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QUALITY AT VALUE
VOL. 13 NO. 222 | BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024 | PAGES 16 `3 r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; r RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in

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EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE

NATION

WEATHER
WON’T BE ULTRA-ATTACKING: 24.50c. 11.60c
HUGE RUSH FOR RAM LALLA’S Sunrise : 07.09 THE CONFLICT DELAYS? Pg-16
DRAVID Pg-14 'DARSHAN' Sunset : 06.05

JWALA GIVES BIRTH TO THREE CUBS IN KUNO AGAIN

New ray of hope for CM EXPRESSES JOY
across the country. “ May over the recent death of
CM suspends SDM
ROAD RAGE CASE

Bharat’s wild life thrive,” male Cheetah Shaurya.

Cheetah Project
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Namibian female cheetah
Jwala has given birth to
three cheetah cubs in
Kuno National Park. Male
cheetah Pavan fathered the
three cubs. Union Forest
Minister for forest, Bhu-
pendra Yadav tweeted the
news aforesaid news on his
tweeter handle on Tuesday.
He said that birth of three
cubs comes just weeks af-
ter Namibian Cheetah
Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has
expressed happiness over the birth
of three cheetah cubs in Kuno
National Park by saying that the
Cheetah Project started by PM
Narendra Modi is bearing the
fruits. The Cheetah, which once
vanished from Asia, is increasing
its clan and it is a matter of
fortune to the state. Jwala has
given birth to three cubs and with
this, the number of cheetah has
gone up to 21.
Aasha gave birth to the all wildlife frontline war-
cubs. He congratulated to riors and wild life lovers
he said.
Sources in Kuno National
Park said that it looks that
cubs have taken birth ei-
ther on January 20 or Janu-
ary 21. They are all healthy.
“ They were first seen on
Monday,” said an officer
pleading anonymity.
The birth of three cubs is
an indicator of cheetah
project success. Moreover,
the birth of three cheetah
cubs have brought a joy on
the face of Kuno officials
who were otherwise sad
Sources said that Jwala is
taking well care of her
new born cubs and is often
seen feeding them.
Notably, it was in March
2023 that Jwala had given
birth to four cubs. Of them
three died due to extreme
heat and only one is sur-
viving. As the lone surviv-
ing cub was not accepted
by Jwala after the deaths
of three cubs in last sum-
mer, hence it is being hand
raised by the officials of
Kuno National Park.
of Bandhavgarh
FIR LODGED
against SDM,
tehsildar
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
State government has sus-
pended SDM Bandhavgarh
Amit Singh following an
FIR registered against Dahiya alleged.
Singh, a tehsildar and oth- Dahiya told the police
er two, by Umaria police, that he was coming back

Lawyer hurls Assam CM asks DGP to

in a road rage case, police from Khaira to Bharola,

Health & medical edu

said on Tuesday. places in the district, in a
The SDM was suspended car with the other youth

shoe at judge by Chief Minister Mohan Shivam Yadav, who was

inside courtroom file case against Rahul Yadav on Tuesday over al-
legations that he was in-
driving it on Monday
evening.

depts to be merged
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
To increase the efficiency
of health department and
medical education depart-
ment, Cabinet decided to
merge both departments,
on Tuesday. After the
merger, both departments
will be called Public
Health and Medical Educa-
tion department.With the
merger, instead of being
involved in other official
work, medical colleges will
now be able to concentrate
on serious treatment and
medical education.
There could be effective
monitoring of child mor-
tality rate and best prac-
tices of medical colleges
could be carried out at
health centres. Also, the af-
filiation work of medical
colleges with district hos-
pitals would become easier.
The recommendation to
merge these two depart-
ments had been made in
Self Reliant Madhya
Pradesh proposals.Mean-
while, Cabinet increased
the time limit of Madhya
Pradesh Goods and Serv-
ice Tax Bill as it was intro-
IN THE CABINET
duced before the assembly
election. Now, this bill will
be tabled before the up-
coming assembly session
of Madhya Pradesh.
The Cabinet approved
the amendments in provi-
sions of Madhya Pradesh
Ayurvigyan (Medical) Uni-
versity Act 2011. Now, the
responsibility of prepar-
ing other syllabi, exclud-
ing nursing and paramed-
ical subjects, will be given
to Ayurvigyan University.
The higher education de-
partment, through univer-
sities, would prepare syl-
labi of nursing and para-
medical subjects.
The Cabinet approved
the proposal to amend Wa-
ter Pollution Redressal and
Control Act 1974.
It will be sent to Parlia-
ment. The proposal wants
to remove small offences of
water pollution from the of-
fence list and proposes a
fine instead.It was also de-
cided that PM College of
Excellence would be estab-
lished in every district of
the state. In the selected col-
leges, sanction of 1,845 edu-
cational posts and 387 non-
educational posts has been
given. CONTD. ON P8
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
A lawyer allegedly hurled a
shoe targeting the judge in-
side a courtroom in Mad-
hya Pradesh's Agar dis-
trict. The judge, however,
escaped by bending down
in time.
The incident took place at
a court in Agar district on
Monday when the judge
was hearing a case, the po-
lice said.
Meanwhile, the two advo-
cates representing the two
different parties got in-
volved in a heated argu-
ment, which the judge ob-
jected to.
This enraged advocate
Nitin Atal, who was al-
ready engaged in a verbal
argument with his oppo-
nent, who all of a sudden
took out his shoe and
threw it towards the judge.
The judge, however, bent
down in time to save him-
self.
The judge later informed
the local police about the
incident and a case has
been registered against
Nitin Atal. "The accused
has been booked under
Sections 332, 353 , 294 and
504 of the IPC," a police of-
ficer said. CONTD. ON P8
GUWAHATI: The Con-
gress' Bharat Jodo Nyay
Yatra was fraught with
confrontation between the
Congress and Assam gov-
ernment on Tues-
day, as Chief Min-
ister Himanta
Biswa Sarma di-
rected Director
General of Police
G P Singh to regis-
ter a case against
the MP for alleged-
ly provoking a
crowd to break
barricades.
The barricades were
erected along a highway to
prevent Congress leaders
and supporters taking part
in the Yatra from entering
the main thoroughfares of
Guwahati, the largest city
of the northeastern state.
As Congress supporters
removed the barricades, a
scuffle with the police per-
sonnel ensued leading to
injuries suffered by state
Congress president
Bhupen Borah and
leader of the oppo-
sition in the state
assembly Debabra-
ta Saikia.
This is the sixth
day of the party's
Nyay Yatra in As-
sam. Addressing
the public from
atop a bus, Gandhi said
that they have broken bar-
ricades but 'we will not
break the law'. He alleged
that while BJP president J
P Nadda was allowed to
take the same route earlier,
Congress was not permit-
ted. CONTD. ON P8
volved in assaulting two
men.
Civil Line police post in-
charge Amar Singh told
media persons, that the ac-
cused Bandhavgarh SDM
Amit Singh, Bandhavgarh
tehsildar Vinod Kumar,
driver of SDM Narendra
Das Panika and supporter
of tehsildar Sandeep
Singh, are booked under
different sections of IPC.
The complainant
Prakash Dahiya, who sus-
tained injuries on his head
and elsewhere, claimed
that people sitting in the
vehicle with ‘SDM’ written
on it got down and
thrashed him and another
car occupant Shivam Ya-
dav, both residents of
Bharola village, for over-
taking. They also broke the
window panes of his car,
They met with SDM's car
on the way and Shivam
overtook the SDM's car.
After this, the SDM's car
started chasing their car.
"As we drove a little fur-
ther, the tehsildar's car
coming from the Umaria
side stopped in front of
their car near Tala road,
Ghaghri village and we
stopped our car.
Two people got down
from both the vehicles
with sticks and started
beating me and Shivam.
They also vandalised Shiv-
am's car and damaged it.
Shivam and I suffered a lot
of injuries. They also
abused them," Dahiya told
the police.
The police have regis-
tered the case against the
accused under IPC sec-
tions 294, 323, 341 and 34.

NEWS BRIEF
To Kill a Tiger
nominated at Oscars
NEW DELHI "To Kill a
Tiger", set in a small Indian
village, was on Tuesday
nominated for the best
documentary feature at the
2024 Academy Awards.
"To Kill a Tiger" is directed by
Delhi-born Nisha Pahuja, an
Emmy-nominated filmmaker
based in Toronto. It had its
world premiere at Toronto
International Film Festival
2022 where it won the
Amplify Voices Award for
Best Canadian Feature Film.
Bharat Ratna for
Karpoori Thakur
NEW DELHI: Two-time
Bihar chief minister Karpoori
Thakur, considered the
fountainhead of OBC politics
in Bihar, has been named for
the country's highest civilian
award Bharat Ratna
posthumously, a Rashtrapati
Bhawan communique said on
Tuesday on the eve of his
birth centenary.
Thakur, who passed away in
1988, was the first non-
Congress socialist leader who
became chief minister twice -
- first for seven months in
December 1970 and later for
two years in 1977.
Ram Lalla
to be called
Balak Ram
AYODHYA: The new Ram
Lalla idol consecrated at
the grand Ram temple on
Monday will be known as
"Balak Ram" as it depicts
the deity as a five-year-old
boy in a standing posture.
"The idol of Lord Ram,
whose consecration was
done on January 22, has
been named as 'Balak Ram'.
The reason for naming the
idol of Lord Ram as 'Balak
Ram' is that he resembles a
child, whose age is five
years," Arun Dixit, a priest
associated with the conse-
cration ceremony told PTI.
"The first time I saw the
idol, I was thrilled and
tears started rolling down
my face. I cannot explain
the feeling I experienced
then," he added. The
Varanasi-based priest, who
has conducted nearly 50-60
consecrations, said, "Of all
the consecrations (I have)
performed so far, this is the
most 'alaukik (divine)' and
'sarvoch' (supreme) for
me." Dixit said he had the
first glimpse of the idol on
January 18. CONTD. ON P8
Despite Pak's protest, CM
firm on Akhand Bharat stand
OUR STAFF REPORTER
BHOPAL
Pakistan has objected to
Chief Minister Mohan Ya-
dav's recent statement on
formation of 'Akhand
Bharat,' but even after Pak-
istan's protest against his
remark, Yadav stuck to his
guns.
He took Pakistan to task,
saying it is known to all
that before the people were
ousted from Sindh, Bharat
was Akhand (undivided).
Nankana and other areas
were part of that Akhand
Bharat, and Punjab, Sindh,
Gujarat and Maratha have
been mentioned in the na-
tional anthem, Yadav said,
adding that Sindh cannot
be left in this way.
Now that the idol of Ram
Lalla has been consecrated
in Ayodhya, everyone is
dreaming about the forma-
tion of Akhand Bharat.
Anyone may object to it,
but that is not going to
make any difference, since
there will be no change in
stand on Akhand Bharat.
The foreign ministry of
Pakistan cited the state-
ments of UP and MP chief
ministers that the destruc-
tion of Babri Masjid and
consecration of Ram tem-
ple in Ayodhya were the
first step towards captur-
ing some parts of Pakistan.
Yadan said Pakistan was
created because India had
been divided, so God will-
ing, both the countries
would be reunited.
Everyone wants that
Sind, Afghanistan and
Pakistan should be part of
'Akhand Bharat' and con-
struction of Ram temple in
Ayodhya is a major step to-
wards this direction.
CONTD. ON P8

