beans. immune system, so that a vegetables. You can Make it nutritious. Add Vitamin C).
of iron in them. It has been
must know about: Today, when a larger part of the person can fight diseases add other items lettuce (potassium, vitamin C, Add pieces
one of the best benefits of
Cluster beans world population is suffering better. Hence, cluster like eggs, chicken, folic acid) or spinach or kale of sweet potatoes
cluster beans that saves
from heart diseases, this benefit of beans, fruits, fish or (manganese, vitamin
cure diabetes: Since people from problems caused beans help in boosting (anti-oxidants, beta carotene).
cluster beans can be like a ray of the immunity level of an even grains. Also, This can get you lots of A, C) or asparagus
Diabetes is emerging by blood pressure and blood
hope for many heart patients. individual. by making your nutrients into your salad. (folate, vitamin A,K,
as a new epidemic, circulation inside the body.
this health benefit of salad interesting and Get some taste into it. Add E) or Brussels sprouts
cluster beans can They are effective as a laxative: tasty, you will surely cucumber or broccoli (vitamin (folate, vitamins B6, A
make thousands Constipation and other problems of the be able to consume C), walnuts or almonds or chia and C).
of people feel stomach are very common among the people. it more often which seeds (protein, fibre), celery Now dress it
good and The consumption of adulterated food and poor living is good for your (vitamin A) and cabbage. up. Use olive oil
confident about conditions have ruined the lifestyle of people. In such health. Now, let us Add some protein. Add (healthy fat), lemon
getting rid of a situation, the consumption of cluster beans can look at the way you some slices of boiled eggs or juice (potassium and
the disease help you to get rid of constipation that is certainly a can build a healthy tofu (potassium, fat) or pieces of vitamin C). You can
for good. painful experience for those who suffer from it. salad. cooked chicken, lentils or fish. also use vinegar.
Asthma: What you should know about this respiratory disease
Asthma? Physical exam Asthma treatment
A physical exam is done which Asthma isn’t curable but it can be controlled
Allergies: Allergic Smoke of the tobacco: Tobacco smoke mainly focuses on the chest, skin
reactions triggered by is another cause of asthma and might lead with the following treatment procedures.
and upper respiratory tract. With
antibodies can sometimes to death due to respiratory infections.
lead to airway inflammation
the use of a stethoscope, the doctor Inhaler Medicine
Smokers and passive smokers are at a will listen to the signs of asthma A nebulizer The medications for
that is linked to asthma. higher risk of asthma.
in your lungs which is a whistling provides a large and controlling asthma are
Asthma is caused mostly Obesity: Obese adults who have a body continuous dose. It categorized into two
sound while you breathe. The
due to indoor allergens like mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater are 38 per works by vaporizing a which are quick-relief
doctor will also check for a runny
dust mites, fungi or normal cent more likely to have asthma compared dose of medication in medicine or long-term
nose, nasal polyps and the skin is
air dust while to adults who aren’t overweight. a saline solution into control medicine. The
examined for conditions such as
cleaning the Pregnancy: When pregnant women a steady stream of medicines can be had
hives and eczema which are linked
house. smoke during pregnancy, their
to asthma. foggy vapour which in the form of pills or
children tend to have a lower the patient inhales. tablets, but most are in
pulmonary function which Asthma tests
Managing asthma powdered form which is
possesses additional asthma Lung function test or pulmonary
risk.
Symptoms of Diagnosis of asthma function test is another part of       taken orally through an
asthma The diagnosis of It is a small hand- inhaler.