Hail Ram.. Muslim woman becomes Hindu

OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
A middle aged women,
mother of two children,
has changed her religion
in Jabalpur. She claimed
that the Lord Ram had
come in her dream and she
was impressed with the
'liberty' in Hinduism and
'restrictions' in her old re-
ligion. The incident took
place on Tuesday. Repre-
sentatives of Hindu organ-
ization were also present
during this process.
The woman Raziya-B is
now Nandani, is a resident
of Madar Challa area of
the city. On Tuesday, she
embraced Hinduism, in
the presence of Hindu
priests, chanting of
mantras.
Raziya talking to media
persons, explained her
reasons for this conver-
sion. She pointed out sev-
eral restrictions for
women in the Muslim
faith as a significant fac-
tor that led her to choose
Hinduism. The limita-
tions faced by women in
Islamic practices influ-
enced her choice to em-
brace Hinduism, where
she found a sense of free-
dom and inclusivity.
She claimed that, shortly
her husband and her two
children are also going to
covert to Hinduism. She
also added that she is not
under any pressure.
According to sources,
Raziya was married to
Shershah Nawaz some 12
years ago.
 3 players in Khelo India Youth Games finals
BHOPAL INDORE / BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
Bhopal: Three players from Madhya Pradesh Boxing Academy secured a place in the finals of Khelo
India Youth Games 2023 in Chennai on Tuesday. Anjali Singh dominated the bout in the 57-kilogram
weight category, defeating Uttarakhand player with a score of 5-0. Khushi Singh and Prashant triumphed
in the 60-kilogram and 80-kilogram weight categories respectively, securing spots in the finals.

Listed criminal stabs

4-yr-old bit by dog 15 days ago friend to death,
held within 7 hrs
Henpecked hubbies seek
Women Commission’s help
dies, 2nd incident in 15 days
OUR STAFF REPORTER
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in

A listed criminal of Ashoka Garden

Manoj Gupta (name changed) recently
approached Bhopal family court with
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in

A 4-year-old boy Suleman,

who was bit by a stray dog
15 days ago on
Hoshangabad Road, died
on Tuesday. He was dis-
charged from the hospital
12 days ago, the police said.
Bag Sewaniya police sta-
tion TI Amit Soni told Free
Press that Suleman’s par-
ents used to work at a con-
struction site near a mall
at Hoshangabad Road.
Suleman was playing near
the site when he was bit by
a stray dog there. His
mother rushed him to hos-
pital, where he was admit-
ted for four days and then
discharged.
His uncle Arial Joj, told
the police that eight days
after he was discharged,
his health began to deteri-
orate and he developed an
unknown fear. He was even
BMC to do away with free parking soon
afraid of table fan and
talked absurdly. Suddenly,
he fell unconscious at his
house and was taken to AI-
IMS hospital where the
doctors pronounced him
dead on arrival.
The body has been sent
for post-mortem. The re-
ports are awaited, TI Soni
said. This is the second
death due to dog bite in the
city in last 15 days. On Jan-
uary 10, a pack of stray
dogs had mauled a seven-
month-old infant to death
by dragging him out of his
hut near New Minal Resi-
dency.
Dog menace incidents
are on the rise in the city
lately, and following the
Dist Bar Assn
E ight days after he
was discharged, his
health began to
deteriorate and he
developed an unknown
fear. He was even
afraid of table fan and
talked absurdly’
seven-month-old infant’s
death in Ayodhya Nagar,
the BMC claimed to have
taken away scores of stray
dogs but close to 110 dog
bite cases have been re-
ported till now.
Bhopal Municipal Corpo-
ration’s health officer and
dog squad incharge
Rakesh Sharma said ab-
sence of feeding points in
the city made stray dogs
aggressive. The dogs that
are trapped undergo treat-
ment to check their aggres-
sion, he added.
area allegedly stabbed his friend to
death over a petty dispute at his
house on Monday night, the police
complaint that his wife often slaps
him, even on petty issues. Whenever
said. he protests, his wife threatens to
The police arested the absconding ac- OUR STAFF REPORTER
cused within seven hours of committing city.bhopal@fpj.co.in implicate him in a false case of
crime. He has been sent to jail, they said. domestic violence by approaching
According to Ashoka Garden police, ac- Tortured and threat-
cused Rahul Raikwar (25) had organised ened by wives that Women Commission
a religious gathering at his place to cele- they would be impli-
brate Ram temple consecration ceremo- cated in false cases, ag- approached Women help distraught men.
ny on Monday late night, where his grieved men have be- Commission before Women Commission
friend Gulshan Shrivastava and his gun approaching his wife could to seek takes up cases pertain-
younger brother Shubham Shrivastava Women Commission redressal. ing to atrocities com-
were present. for redressal. Advo- According to Parag mitted on women. In
All the attendees of the event began cates told Free Press Pande (name such cases, men can ei-
dancing to religious songs, during that four recent cases changed), his wife of- ther contact Men’s
which Gulshan accidentally stepped of divorce have ten takes away his Helpline or any NGO,
on Raikwar’s friends who reached family court monthly salary. As a they said.
complained to latter about it. An en- in which men com- result, he is left with
raged Raikwar abused Gulshan. plained of torture and nothing, specially ‘Women who
When Gulshan protested, Raikwar harassment by wives. when he wants to
flashed a knife and stabbed him in the Local resident Manoj spend money on him-
suffered earlier
neck, after which he began bleeding Gupta (name changed) self. Whenever he asks lack patience now’
profusely. Raikwar fled the spot, recently approached for money, she taunts
while Gulshan was taken to hospital Bhopal family court him for earning less Advocate and coun-
by his brother Shubham and another with the complaint his and threatens to impli- sellor at Bhopal family
resident of the colony. wife often slaps him, cate him in a false case court Meena Gupta
At hospital, Gulshan was declared even on petty issues. of causing mental ha- said women endured
brought dead. After police were in- Whenever he protests, rassment and abet- too much from hus-
formed, police arrested Raikwar his wife threatens to ment to suicide. bands’ side. “Now,
from Ashoka Garden industrial area. implicate him in a The advocates and they have lost pa-
Ashoka Garden police station TI Ji- false domestic vio- counsellors at Bhopal tience. Easy access to

Paid parking suspended on ground the company which was

across 42 lots
simultaneously in May 2022
to be reinstated
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
There will be no more free parking
lots in the state capital as the Bhopal
Municipal Corporation (BMC) will
again be charging for parking vehi-
cles on its land. Tenders for collecting
parking fee will be floated soon, said
Mayor-in-Council (MiC) member.
From May 1, 2022, barring three
multi level parking and select premi-
um parking spots, 42 parking lots
were made free for motorists in
Bhopal in one go. The paid parking
spaces include multi level parking at
New Market, Bairagarh, MP Nagar,
and select premium parking spaces
at New Market, MP Nagar and other
posh locations.
BMC had suspended parking lots
given the tender to operate these
parking lots and collect fee was not
adhering to norms like installation
of CCTV cameras. The company was
also at fault in making collection and
paying dues to the BMC.
Mayor-in-Council (MiC) member
Ravindra Yati said, “BMC adminis-
tration will again start collecting
parking fees in the city. Tenders will
be floated for assigning the parking
lots. Making parking lots free in-
curred loss to the BMC and so now
the civic body will start levying fees.
MiC has given its nod and further ac-
tion will be taken in this direction.”
Leader of Opposition in BMC coun-
cil Shabista Zaki said that former
BMC commissioner KVS Chaudhary
had suspended paid parkings in
Bhopal as the concerned company
was not working as per guidelines.
MiC has passed the resolution to re-
sume charging parking fee but the
matter has not been put up before the
BMC council yet, said Zaki.
fetes 3 lawyers
Bhopal: Bhopal District Bar Associa-
tion felicitated three advocates for
their outstanding contribution on
Tuesday. They are Dr Rajesh Sharma,
Sanjay Thool and Santosh Dhote. The
assessment of their contribution was
made on their working in 2023 includ-
ing recently held District Bar Associ-
ation election and accuracy in exit
poll, which they released after polling.
They also established better bond be-
tween bench and bar for speedy dis-
posal of cases in public interest.
tendra Kumar Pathak said several
criminal cases were registered
lence case by going to
Women Commission.
family court
Women Commission
said social media has also
led to rise in such cas-
against Raikwar before. To protect himself, he would not be able to es,” she added.
BASED ON PM’S BOOK EXAM WARRIORS
Students take part in painting contest
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
The students of Kendriya Vidyalaya No
1 and other schools on Tuesday took part
in a painting competition based on 25 su-
tras from book, Exam Warriors, penned
by Prime Minister Narendra Modi
under the initiative, Pariksha pe Char-
cha. The stress-free, exam-themed art-
work allowed students to express their
feelings.
Students painted on Chandrayaan and
developed India and also on themes like
celebrating exams as a festival, prepar-
ing for exam is just a current phase, ex-
ploring the Incredible India, building
self-confidence through practice etc.

Datia@ 3 deg/Cel, 3.5 deg/Cel in Shajapur

Cold wave
continues
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Cold wave swept several parts
of state on Tuesday. Alert
was issued for the cold wave
which in Datia and Shivpuri
while cold day like condition
is likely to prevail in Gwalior,
Datia, Chhatarpur, Tikam-
According to meteorological
department, moderate to
was recorded at Khajuraho
Airport while 100-metre visi-
NIGHT TEMP ON JAN 23
garh and Ratlam. dense FOG occurred in More- bility was recorded at Places Deg/Cel Guna 6.4
Bhopal recorded a day tem- na, Bhind, Gwalior, Datia, Ni- Gwalior Airport and 500-me-
Datia 3.0 Sagar 7.2
perature of 22.9 degrees Cel- vari and Chhatarpur. tre visibility was recorded in
sius after drop of 1.4 degrees. Shallow to moderate fog oc- Tikamgarh and Sidhi. Shajapur 3.5 Raisen 7.2
It recorded night temperature curred in Sheopur Kalan, Western disturbance is Shivpuri 4.2 Satna 7.4
of 9.4 degrees Celsius. Indore Shivpuri, Ashoknagar, likely to approach the north-
recorded day temperature of Tikamgarh, Panna, North ern mountains on January 27. Rajgarh 5.0 Tikamgarh 7.5
23.4 degrees Celsius while its Satna, Rewa, Mauganj, Sidhi Change in the wind pattern Khajuraho 5.6 Ratlam 7.5
night temperature was 9.6 de- and Singrauli districts. Min- and the emergence of a cloudy
grees Celsius. imum visibility of 50 metres sky will lead to cold wave. Nowgong 6.0 Rewa 7.6

Toilets remain locked for want of water
FP NEWS SERVICE
Unchahara (Satna)
Public toilets constructed
in 70 villages in Uncha-
haraJanpad Panchayat are
lying unused, according to
sources in the Panchayat
office.
The officials said there
were no instructions or
guidelines from the gov-
ernment for providing
electricity, water and for
the upkeep of these toilets.
The officials, however,
know about the sources of
funds and how to use it, al-
though there are no guide-
lines for using funds.
Because many villagers
have been deprived of toi-
lets in their homes, public
toilets have been built for
such people in the Pan-
chayat so that cleanliness
can be maintained.
A sum of Rs 4 lakh has
been spent on constructing
these toilets, but they can-
not be used.
Although the Panchayat
has been declared ODF,
many people are still reliev-
ing themselves in the open.
Most of the toilets have
been locked, official
sources further said.
When the issue was
raised before the
Sarpanchs and secretaries
of various Panchayats,
they said the toilets could
not be used for lack of wa-
ter supply, and that the
Panchayat did not have a
separate budget for it.
As part of Swachh
DISTRICT NEWS
Bharat Mission, clean
premises were set up in
many Panchayats.
The officials also said
that toilets were to be built
in houses, but that did not
happen.
Most of the toilets remain
unused due to lack of
water. Although the gov-
ernment has spent lakhs of
rupees on the construction
of toilets, the people are not
getting benefits of it.
According to reports, toi-
lets have been constructed
in 70 villages in Uncha-
haraJanpad Panchayat.
The message of cleanli-
ness was given by painting
the government and toi-
lets, most of which are ei-
ther locked or are not us-
able.
In some Panchayats, toi-
lets are still being con-
structed. The Panchayat
secretaries and
Sarpanchs are in a dilem-
ma over whether funds
should be spent on Safai
workers or not.
Service to destitute leads to
purification of conscience: Bhauji
FP NEWS SERVICE sion, said service to the desti- Hero Keswani and others
Sant Hirdaram Nagar tute leads to purification of were present on the occasion.
conscience that ultimately According to Col Dr Madan
A motivational session takes one to attainment of Deshpande, eye camps are
was held on Monday for God. Present volunteers held everywhere but organis-
the 99th urology camp to working for urology and eye ing urology camps is a rare
be held by Sewa Sadan Eye camps are aging and many of happening. Because of Sant
Hospital next month. them are no more, Bhauji Hirdaram Sahib Ji, urology
A large number of volun- said, adding that new volun- camp is being held in Sant
teers were present at the ses- teers should be created, so Hirdaram Nagar, he said. Ac-
sion. The session was held to that there may not be any cording to LC Janiyani, the
make them aware about the problem in the future. Secre- volunteers who are working
duties they have to do at the tary of Jeev Seva Sansthan for the camp should take the
camp. Sant Siddh Bhauji, Mahesh Dayarmani, manag- work as their own and try to
who was present on the occa- ing trustee LC Janiyani, keep everything in order.

Uttar Pradesh Killer of

Diwas from today Collector, officials watch Ayodhya event Sambar deer
Bus bound for Rewa catches fire near
Nowgong, major accident averted
FP NEWS SERVICE
Lalitpur
FP NEWS SERVICE
Narmadapuram
before the LED and television
set to watch the event.
Collector Sonia Meena,
chairperson of Nagar Palika
sent to jail The police said that due
The live programme was Neetu Mahendra Yadav, city FP NEWS SERVICE to the bus driver’s swift
Chief development officer Kamalakant The consecration ceremony of shown through LED sets magistrate Sampada Saraf, Satna action, no fatalities were
Pandey held a meeting with other offi- Ram Lalla’s idol was live tele- were put up in CMO Navneet Pandey,
cers at the auditorium of Vikas Bhawan cast in rural and urban areas PawatnSethanighat, Satrasta, Tehsilder Dev Shankar A 50-year-old man was
reported in the incident
on Tuesday for organising ‘Uttar in the district on Monday. Kali Mandir, Gwaltoli and Dhurve and others were pres- arrested for battering a
Pradesh Diwas’ from Wednesday to Fri- A large number of people sat Meenakshi Chowk. ent at Meenakshi Chowk. Sambar deer to death, FP NEWS SERVICE
day, official sources said. official sources said on Chhatarpur
Pandey told the officials that ‘Uttar Tuesday. passengers were on-board
Pradesh Diwas’ is being held on the
premises of the government intermedi-
TRIDENT GROUP ORGANISES VARIOUS EVENTS According to reports, a
Sambar deer found in-
A bus which left from
Gwalior and left for Rewa
the bus, and the vehicle
was evacuated swiftly. The
ate college. Narmadapuram: Trident Group jured in a farmland was caught fire near Nowgong duo also tried deboarding
Nodal officers have been given respon- along with many residents in Nar- recently beaten to death town of Chhatarpur on the the luggage from the bus,
sibilities for holding the event, Pandey madapuram celebrated the conse- in Babupur village. intervening night of Mon- but it had been too late by
said. cration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayod- After the incident, a day-Tuesday, the police said. then, as the fire took a
He directed the officials of various de- hya on Monday. The employees of team of foresters led by Nowgong police station fierce form. The bus was
partments to highlight their develop- Trident Group, under the guidance circle officer of Nagod TI Satish Singh told the completely charred within
ment projects, work in Janpad and of its chairman Rajendra Gupta Purvi Singh inquired media that the bus be- a period of an hour and a
tourism. Nodal officers have been nomi- and CSR head Madhu Gupta cele- into the case and came longed to a travel company, half, and the fire brigade
nated for each programme during the Ut- brated the occasion with great en- to know that the Sambar which left Gwalior at 2 am took too long to reach the
tar Pradesh Diwas. thusiasm. The Ramcharitmanas deer was killed for the on Tuesday. As soon as it spot. Due to the driver-con-
On Wednesday, Monia dance will be was recited in a temple on the prem- purpose of hunting. reached near the Sin- ductor duo’s swift action,
presented and oaths will be ises of the company. Apart from The accused was iden- grawan village of Nau- no fatalities were reported
administered for Beti Bachao, Beti Pad- that, a ‘Kalash Yatra’ was taken out tified as Nagendra gaon, the driver spotted in the incident. Nowgong
hao programme, monetary incentive from a temple on the premises of Singh, a resident of smoke billowing out of the TI Singh said that another
will be given to meritorious students the hostel. The Yatra ended in the Babupur village under tyre of the bus. He immedi- bus was arranged for the
who have passed high school, besides temple. Afterwards, Prasad was distributed. The employees’ colony was decked up with lamps. A Nagod police station of- ately realised that the bus passengers, which dropped
there will be other events. fancy dress competition was organized. Children dressed a Ram, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman pre- ficial sources said, was about to catch fire, and them to Rewa, and the
Pandey said that the event should be sented various programmes. The employees worshipped the idols of Lord Ram. adding that he was sent informed the bus conduc- cause behind the fire is be-
properly managed. to jail. tor. A total of 30 ing probed.
 BHOPAL CITY
INDORE / BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Non-BJP ruled states not cooperating Six-year void: No SI

in mine auction, says Union Minister recruitment since 2018
MP on MP will benefit
top by from reforms: CM
hief Minister Mo-
auctioning
29 blocks, C han Yadav said
that all the States
including Madhya
says Joshi Pradesh will benefit
from the reforms and
OUR STAFF REPORTER initiatives undertaken
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in in the mining sector by
the ministry of mines.
Union Minister of Coal, There are many hidden
Mines and Parliamentary possibilities in our rich
Affairs Pralhad Joshi said underground resources,
non-BJP ruled states such
as Jharkhand, Telangana
implementation
these reforms and adop-
of
and Tamil Nadu were not tion of innovations will
cooperating in the mine strengthen the states
auction. The ministry is economically.
trying to convince them,
said the Central minister,
RAJESH THAKUR
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in 917 posts vacant in state police force
Many aspirants miss the bus due to
In 2021, a young man with
aspirations of joining the age eligibility, one ended life in 2021
police force tragically end-
ed his life in Guna district
The reason: The man had
crossed the age limit for
500 SI posts to be advertised this year
appearing in the recruit-
ment exam for the sub-in- P HQ officials said that around 500 posts of SI will be
advertised in the current year, however, this
spectors (SI) in the state development brings no relief to the aspirants who, having
police force. He had been dedicated years preparing, find themselves disqualified due
waiting for the notifica- to age eligibility.
tions for vacancies since
2018, and when it did not Recruitment on 611 posts held in 2017
happen, he took his own n the year 2014, applications were invited to fill 720 posts.
life.
The state government
Icarried
Next year, the recruitment process for 668 posts was
out. In 2016, as many as 863 posts were filled and in
has not undertaken sub-in- subsequent year recruitment proceedings were conducted
spector recruitments for for 611 posts.
the past six years, making
the wait for numerous
young men and women as- Norms drafted, rule book prepared: ADG

D
adding that BJP-ruled CM Mohan Yadav receives award of appreciation from union minister for uring the conference Madhya Pradesh, piring to don the khaki
es, it is true that sub-inspectors haven’t been recruited
states like Gujarat, Mad-
hya Pradesh and even
Chhattisgarh were doing
good in the auction. As far
coal Prahalad Joshi in Bhopal on Tuesday

Talking about the initia-

tives of the ministry, the
Joshi.
Talking about the explo-
Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh &
Karnataka felicitated for best
performance in auction of Mining Blocks
with two stars on their
shoulders
prolonged.
increasingly