Genes: Asthma can be asthma is done on three asthma diagnosis. It is done by a
Wheezing spirometry test which is conducted held tool that can Regular check-ups
hereditary too. According to Trouble in core components which Until and unless
by measuring how much air you help in controlling
the USA Centers for Disease breathing include medical history, the asthma is under
inhale and how fast you can exhale. asthma by giving
Control, a parent Frequent physical exam, and control, you should visit
you a measurement
suffering from asthma coughing at night breathing tests. Other tests your doctor every 2 to 6
of how well the air
increases the child’s Chest pain Medical history Other tests like allergy tests weeks. The doctor will
risk of getting asthma
is moving out of the
Feeling tired Your doctor will and tests for other diseases which lungs. To know your devise the measures
by three to six times. or weak when ask for your detailed resemble asthma symptoms are or medication to bring
peak flow number
Other exercising. family history which done. Allergy tests are conducted you have to exhale the condition under
environmental Trouble will help the doctor to to identify substances that may be forcefully into the control. By combining
factors: Heavy air sleeping make an accurate asthma worsening asthma. Diseases with device after inhaling these strategies
pollution, sulfur Signs of a cold diagnosis. You should similar symptoms of asthma are and maintaining
fully. Knowing this
dioxide, ozone, or allergies like a divulge the necessary also checked like reflux disease, consistent medical
number would help
cold temperatures, runny nose, cough, details of asthma like sinusitis, heartburn, airway oversight, individuals
you manage your
nitrogen oxide and nasal congestion, when and how often they destruction, bronchitis, lung with asthma can lead
asthma symptoms
high humidity headache and occur and what factors infection, congestive heart failure, healthier, more active
and prevent an
have been shown sneezing. worsen the symptoms. etc. lives.
asthma attack.
to trigger asthma
attacks. Disclaimer: The Free Press Journal bears no responsibility for the content that appears on this page.

INDORE | TUESDAY | JANUARY 23, 2024
BEING
DUTIFUL CJ DESK
eepika Padukone, who did not
D receive an invitation for the
historic Ram Mandir Pran
Pratistha ceremony in Ayod-
hya, lit a lamp at her home on Mon-
day after the idol of Ram Lalla was final-
ly unveiled. The actress did not write
anything and rather decided to just post
a picture.
The Ram Mandir consecration ceremo-
ny was held in Ayodhya on Monday
morning and it was attended by a slew of
celebs from B-Town, including Amitabh
Bachchan, Kangana Ranaut, Alia Bhatt,
Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal, Katrina
Kaif, and others.
However, netizens raised eyebrows af-
ter Deepika Padukone and Ranveer
Singh failed to receive an invitation for
the consecration ceremony. While both
the actors have refrained from comment-
ing on the same, the Padmaavat actress
took to her Instagram stories to post a
picture of a diya.
A few netizens wondered if the actress
was not invited because of the 'Besharam
Rang' controversy that had erupted back
in 2023 before the release of her film,
Pathaan. In the song, Deepika was seen
wearing a saffron-coloured bikini, and
several BJP leaders and right wing ac-
tivists had slammed her for "hurting reli-
gious sentiments" and "insulting
Sanatan dharma".
Not just that, but they had also called
for the film's boycott, but nonetheless,
Pathaan released in theatres and minted
over Rs 1000 crore at the box office.
Meanwhile, Deepika and Ranveer are
not the only ones who did not receive an
invitation for the Ram Mandir consecra-
tion ceremony. Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir
Khan, Salman Khan, and Kareena
Kapoor were also excluded from the
guest list. The idol of Ram Lalla was un-
veiled by priests on Monday afternoon
around 12:30 pm after Prime Minister
Narendra Modi performed the holy ritu-
als inside the temple.
PTI
Can’t keep calm!
The actress chants Jai Shri Ram during
Pran Pratishtha ceremony In Ayodhya
angana Ranaut is currently in
K Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, to at-
tend the Ram Mandir Pran
Prathistha ceremony. For the oc-
casion, the Queen actress looked
stunning as she wore a traditional saree
from Pankaj S Heritage in red, orange,
and gold shades that was created using
revived indigenous embroidery of an-
cient India.
Just a while back on January 22, Kan-
gana shared a video from the ceremony
in which she can be seen chanting 'Jai
Shri Ram' in Ayodhya. "Ram aa gaye,"
she captioned the video.
The actress also shared photos on her
Instagram and wrote, "Yehi janmbhumi
Adipurush’s aif Ali Khan underwent tricep surgery for an old injury that got triggered while performing an action sequence
Ravana
undergoes
S for his latest movie. According to a latest medi report, the actor has been hospitalised at Kokilaben Dhirubhai
Ambani Hospital and Medical Research Institute in Mumbai today, January 22. Saif's wife, actress Kareena
Kapoor Khan, is also present in the hospital with her husband after he was admitted at 8am. Expressing
gratitude to his well-wishers, Saif shares, "This injury and the surgery that followed is a part of the wear and tear of
a knee what we do. I am very happy to be in such amazing surgical hands and thank all well-wishers for their love and concern."