Notably, the last time SI

as auctioning is concerned
then Madhya Pradesh is
on top by auctioning 29
blocks. Chhattisgarh is in
second position by auc-
tioning 26 blocks.
The minister was speak-
ing to media persons after
the conclusion of the sec-
ond state mining minis-
ter’s conference here on
Tuesday.
minister said that a Mem-
orandum of Understand-
ing (MoU) has been signed
with Argentina for five
mines of Lithium and if
lithium is found there
then after processing, it
will be brought to India.
The contribution of min-
ing is 0.9% in the GDP and
a target has been set to in-
crease it to 2.5 %, said
ration work of minerals,
the minister said that 30
minerals have been identi-
fied and 24 minerals are
available in India. He how-
ever sighted that overall
exploration was very less.
He further said that in
2023-24, there is a target to
auction 500 mines and
within a few months, this
mark will be crossed over.
posts were advertised was
in 2018. Due to the Corona
‘SELF-RELIANT MINING SECTOR’ pandemic, the state gov-
arlier, while addressing the conference, Union Minister
E Pralhad Joshi, emphasized on the self-reliant mining sector.
He said the reforms initiated by the ministry will strengthen
the mining sector as well as contribute to the nation’s economic
ernment had given a three-
year relaxation in the max-
imum age for candidates
taking the recruitment ex-
growth. To support the shift to green energy, last month the ams.
Ministry placed 20 critical mineral blocks for auction. It will not The relaxation expired
only support the energy transition but also create opportunities last year. Several aspirants
for State Governments to earn more revenue. In the conference, who were aspiring to be-
Madhya Pradesh highlighted their newly launched Sand Policy. come SI have now settled
Y for the past five years. Covid-19 pandemic was one
reason. Nothing happened for around two-and-a-half
years due to that. Then, there were some issues related to
the recruitment agency. But now the process has been
initiated. Norms are being drafted and as soon as the rule
book is prepared, it will be sent to ESB.
- Sanjiv Shami, ADG selection and recruitment
for the police constable
post because of the age
a well-to-do family and har-
boured a strong desire to
constraint. join the police force. But
Indian Youth Congress when he failed to secure en-
leader Gaurav Tripathi, try due to surpassing the
told Free Press the Guna- age limit, the dejected man
based aspirant belonged to took the extreme step.

Another transfer Students mandated to score ‘Attack’ on Rahul s Yatra in Assam

list of IAS officers Congress leaders

on the cards min 20 marks in each sub don black bands,
State Edu Center
Dubey may be New officers may be sent has initiated 3-YEAR JAIL, RS 5000 FINE FOR stage silent protest
to the health department
out of energy and the school education strict measures
for the fifth and
EXAM CODE VIOLATIONS
department; department.

health is likely to
get a new officer
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
The government is getting
ready for another adminis-
trative reshuffle after the
recent transfer of a dozen
IAS officers.
According to sources,
principal secretary-rank
and secretary-rank offi-
cers will be transferred.
Chief Minister Mohan
Yadav and Chief Secretary
Veera Rana have already
discussed it.
Sanjay Dubey, who has
been posted to the Home
Department, may be shift-
ed from the energy and
new and renewable energy
department.
The government is also
mulling over the names of
additional chief secretary
Mohd Suleman and princi-
pal secretary Sanjay Shuk-
la for the energy depart-
ment.
Rehearsal for Republic Day parade underway at Lal Parade Ground on Tuesday
Those who have worked
in a department for a long
time may also be shifted in
the ensuing administrative
reshuffle.
The government is also
mulling over the shifting of
commissioners of a few di-
visions.
Commissioner of Indore
Mal Singh may be shifted
and another officer posted
there.
Two officers have to be
posted to the CM s Secre-
tariat, and the government
is considering the issue.
According to sources, a
secretary-rank officer and
an additional secretary-
rank officer may be posted
to the CM s Secretariat.
Apart from that, the gov-
ernment is planning to
give new postings to some
additional secretary-rank
officers.
Plans are also afoot to
transfer the state adminis-
trative officers. Those who
are not involved in review-
ing the voter s list may be
transferred.
eighth-grade
board exams
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
The State Education Cen-
ter has initiated strict
measures for the fifth and
eighth-grade board exams,
mirroring the rigor of the
10th and 12th-grade exami-
nations. The fifth and
eighth-grade board exams
will commence on March 6.
This year, the 5th and 8th
grade board exams will be
conducted under the super-
vision of a district-level
committee headed by the
collector.
Director of public insti-
tutions, Dhanraju S, said,
The strict measures will be
followed in the 5th and 8th
board exams too. There
will be no leniency, and the
detention policy, now in its
third year, will be rigorous-
ly enforced.
Students are mandated to
achieve a minimum of 20
out of 60 marks in each sub-
MP Board tions, individuals found
guilty of breaching the
exams kick off
examination code of con-
duct may face severe con-
in February sequences. Violators
could potentially be im-
Bhopal: The Madhya prisoned for a duration of
Pradesh Board of Second- three years, fined a sum
ary Education has an- of 5000 or subjected to
nounced stringent meas- both penalties. These
ures to ensure the fair measures underscore the
and secure conduct of the board's commitment to
upcoming board exami- maintaining the integrity
nation. and credibility of the ex-
The class 10th board ex- amination process.
ams are scheduled to take OP Chourasiya, official
place from February 5 to at MP Board, said, “There
February 28, and the class are registered laws given
12th exams will take place in the Madhya Pradesh
from February 6 to March Adhiniyam that are
4. strictly followed and will
The implementation of be followed this year too,
strict protocols includes and if someone is found
the enforcement of regis- guilty, they get punish-
tered laws outlined in the ment accordingly; howev-
Madhya Pradesh Act 7, er, only a few such cases
1988. Under these regula- come.”
ject of the written exam, from progressing to the
constituting 33% of the to- next class. To provide a sec-
tal score. Failure to meet ond opportunity, a re-exam-
these specified qualifying ination will be held two
marks will impede students months after the initial
Candidates selected by MPPSC
CM to distribute
appointment letters today
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Chief minister Mohan Yadav
will distribute appointment
letters to 686 candidates who
cleared examinations conduct-
ed by Madhya Pradesh Public
Service Commission at Ravin-
dra Bhawan on Wednesday. He
will interact with newly ap-
pointed officials and share MP
s vision with them.
Laws mentioned in
the MP Act 7, 1988
n Individuals entrusted with
any responsibilities related
to the examinations are
prohibited from disclosing
any information, whether
directly or indirectly, unless
expressly permitted by
their duties.
n The prohibition extends to
the possession, distribution,
or publication of artificial
questions. Individuals are
explicitly barred from
having question papers in
their possession or sharing
them in any manner.
n To maintain a controlled
environment around
examination centers,
unnecessary roaming is
strictly prohibited within
two hours of the scheduled
exam or prior to the start
of the examination.
n There is a ban on carrying
weapons during the
examination.
exam. However, even in the
re-examination, students
falling short of the 33%
threshold will face reten-
tion in the same class.
The officials of 2019 and 2020
batch will get letters. Among
the selected candidates, 187 are
from general category, 157 from
OBC, 110 from SC, 150 ST cate-
gory and 82 are from economi-
cally weaker section.
They will be appointed in
state government depart-
ments. Subject experts will
guide them on working of CM
Helpline, use of technology in
governance.
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
The Congress staged a
silent demonstration
across the state on Tues-
day to denounce the al-
leged attack on party
leader Rahul Gandhi-led
‘Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra’
in Assam.
The Congress has
claimed the Gandhi-led
march came under attack
by BJP supporters on Sun-
day during the Assam leg
of the Manipur-to-Maha-
rashtra Nyay Yatra. Led
by state party president
Jitu Patwari, Leader of
Opposition in Assembly
Umang Singhar and for-
mer chief minister Digvi-
jaya Singh, party leaders
and workers wore black
armbands and staged a
silent demonstration at
Roshanpura Square in the
state capital.
Party veteran Digvijaya
talking to reporters said,
Gandhi was not allowed to
visit a temple of Assam’s
iconic Vaishnav saint Sri-
manta Sankardeva at
Batadrava in Nagaon dis-
trict on Monday. “BJP lead-
ers, including Assam’s
chief minister and the
prime minister, must reply
to this. Why was Rahul
Gandhi prevented from go-
ing to a temple? Is this the
Ram Rajya the BJP is talk-
ing about?” he asked.
Replying a question on
Madhya Pradesh Chief
Minister Mohan Yadav
talking about “Akhand
Bharat” or undivided In-
dia, Singh remarked,
“First, the CM should tell
us about the map of Ak-
hand Bharat.”
Patwari, talking to re-
porters later, condemned
the alleged attack on the
yatra in the BJP-ruled
north-eastern state and
maintained the incident
was a threat to democracy
in the country.
“We will not allow the
BJP to kill democratic val-
ues granted by the Consti-
tution and (its chief archi-
tect) Dr BR Ambedkar to
people. The Congress has
always fought against
these forces and will con-
tinue to do so in the future
also...it will uphold the
democratic and constitu-
tional rights given to peo-
ple,” Patwari asserted.
Singhar said the yatra was
proceeding peacefully when
it came under attack.