Last seen in Adipurush, where he played the role of Ravana, will star in the Telugu film, Devara: Part 1 with Jr NTR
surgery and Janhvi Kapoor. In it, Saif will be seen as the main antagonist. It is slated to release on 5 April 2024. - CJ Desk
PTI
The actress
didn’t receive
Invitation for
Ram Mandir
Pran Pratistha
Ceremony
A personal wish
RK missed being with her daughter in Ayodhya
CJ DESK Other Bollywood celebri-
ties like Ayushmann
anbir Kapoor at- Khurrana, Katrina Kaif,
R tended the grand
Ram Mandir inau-
guration in Ayod-
Vicky Kaushal, Madhuri
Dixit Nene, Anupam Kher,
Amitabh Bachchan, Ra-
hya with his actress- jinikanth, Ram Charan,
wife Alia Bhatt on Monday Kangana Ranaut, Madhur
(January 22). Several pic- Bhandarkar, Abhishek
tures and videos of the ac- Bachchan, Rajkumar Hi-
tor couple have been doing rani were also present to
the rounds on social media witness the grand ceremo-
platforms. During the ny.
event, Ranbir said he Several sports personali-
wished his daughter Raha ties, politicians and busi-
Kapoor was in attendance nessmen were also a part
to watch the historic of the event.
event. The Pran Pratishtha cer-
During his interaction emony began at 12:20 pm
with a leading media por- in Ayodhya. Prime Minis-
tal, Ranbir also expressed ter Narendra Modi ad-
his excitement for the dressed a gathering of
grand and historic Pran 7,000 individuals, includ-
Pratishtha ceremony. ing seers and dignitaries.
The Animal actor said, The magnificent Shri
"It's a big pride. I feel ex- Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir
tremely lucky and blessed is constructed in tradition-
to be here. I just wish I al Nagara style. In the
could have brought my main sanctum sanctorum
daughter Raha here to ex- at the ground floor, the
perience this historic mo- childhood form of Bhag-
ment. It just feels great. Jai wan Shri Ram (the idol of
Shri Ram." Shri Ramlalla) has been
While Ranbir opted for placed.
an off-white dhoti and kur- The mandir has been
ta, Alia wore a blue Ra- constructed employing the
mayan-inspired saree for country's traditional and
the auspicious event. indigenous technology.
Personalised
invitation CJ DESK
egastar Chiranjeevi and his son Ram Charan
M on Monday attended the Pran Pratishtha of
the Ram Mandir ceremony in Ayodhya. "That
is really great. Overwhelming. We feel it's a
rare opportunity. I feel Lord Hanuman who is my
deity, has personally invited me. We are so fortunate to
witness this Pran Pratishta,” Chiranjeevi said. The
actor was seen dressed in a traditional off-white kurta
while jetting off to Ram janmabhoomi.
PICS: INSTAGRAM
CAUGHT ON CAM Celebs attend the
historical Ram Mandir
Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya
Anupam Kher and Rajinikanth Rajpal Yadav
hai param pujya Shri Ram ki… Jai Shri Randeep Hooda with wife Lin Liashram
Ram."
Meanwhile, several Bollywood celebri-
ties like Alia Bhatt, Ranbir Kapoor, Katri-
na Kaif, Vicky Kaushal, Ayushmann
Khurrana, Amitabh Bachchan, Rohit
Shetty, Madhuri Dixit and her husband
Dr. Shriram Nene among others arrived
in Ayodhya at Ram Mandir inauguration.
Vivek Oberoi, Sonu Nigam, Rajkumar
Hirani, Anuradha Paudwal, Madhur
Bhandarkar among others are also pres-
ent at the event. Meanwhile, after the
pran pratishtha ceremony, Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi offered dandavat
pranam' and bowed to Lord Ram in Ayod-
hya, Uttar Pradesh. Ayushmann Khurrana Hema Malini Deepika Chikhlia
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