INTEGRATED PUBLIC
HEALTH LABORATORY AT
DIST HOSPITAL
Facilities for
all kind of
tests will be
available
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.bhopal@fpj.co.in
Integrated Public Health
Laboratory is being set up
at JP District Hospital,
Bhopal. This will provide
all types of pathology test-
ing facilities under one
roof.
Bhopal Chief Medical
and Health Officer Bhopal
Dr Prabhakar Tiwari in-
spected the under-con-
struction lab. During this,
he inquired about the stan-
dards set for lab construc-
tion and asked construc-
tion agency to complete
the work on time.
Hematology, biochem-
istry, cytology, clinical
pathology, microbiology
will be conducted at the In-
tegrated Public Health
Laboratory. This lab will
be ready by middle of this
year.
The laboratory being de-
veloped at a cost of about
Rs 1.12 crore will conduct
tests related to communi-
cable and non-communica-
ble diseases 24 x 7.
Medical tests related to
communicable diseases in-
cluding chikungunya,
scrubtyphus, malaria,
acute encephalitis syn-
drome, TB will be conduct-
ed in the lab. Cancer, heart
disease, diabetes, kidney,
cataract, Alzheimer’s,
IDSP and all other non-
communicable diseases
will be diagnosed.
Explore alternate site for collectorate: NGT panel
Professor Colony
re-densification
Project poses threat
to Bhoj Wetland says
committee in its
report to tribunal
OUR STAFF REPORTER
City.bhopal@fpj.co.in
The committee constituted by
National Green Tribunal (NGT)
has recommended against Pro-
fessor Colony re-densification
project for shifting the collec-
torate. The committee has sug-
gested exploring an alternate
site for new collectorate, citing
concerns about the violation of
the Wetland Rules, 2017 leading.
The project poses a threat to a vi-
tal part of Bhoj Wetland, a Ram-
sar Site of International impor-
tance.
The entire project around the
lower lake, if needed, be com-
prehensively evaluated instead
of piecemeal evaluation and the
subsequent infrastructure de-
velopment shall ensure compli-
ance with the applicable Wet-
lands rules, 2017, said the com-
mittee in its recommendation to
the Green Tribunal. The com-
mittee also recommended an ap-
propriate action against the EIA
consultant for not being serious
in evaluating the Project from
the perspective of protection of
Bhoj Wetland.
The NGT had constituted the
committee in October 2023 to
look into any violation of Bhoj
wetland rules and regulations
for environment conservation
with reference to Professor
colony re-densification.
Advocate Harshwardhan Ti-
wari said the committee submit-
ted its report in NGT on Tues-
day. NGT had issued directions
on the petition filed by environ-
mentalist Nitin Saxena.
Taking into consideration
the NGT observations, the
committee other recommen-
dations include
n An alternative site away from the
Bhoj Wetland may be explored by
the project proponent Madhya
Pradesh Housing and
Infrastructure Board (MPHIDC)
or the appropriate/concerned
authority. This alternate site
arrangement will also save very
old trees and avoid large-scale
deforestation resulting from the
execution of the said re-
densification project.
n State Environment Impact
Assessment Authority (SEIAA)/
State Expert Appraisal Committee
(SEAC) may take appropriate
action against the EIA consultant
M/s. In-situ enviro care, Bhopal
for not being serious in evaluating
the Project from the perspective
of protection of Bhoj Wetland.
n Any construction activities in
future in the buffer zone needs to
be strictly prevented and
monitored by quarterly reviews
through high-resolution satellite
imagery data, to be obtained in
consultation with agencies like
NRSA/ISRO.
n Appropriate sign boards by
concerned Urban Local Body be
put up to ensure no construction
activity of a permanent nature
takes place within 50 m distance
from the HFL of Upper/ Lower
Lake and to bring awareness
among the public of the
importance of Bhoj Wetland.
n Environment clearance for the
project needs to be revoked by
SEIAA/SEAC and a fresh appraisal
of the project, if required, needs
to be undertaken taking into
consideration the Wetland Rules
and ensuring the surface drainage
of the area (Zone of Influence) is
not disturbed.
n An Integrated Management plan
should be in place for Bhoj
Wetland as well and SWA/EPCO
needs to take appropriate action
in the matter.
DISTRICT INDORE / BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Deepotsav on Narmada-Tapti Ghats

NARMADA GHAT SPARKLED
WITH RADIANCE OF 31,000
EARTHEN LAMPS
FP NEWS SERVICE
Mandleshwar
Mandaleshwar echoed with di-
vine celebrations as the country
witnessed the Pran Pratishtha
of Lord Ram’s idol in Ayodhya
after 500 years.
In Mandaleshwar, reminiscent
of Ayodhya, every corner was
adorned with saffron flags, with
over 50 welcome gates leading to
Narmada Ghat.
The Narmada Ghat sparkled
with the radiance of 31,000
earthen lamps, illuminating the
Mandleshwar’s Sanatan Samaj's
celebration of Deepotsav.
Bhupendra Chauhan, a com-
mittee member, mentioned the
unique decorations planned for
the ghat, including figures of the
Ayodhya temple under construc-
tion. Saffron flags and electrical
decorations adorned the entire
ghat area, as the Sakal Sanatan
Samaj lit earthen lamps in vari-
ous shapes.
Honouring the spirit of the Ay-
odhya movement, the Deepotsav
Organising Committee invited
Kar Sevaks of 1990 and 1992,
along with their family repre-
sentatives. Kar Sevaks were fe-
licitated, and children from
Blooming Buds Kindergarten
Play School staged Ramayana,
fostering a connection with the
monumental achievement of
Shri Ram Lalla Virajman. MLA
Rajkumar Meo joined the cele-
brations, performing a joint aar-
ti of Maa Narmada with the Kar
Sevaks.
1.25 LAKH LAMPS LIT ON BANKS OF TAPTI RIVER
Devotees of Burhanpur
create history under the
leadership of MLA
Chitnis and sing hymns
absorbed in devotion to
Shri Ram
FP NEWS SERVICE
Burhanpur
Devotees of Burhanpur creat-
ed history by lighting over 1.25
lakh lamps to mark Shri Ram
Diwali on Monday under the
guidance of former cabinet
minister and MLA Archana
Chittnis. The programme was
held at Rajghat on the banks of
Tapti.
Out of this 1.25 lakh earthen
lamps, 1.24 lakh lamps were
donated by Prajapati Samaj,
while the remaining 1,000
lamps were prepared by the
devotees.
Before the programme, Maha
Aarti of Maa Tapti was per-
formed. Along with this, Aarti
of Lord Shri Ram and devotee
Hanuman also took place.
Along with Ram devotees, pub-
lic representatives including
Chitnis, MP Gyaneshwar Patil
and Mayor Madhuri Patel lit
lamps and extended best wish-
es to thousands of people pres-
ent on the Pran Pratistha of
Lord Rama in Ayodhya. Vari-
ous organisations including
BIMTs and Arvachin Parivar
presented cultural pro-
grammes.
Chitnis said that after a long
wait, we all have the auspi-
cious occasion of the conse-
cration of Lord Rama Temple.
We all have become witnesses
of a fortunate moment. He
said that a large number of
mothers, youth, and sisters
have shown their faith in Lord
Shri Ram by coming to the
Deepotsav.
Due to the cooperation and
devotion of the people, more
than 1.25 lakh lamps have been
lit. She said that we have come
to this grand festival of lights
by the grace of Ram. She said
that the path for building Ram
temple has been paved under
the leadership of Prime Minis-
ter Narendra Modi. Today, un-
der his leadership, our
country is moving forward on
the path of continuous
progress.
Chitnis said that the great
leader of our country and the
world, Narendra Modi ji has
taken out Ram Lalla from the
tent and placed it in the new
divine temple.

NEWS IN BRIEF OPS lit up with spirit of Shri Ram Mahotsav
SANAWAD: Omkareshwar
Power Station lit up with the
spirit of Shri Ram Mahotsav,
celebrating the consecration
of Lord Ram Temple in Ayo-
dhya. Matrishakti, in collab-
oration with the Navchetna
Cultural Committee, orches-
trated a grand Kalash and
Shobha Yatra from Central
Park to the Pashupatinath
Temple.
Procession organised Led by project in-charge
BARNAGAR: A Prabhat Pheri was taken out on the DK Dwivedi and Ladies Club
occasion of Pran Pratishtha of Lord Ram idol in Ayodhya. president Anjana Dwivedi,
The municipal council on Monday established LED the inauguration witnessed
screens at various temples and places including Gandhi women from Urja Vihar
Chowk, Dabri Chowk, Mewada Mali temple, and Rami Complex parading in yellow
Mali temple among others during which devotees saw a and orange attire, carrying
live telecast of Pran Pratishtha ceremony of Lord Ram in Kalash adorned with
Ayodhya. CMO Kamla Kol was present on behalf of coconut and mango leaves.
municipal council, Barnagar.
Chants of "Jai Shri Ram"
and melodious tunes filled
the air as power station per-
sonnel and their families
joined the procession.
A tableau depicting Ram
Darbar, featuring Lord Ram,
Mother Sita, Lakshman, and
Hanuman, added a captivat-
ing touch. The live telecast of
the Prabhu Ram Temple con-
secration was displayed at
the Omkareshwar Power
Station meeting hall.
As evening descended,
Pashupatinath temple res-
onated with musical Sun-
derkand and a special Aarti
dedicated to Lord Ram. The
night culminated in a daz-
zling festival of lights at Cen-
tral Park, with residents of
Urja Vihar Colony contribut-
ing thousands of lamps,
turning the area into a spec-
tacle of Diwali joy, complete
with grand fireworks.
Residents further adorned
their homes with Rangoli
and lights, concluding the
festivities with a massive
Bhandara. The presence of
key figures like Girdhari Lal
Jangde, Sushil Kumar Ver-
ma, and enthusiastic colony
residents made the celebra-
tion truly memorable.
Pran Pratishtha: Khetia
witnesses colourful events
KHETIA: A
grand proces-
sion, featuring a
tableau depicting
Lord Ram Lalla,
was held here on
Monday to cele-
brate the Pran
Pratishtha cere-
mony at Ayod-
hya's Ram Tem-
ple.
The town witnessed a se- Women, in large numbers
ries of public religious draped in yellow and red
events, organised by vari- saris, added colour to the
ous Hindu organisations procession which traversed
and the community. amidst chants of "Jai Shri
Saffron flags adorned the Ram". The procession re-
city, along with welcome ceived warm welcomes,
gates and vibrant decora- with flowers showered at
tions. Residents displayed various points. Traders of

Prabhat Pheri traverses town on Miscreants booked for posting hateful rangolis, attractive decora-
tions, and dazzling lighting in
front of their houses. Devo-
the Agricultural Produce
Market Committee joined in
celebrations. A procession
Pran Pratishtha ceremony
posts related to Ram Temple tees also set up stalls offering
sacred food, halwa, and milk.
reciting the Hanuman Chal-
isa started from the Mandi
Khetia: Miscreants were booked for tent related to the Ram temple on pects. Inspector Sunita Mandloi in- The procession which was and made its way to the tem-
posting hateful posts related to the their social media profiles. The terrogated suspects about the intent organised by Sakal Jain ple. Sunderkand Mitra Man-
Ram Temple on social media follow- news quickly spread, leading to the of their social media posts. Sangh, passed through dal organised a rangoli com-
ing the Pran Prathishta ceremony of mobilisation of various Hindu or- Members of Hindu organisations Gandhi Chowk, Subhash petition as part of the Pran
Lord Shri Ram in Ayodhya. ganisations, including workers from demanded swift action against the Chowk, Ashok Road, Pratishtha Mahotsav. LEDs
According to sources, members of Vishwa Hindu Parishad and Ba- perpetrators. On the basis of a for- Tagore Chowk, and Gandhi across the city displayed the
a particular community were ac- jrang Dal. They gathered at the mal complaint, a case was registered Marg before returning to live Pran Pratishtha of Lord
cused of posting objectionable con- Khetia police station with the sus- and an investigation was launched. Ram Temple. Ram in Ayodhya.

MEGHNAGAR: A Prabhat Pheri was taken out in the

town with great pomp on Monday to celebrate the
consecration of Lord Ram's idol in Ayodhya. Devotees
NCB SP Ranjan’s transfer stirs controversy District-level
painting
thronged the temples and saw the live telecast of the
FP NEWS SERVICE
Pipliya Mandi
While rumours suggest Ranjan's
transfer is linked to the botched
Budha Mandal president Rajendra
Singh Rana.
Devda intervened after villagers
lodged complaints, engaging with
competition
ceremony on LED screens set up in public areas. The
Prabhat Pheri traversed the main streets where attendees Narcotics Central Bureau
raid, official confirmation is yet to
be received. On January 18, the
This marks the third consecutive
failure for the Narcotics Bureau,
higher narcotics officials.
Jokchand questioned the effec-
organised
of the procession were also given eateries. Devotees Neemuch superintendent Aditya NCB team, led by Aditya Ranjan, which previously attempted raids in tiveness of merely transferring an Ratlam: A district-level
chanted religious slogans throughout the Pheri. Ranjan's transfer to Gwalior by searched farmer Uday Singh Malhargarh tehsil, including officer, emphasising the need for painting competition was
Narcotics Commissioner Dinesh Chohan's residence for half an Barkhedapanth, Balagudha and Khe- accountability if any wrongdoing organised on Tuesday at
Shobha Yatra taken out Boudh has stirred a controversy, hour, finding nothing. jri, without discovering any drugs. occurred. He accused officials of the Kendriya Vidyalaya
with great pomp following an unsuccessful raid on a The team also confiscated the Villagers protested against these targeting opium farmers unjustly here in which students of
farmer's house in Khejri village. DVR of the CCTV at the farmer's actions, with Shyamlal Jokchand and fabricating cases against them, Kendriya Vidyalaya, Navo-
KHACHROD: Residents The raid, conducted four days ago, house, sparking protests from vil- alleging collusion between officials alleging a nexus between public daya Vidyalaya, Railway
celebrated the Pran yielded no evidence, leading to op- lagers, including farmer leader and public representatives. representatives and authorities in School, and 13 private
Pratishtha Mahotsav with position from the local community. Shyamlal Jokchand and BJP Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish the area. schools took part. The com-
great zeal and fervour at petition was held under the
their homes by lighting direction of painting
lamps and bursting
firecrackers and visiting Fire engulfs uniform-making Mentally unstable man sets teacher
Vidyalaya
of Kendriya
Sanghmitra
temples. A Shobha Yatra and
exquisite tableaux of Lord factory, goods worth Rs 8L gutted Soni. According to sources,
Ram traversed through the
main routes of the town.
BURHANPUR: A devastat-
ing fire erupted at the
sive damage.
The factory was produc-
animal ambulance on fire the programme was organ-
ised as per Prime Minister
Narendra Modi’s talk pro-
Locals heartily welcomed Nepanagar school uniform- ing uniforms for both gov- MANDSAUR: A mentally arrival, they were shocked any valid reason. gramme on "Pariksha Pe
the Yatra by showering making factory, located at ernment and private unstable man from Tokda to see no animals were in- "This isn't the first time Charcha” for students.
flowers from the stage. The gate number seven, leaving schools. More than 3,000 village allegedly called an jured or sick. Panwar has raised alarm About 100 students took
police administration more than a thousand school uniforms, worth animal ambulance, only to Meanwhile, Panwar beat bells. In a previous incident, part in the competition and
including SDM Neha Sahu, SDOP Pushpa Prajapati, station school uniforms, electronic around Rs 5-6 lakh, were later vandalise and set it the veterinary team and he dialed the emergency created their paintings on
in-charge Narendra Parihar, and others were also present goods, and machines in ash- ready for dispatch. Addi- ablaze. The entire incident vandalised the animal am- helpline 100, though no sig- the subjects like success of
to ensure the safety and security of the Yatra. es. The incident occurred tionally, electronic materi- was captured on video. The bulance. He went on to set nificant incident occurred our country in sports, de-
for unknown reasons, re- als and machines, essential incident was reported the ambulance ablaze. The due to the swift response of veloped Bharat, Netaji Sub-
Creative laser show organised sulting in a significant loss for the manufacturing under the jurisdiction of veterinary team and vil- the police," he said. hash Chandra Bose, Mis-
GAROTH: On the occasion of Pran Pratishtha of Lord estimated to be over Rs 8 process, were also de- Suwasra police station. lagers intervened in an at- The veterinary team, led sion Aditya L-1, and others.
Ram's idol in Ayodhya, a creative LASER show was lakh. stroyed in the blaze. Arvind Panwar (28) of tempt to extinguish the by Dr Sumit Kumar, has Principal Ram Dayal
organised on Monday. The laser show presented the Factory operator Amit Firefighters promptly re- Tokda village reportedly di- flames. Despite their efforts, filed a formal complaint Chandel extended his well
incidences of Rajyabhishek of Lord Ram, Ram Katha, and Piyush expressed bewilder- sponded to the emergency, alled the animal ambulance the ambulance suffered against the accused. On the wishes to the students and
the Ram Temple struggle at the Bus Stand. The town ment about the cause of the managing to bring the fire helpline number 1962, damage. basis of the complaint, a drew attention to PM
commemorated the event with grand fireworks. A large fire, emphasising that under control. However, the claiming that his dog and Suwasra police station in- case was registered against Narendra Modi’s Pariksha
number of villagers government officials and employees everything was in order swift intervention came too cow were shot and injured. charge Shivanshu Malviya Panwar, and later arrested Mantra for the students. It
attended the programme. when he left the factory the late to salvage the goods, Dr Sumit Kumar and the said that the accused was a him. The charges include is also informed that great
previous evening. The fire leaving the factory owner team promptly responded to mentally unstable man and damaging government freedom fighter Senani
engulfed the facility and workers devastated by the call, rushing to Tokda he had previously called property and assault on a Subhash Chandra Bose
Residents take out grand foot march overnight, causing exten- the scale of the destruction. village. However, upon their emergency services without government employee. Jayanti was also celebrated
SOYAT KALAN: The residents of Soyat Kalan took out a in Kendriya Vidyalaya as
grand foot march on the occasion of Pran Pratishtha of “Prakram Diwas".
Lord Ram's idol in Ayodhya on Monday. The march
traversed the town with bands and dancing to the tunes of
Ram bhajans. The march commenced at Ram temple and
concluded at Balaji temple, where the temple priest
Aditya Vidya Vihar celebrates consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol PANCHANG 24.1.2024
(UTTARAYAN)
performed a maha aarti of Lord Hanuman. Students of FP NEWS SERVICE
Saraswati Shishu Mandir took out exquisite tableaux of Khargone
Pran Pratishtha festivity at GPS Saka 1945

Month : Paus Shukla 14 Wednesday 9.51 P.M.

Samvat 2080

Lord Ram. KHARGONE: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) brought a Nakshatra : Punarvasu ————————————-

The Pran Pratishtha of

replica of Ram Temple at Gokuldas Public School (GPS), Yoga : Vaidhriti 7.39 A.M. then Viskumbh
Khargone. Head boy Ansh Dangi and head girl Sanjeevani
Soni appointed provincial secretary Lord Ram's idol in Ayodhya
Dhangar garlanded
Karan

Moon
: Garaj 9.10 A.M. then Visti

: Mithuna 1.47 A.M. then Kark

was enthusiastically cele-
brated at Aditya Vidya Vi-
the replica of the SAT MARS, MER, VEN

har Higher Secondary

Ram temple and a 11
10
9
12
School in Khargone. Anil
photo of the newly RAHU
SUN, PLU 8
NEP
Raghuvanshi, the director
consecrated idol of 1 7
of the prestigious educa-
Lord Ram. JUP, HER

tional institution, ad-

dressed the gathering dur-
ing the Ram Katha, ex-
pressing the significance
Chairperson Sarita
Mahajan, academic 2 4
6
director Sanjay KETU
3
rituals rooted in the Vedas ry and congratulated all for
Gupta, and principal MOON
5

of Lord Ram's presence in and Puranas. the Ram temple consecra-

DHAR: The chief medical and health officer OP Soni was
appointed as provincial secretary of the Madhya Pradesh the lives of the residents of
Health Employees' Union by Madhya Pradesh Health Avadhpuri Basinh Kar
Sukh Sampada Samaj.
Employees' Union provincial president SB Singh. Chief
medical and health officer Dr NS Gehlot, DHO Dr Sudhir Raghuvanshi explained
Modi, administrative officer Arvind Khede, State the essence of Pran
Pratishtha, emphasising
Employees' Union district president Santosh Nigle and
others congratulated Soni. its meaning as giving life to
the idol through various
The ceremony com-
menced with the lighting
of lamps and the worship
of Maa Saraswati and Shri
Ram Sriti. Purushottam
Raghuvanshi, another di-
rector and chief guest,
shared Lord Ram's life sto-
Mandla Vedwati
tion.
lighted the lamps and performed the puja. The students gave
a melodious presentation of various bhajans. Teaching staff
FREE PRESS CL ASSIFIED
Students contributed to RUNNING CLASSIFIED
the programme with capti-
and students were present.
DISPLAY CLASSIFIED 7 DAY 500/-
vating theatrical presenta- 15 DAY 1000/-
tions portraying Meghnath, Narad, King the ideals of Lord Ram in 50/- SQ.CM. B/W. 30 DAY 1500/-
75/- SQ.CM.
characters such as Lord Dashrath, and Jatayu. their lives while congratu- (MINIMUM SIZE 1X3) DISPLAY CLASSIFIED
Ram, Lakshman, Sita Principal S Anand en- lating them on the Ayodhya FREE PRESS CALL- 9425082195
Mata, Hanuman, Ravana, couraged students to follow ceremony.
INDORE CITY INDORE | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Woman kills Indore-Ayodhya special train

UNDERTRIAL COMMITS
SUICIDE IN CENTRAL JAIL
PROBE
INITIATED
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
A person lodged in the Central Jail
for killing his wife allegedly com-
mitted suicide by hanging in the
bathroom of the jail, po-
lice said on Tuesday. The
undertrial was found
hanging with a bed sheet.
Jail superintendent
Alka Sonkar informed
media persons that the
deceased has been identi-
fied as Anil Manjhe (32), a
resident of Lodha Colony
under Chhatripura police
station jurisdiction. The
case was under trial, and
the accused was sent to jail by the
court.
As it is a case of death in jail so a
judicial magistrate is probing the
case further to know the circum-
Colleges apply for disaffiliation
self by hanging
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in to run four days in February
A 25-year-old woman committed
suicide by hanging at her place OUR STAFF REPORTER Western Railway releases timetable
in Chhatripura police station city.indore@fpj.co.in
area on Monday. The exact rea- The train will depart from the
son behind the extreme decision After a long wait, Western
was not ascertained. However, it Railway has finally re- city at 1 pm and reach Ayodhya the next
stances under which he committed
suicide.
barrack’s other inmates told the jail
administration that Anil was tense
is believed that she hanged her-
self after an argument with her
leased the timetable of the
weekly special train to
day at 12.10 pm
The incident came to light be-
tween 3:30 pm and 4 pm on Monday
over whether he would ever be re-
leased from jail.
husband as he told her to get
ready for Lord Ram procession.
run between Indore and
Ayodhya Dham. The spe-
The trains will be run
when officers were busy in prepa- Sources claimed that Anil’s rela- The police are probing the case. cial train will have 4 fre-
like Bharat Gaurav
rations for the Ram temple 'Pran tive had met him in the jail a few According to police, the de- quencies from both sides trains and have bulk
Pratishtha' programme organised days ago and the deceased had told ceased was identified as Sand- and will be run like booking facility
in jail. them that his wife was calling him. hya Ujle, a resident of Lalbagh. Bharat Gaurav Train,
Sonkar further said that Anil was Anil was a fruit vendor before go- She got married five years ago. wherein the facility of
suffering from depression after his ing to jail. He allegedly murdered Sandhya’s husband Kamal, who bulk ticket booking will commented that the route
wife's death and his wife Pinky by slitting her is a painter, said that he asked be available. the next day at 8.05 pm. given to Indore-Ayodhya
would not talk much throat using a sharp object over a Sandhya to get their children Officials sources of Rat- The trains will run via train is very long and ex-
inside the cell. When petty dispute between them at his ready for Lord Ram procession. lam Division informed Ratlam, Nagda, Ujjain, tremely time-consuming.
everyone was busy place in Lodha Colony on July 17. He had an argument with her this correspondent on Maksi, Saint Hirdaram For this reason, there is a
preparing for Lord He was arrested by the police the and went outside for prasadi. Tuesday that two trains Nagar, Bina, Veerangana doubt whether passengers
Ram's programme, next day from the Simrol area and When he returned around 9 pm, will be run from the city Laxmibai (Jhansi), Orai, will prefer the train. The
Anil made a noose since then, he was in jail. he found Sandhya hanging. She as a special train for Ayo- Kanpur and Lucknow. The train is being run through
out of a bed sheet Uncle Bharat said that Anil’s hanged herself in the room dhya Dham. One train journey from Indore to a long route to cover more
provided by jail ad- mother is also in jail as his in-laws where his son (4) and daughter will be only on February Ayodhya by the 093909 cities.
ministration and also made her an accused in Anil’s (2) were sleeping. She was alone 4. The second train will be train will be approximate- For example, the train is
hanged himself in- wife's murder case. Anil had two at the house as Kamal’s parents run on February 10, 17 ly 1118 kilometres long taking 4.30 hours to reach
side the bathroom of sisters Anita and Shakeela with had gone for work at a marriage and 24 from the city with and the time taken to Ujjain from Indore via
Anil Manjhe barrack number 2. whom Anil’s three children live. A function. Kamal said that her the name Aastha Express. reach Ayodhya Dham will Ratlam-Nagda. In return
He tied one end of the bed sheet to case in the suicide incident was wife used to be annoyed and As per the schedule, both be 23.10 hours. on the re- also, the train is taking
the toilet's ventilator and hanged registered and further investiga- grumpy on trivial matters. The trains will leave from In- turn journey from Ayod- about 4.30 hours to reach
himself with the other end. Before tion was underway, M G Road po- police initiated a probe into the dore at 1 pm and reach Ay- hya to Indore, this train Indore from Ujjain. Such
the incident, Anil even participated lice station in-charge Vijay Singh case and conducted post- odhya dham the next day will take 22.15 hours. The discrepancies exist for
in Sunderkand and had prasad. His Sisodia said. mortem of the deceased. at 12.10 pm. On the return train will have a total of other stations also. Due to
journey, the trains will de- 22 coaches including 20 this, the passengers of the
part from Ayodhya dham sleeper and two SLR class city will take more time
MBA students claim poor evaluation as on 6, 12, 19 and 26 Febru-
ary and arrive in the city
coaches.
Railway experts have
and will have to pay high-
er fares.

as no takers for science courses students scores zilch in microeconomics Committee to hear Teenager killed, 2 friends
OUR STAFF REPORTER Education Policy (NEP)-
problems of Princes
city.indore@fpj.co.in

Devi Ahilya University has

become a focal point for dis-
tressed colleges facing a cri-
sis due to a decline in stu-
dent enrollment and delays
in scholarship distribu-
tions. The repercussions of
these challenges are caus-
ing colleges to contemplate
the closure of various aca-
demic programmes, espe-
cially science courses.
The issue has reached a
critical juncture, with many
colleges contemplating dis-
continuation of undergrad-
uate and postgraduate
courses of science stream.
One of the main reasons
behind this turmoil is the
decreasing interest of stu-
dents in science-related
courses following the imple-
mentation of the National
2020. Programmes like BSc
and BHSc have witnessed a
significant decline, with a
staggering 30 per cent drop
in student admissions.
The situation is exacer-
bated by delays in scholar-
ship disbursements, leav-
ing colleges struggling to
manage their programmes
effectively. Teachers, cru-
cial to the functioning of
these institutions are re-
portedly facing payment is-
sues, further adding to the
challenges.
Registrar Ajay Verma
confirmed that some col-
leges have submitted appli-
cations for discontinuing
programmes from private
colleges in Dhar, Burhan-
pur, Alirajpur and Barwani
and the standing committee
will make decisions after
their meeting next month.
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
Claiming poor scrutiny of
their answer books, MBA
(Finance) students raised
serious concerns about the
evaluation process, partic-
ularly in the microeconom-
ics subject.
Several students claim
that they were unfairly
evaluated, receiving scores
as low as zero to three dig-
its in microeconomics pa-
per. The dissatisfaction has
led to a formal complaint,
with students insisting
that the matter be thor-
oughly investigated.
The controversy has
prompted university offi-
cials to respond swiftly. A
student who received a
zero has been assured of a
reexamination of the an-
swer sheet by subject ex-
perts. The university ad-
ministration has empha-
sised the gravity of the sit-
uation and has promised a
detailed report on the mat-
ter by Monday.
The exam results for the
MBA (Finance) pro-
gramme were declared on
January 16, revealing a dis-
heartening trend of a ma-
jority of students failing in
the microeconomics
subject.
Distressed by their
marks, students wasted no
time in approaching uni-
versity authorities. On
Tuesday also, they lined up
at the examination depart-
ment with their complaints
during Jan Sunwai.
Upon lodging their com-
plaints, students met with
assistant registrar (exam)
Vishnu Mishra and subse-
quent discussions were
held with the head of the
Evaluation Centre. Univer-
sity officials advised the
aggrieved students to apply
for a review of their exam
papers.
Estate applicants
Indore: Collector Asheesh
Singh has constituted a
committee to address com-
plaints of residents and ap-
plicants of Princes Estate
Colony on Tuesday. The
applicants and residents of
the Princes Estate Colony,
located close to Lasudia
Square reached the Jan-
sunvai (public hearing)
held at the Collector office
and met Collector Asheesh
Singh.
They complained about
builders Arun Dagaria,
Atul Surana and Mahen-
dra Jain. In the last Jan-
sunvai also the applicants
reached the venue. They
complained about illegal
possession of 34 plots by
these builders. Later, Col-
injured after car hits bike
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
A 17-year-old boy was
killed and his two friends
were injured after a car hit
their motorcycle in Rau po-
lice station area late on
Monday. The accident oc-
curred at Silicon City
Square around 11:30 pm
when they were returning
home after finishing their
work. They were taken to
the hospital where one of
them succumbed to in-
juries. The police are in-
vestigating the case to
know the circumstances
under which the incident
occurred.
According to the police,
the deceased was identi-
fied as Rohan Damor, a res-
ROHAN DAMOR
Malviya, both of
Banganga area, on
motorcycle.
There were a total seven
people on two motorcycles
and all were returning to
Indore after finishing their
catering work in a mar-
riage function. Rohan was
riding the motorcycle and
was hit by a car. He fell on
the car’s bonnet and then
on the wall. He sustained
severe head and leg in-

On the run Woman robbed of lector Singh said that some

victims of the Princes Es-
ident of New Bajrangpura.
Rohan’s cousin Deepak
juries. Sandeep sustained
leg injury and Raj sus-

accused from cash, mobile phone tate met him on Tuesday

by two bikers
Rajasthan caught OUR STAFF REPORTER
also. He has constituted a
committee headed by a
joint collector to probe the
issue. The committee will
said that Rohan was study-
ing in Class IX and also
tained head injury. Rohan
had two sisters and was
used to work in catering the only son of his parents.
business. He was return-
ing from Mhow after fin-
The police initiated an in-
vestigation into the case

by crime branch city.indore@fpj.co.in find out the problem and

Had been booked
under Arms Act and
for extortion
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
An on-the-run man accused
of keeping a weapon ille-
gally and extortion in Ra-
jasthan was arrested from
the city by the crime
branch, an official said on
Tuesday. He is a resident of
the city and was hiding af-
ter committing a crime in
Rajasthan.
According to a crime
branch officer, information
was received that a person
who is on the run in a case
in Rajasthan was seen in
the city. The crime branch
team gathered more infor-
mation about the accused
Adil Taliya and managed to
arrest him from the Azad
Nagar area of the city. He
was booked by the
Bhilwara police under sec-
tions 143, 336, 385 and 387 of
the IPC. He was on the run
in the case for a few
months. He is a resident of
the city and was hiding to
evade arrest. The accused
is being handed over to
Bhilwara police for further
investigation.
Women police personnel take part in parade rehearsal ahead of the 75th Republic Day, in Nehru Stadium on
Tuesday
HUKUMCHAND MILL CASE
HC orders for speeding up dues payment;
panel set up for verification of forms
OUR STAFF REPORTER
Indore
The Indore bench of Mad-
hya Pradesh High Court
emphasised the need for
expeditious resolution in
the ongoing payment case
involving Hukamchand
Mill workers. The court di-
rected authorities to collab-
orate with Hukamchand
Mill management to accel-
erate the payment process
and set up a committee for
form verification.
The hearing shed light on
the fact that labourers had
not yet submitted online
forms, causing a delay in
transfer of funds to their
accounts. Advocate Dheer-
aj Singh revealed that more
than 3k forms had been
submitted offline at the ar-
bitrator’s office.
Despite a court order is-
sued on December 20, urg-
ing prompt payment, the
funds have not reached the
accounts workers of the
closed down Hukumchand
Mill.
Expressing concern over
prolonged delay, the court,
after hearing arguments
from both sides, stressed
the immediate necessity of
PHOTO BY ANAND SHIVRE
compensating workers. Ad-
ditionally, a three-member
committee has been tasked
with verifying the authen-
ticity of the forms submit-
ted by workers.
With hopes running high,
it is anticipated that within
a month, all Hukamchand
Mill workers will finally re-
ceive their rightful pay-
ment. This development
marks a crucial step in ad-
dressing concerns of 5,895
workers and their families,
highlighting the signifi-
cance of timely and fair
compensation in industrial
disputes.
A woman was robbed of
cash and a mobile phone
by two bikers in the Chan-
dan Nagar area on Monday.
The woman was walking to
her sister’s place when the
incident happened in
broad daylight.
According to the police,
Savita Maheshwari, a resi-
dent of Dwarkapuri area,
has lodged a complaint
that she was going to her
sister’s place and had
reached near the BSNL of-
fice in Gumasta Nagar
when two persons coming
from the rear on a bike
snatched her bag from her
hand and fled the scene.
The woman cried for help
and some people came to
her help but the accused
managed to flee from the
spot. The woman informed
the police that the accused
managed to flee with her
purse containing Rs 2,000
in cash and a mobile
phone.
Later, the police were in-
formed. The police exam-
ined the CCTVs of the spot
and registered a case
against two persons. Some
suspects were seen in a
CCTV installed near the
spot and police claimed
that the accused would be
arrested soon. ss
suggest solution to it.
ishing his work along with
Sandeep Lahore and Raj
and conducted the post-
mortem of the deceased.
Special initiative to be taken
to make disabled self-reliant
OUR STAFF REPORTER Special arrangements will be made in the public
city.indore@fpj.co.in hearing for receiving and resolving pension-related
applications of people with disabilities
Special arrangements will
be made in the Jansunvai
held at the Collector office
every Tuesday to resolve
pension-related applica-
tions of people with dis-
abilities and other needy
beneficiaries. The appli-
cants will not have to wan-
der here and there for pen-
sion-related matters. Offi-
cials of the IMC and other
concerned departments
will be present in the Jan-
sunvai and resolve the
The collector looking at the documents given by applicants during Jansunvai
matter. Similarly, he also listened should be organised for this
Similarly, considering seriously to the problems of next month.
the constraints of the dis- other applicants and in- In the Jansunvai, 75 appli-
abled people coming to the structed the concerned offi- cants applied for motorised
Jansunvai, special initia- cers to resolve them. He in- vehicles and they would be
tives will be taken to make structed that cases must be given the vehicles after ver-
them self-reliant. For this, a registered on the CM ifying the applications. The
self-employment fair will be Helpline so that the applica- motor vehicles will be given
organised next month. tions are resolved within to the disabled through AL-
Collector Asheesh Singh the time limit. He gave in- IMCO. In the Jansunvai, ad-
gave this information in the structions to make avail- ditional collectors Gaurav
Jansunvai at the Collector able self-employment av- Bainal and Roshan Rai and
office today. The collector enues for the disabled to other officials also heard
reached among them and make them financially self- the problems of the appli-
listened to their problems. reliant. He said that a fair cants and resolved them.

Blood donation, health

check-up camp on R-Day
Nine-yr-old city boy gets Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar
OUR STAFF REPORTER
Conquering abilities and outstanding
achievements.
Down syndrome. He mainly
works for the rights of or-
Adopted by single
parent after being
city.indore@fpj.co.in Down Syndrome This year the award was
given to 19 children in the
phan and disabled children.
This is his second national left in orphanage
Saket morning walkers are organising a with courage to age group 5 – 18 years for award, he has also received vnish was just one
blood donation and health check-up camp on
Republic Day from 8 am onwards. The camp
will be held at Saket Club. City residents
make a mark in
their excellence in seven
categories. Each awardee is
given a medal, certificate
the Best Disabled Child
Award.
These 19 children hon-
A year old when he
was left in an
orphanage by his biological
along with their families can voluntarily do-
nate blood.
social service and a citation booklet.
Avnish is the only person
oured with the Pradhan
Mantri Rashtriya Bal
parents because he was
suffering from a genetic
A team of various doctors will be deployed OUR STAFF REPORTER from Madhya Pradesh se- Puraskar will participate chromosome disorder. He
for their health check-up, which mainly in- city.indore@fpj.co.in lected for this award. He is in the Republic Day parade. has a hole in his heart since
clude doctors for heart, dental, eye, Cancer the youngest awardee, who He has received more birth and is suffering from
and CPR training. The doctor’s will provide Avnish Tiwari, a nine-year- has received an award in than 30 excellence awards many physical problems.
their services free-of-cost. old from the city met Prime the field of social service. and has four world records He was adopted by Aditya
The MY Hospital team will be present for Minister Narendra Modi on He climbed Mount Everest to his name. He has also Tiwari of the city through a
blood donation. This is the thirteenth camp Tuesday after he was hon- Base Camp at the age of been honoured with the long process as he was a
of the organisation which has been going on oured by Pradhan Mantri seven and is the first spe- Child Icon Award and single parent. Avneesh
for the last ten years. During the programme, Rashtriya Bal Puraskar cial child to do so. He Down Syndrome Excel- studies with normal
along with flag hoisting, famous flute player (PMRBP) by President reached a height of 18 thou- lence Award in 2023. He has children in Mhow Army
Ballu Bhaiya, Sunil Sharma and singer Shik- Droupadi Murmu on Mon- sand 200 feet and hoisted addressed more than one School and does not face
sha Sharma will present the National An- day. The award is given to the Tricolour. thousand seminars and we- any problem.
them. children with exceptional Avnish is suffering from Avnish Tiwari being honoured by President Draupadi Murmu binars.
 INDORE CITY
INDORE | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Tehsil office Indore to be shining example of

Silent heart attack employee
suspended sustainable development: Mayor
kills three in a day
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in

Collector Asheesh Singh

has suspended Assistant
Grade Three and the then
Head Copyist Tehsil In-
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in

As the city takes a bold

Three incidents of car-
diac arrest were reported
in the city in a single day.
All of them apparently
suffered no discomfort
when their heart sudden-
ly stopped pumping. The
deceased were 41, 42 and
57-year-olds and while two
of them suddenly fell on
the road from the two-
wheeler they were riding
the third fell unconscious
in a truck cabin. The au-
topsy examination was
conducted by the police to
know the cause of the
deaths. Police believed
that all three had suffered
silent heart attack.
In the first incident, an
employee of MY Hospital
died while returning
home on a two-wheeler af-
ter finishing his job in
Azad Nagar area on Mon-
day evening. According to
the police, the deceased
has been identified as
Ajiz Khan (41), a resident
of Azad Nagar area.
Ajiz’s niece Hina said that
Ajiz was returning home
after finishing his job on
a two-wheeler. He reached
UP man provides fake
Deceased Ajiz Khan
near Musakhedi Square
when he fell from the
moving bike in an uncon-
scious state on the road
around 6 pm. His wife had
expired due to Covid and
he did not have any chil-
dren.
In the second incident, a
district court stamp paper
vendor died while return-
ing home on a two-wheel-
er vehicle in the Parde-
shipura area on Monday.
The deceased was identi-
fied as Ramesh Upadhyay
(57), a resident of Peer-
gali. Ramesh’s brother-in-
law Kailash said that he
was a treasurer of a social
group and had gone to
Malwa Mill for social
work. He fell from the
moving vehicle in an un-
conscious state near Ra-
Deceased Ramesh Upadhyay
jkumar Bridge. He was
taken to the hospital
where he was declared
dead.
In the third incident, a
truck driver died while he
was sitting in a truck cab-
in in the Lasudia police
station area late on Mon-
day. The police got infor-
mation about the incident
around 2:30 am. The de-
ceased was identified as
Rafiq Khan (42), a resi-
dent of Bhopal. He was at
the office of a transport
company near Dewas
Naka when he fell uncon-
scious on the truck steer-
ing. The family members
told police that he was
suffering from breathless-
ness for a few months and
was undergoing treat-
ment for the same.
‘Exports from
dore, Narendra Narwaria
posted in Khudail Tehsil
office with immediate ef-
fect. During the suspen-
sion period, his headquar-
ters will be Tehsil Office
Kanadia.
It may be noted that a case
was registered on Decem-
ber 14 last year by the su-
perintendent of police
(SP), Special Police Estab-
lishment, Lokayukta Of-
fice, by presenting a
charge sheet against the
accused before the Special
Court (Prevention of Cor-
ruption Act), Indore.
SUMANT SINGH KACHHAWA
Brave cop saves the day by
dousing fire near petrol pump
Additional CP awards
constable for his efforts
He took three fire
extinguishers from
petrol pump and climbed
a ladder to the first floor
to fight the fire
step towards harnessing
solar energy,
Pushyamitra Bhargav on
Mayor
Tuesday said Indore is
poised to become a shining
example of sustainable ur-
ban development in the
country.
The Mayor chaired a
meeting at the City Bus Of-
fice to discuss the transfor-
mation of Indore into a So-
lar City. This initiative is
in response to Prime Min-
ister Narendra Modi's am-
bitious Solar Uday Yojana,
aimed at installing solar
panels in one crore homes
nationwide, he said.
During the meeting, offi-
cials, including Indore
Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargav chairs a meeting in the city on Tuesday on
transforing Indore into a Solar City.
Smart City CEO Divyank Addressing media per-
Singh and technical secre- sons after the meeting,
tary SachinTalware, pro- Bhargav said, ‘Indore is
vided detailed presenta- committed to becoming a
tions on the solar system Solar City, aligning with
project. the vision of our success-
Bhargav emphasised the ful Prime Minister. In the
need for public awareness first phase, we aim to in-
and collaboration with stall solar systems in all 22
civic organisations to zones, covering a total of
achieve the ambitious 22 colonies. Subsequently,
goal. in the second phase, one
Meanwhile, traffic constable
Sumant Singh Kachhawa reached
there. He took three fire extin-
guishers from the petrol pump
and people arranged a ladder for
the constable to climb and reach
the first floor where he used the
extinguishers to control the
flames within a few minutes and
eventually was able to completely
douse the flames before the fire
colony in all 85 wards will
witness the installation of
solar systems.’
The Mayor highlighted
that the Indore Municipal
Corporation (IMC) has al-
ready installed solar sys-
tems at his residence, set-
ting an example for citi-
zens. He also announced
plans for an extensive
awareness campaign, in-
volving door-to-door visit
by officials and collabora-
tion with local organisa-
tions.
Furthermore, Bhargav
directed officials to set spe-
cific targets for installa-
tion of solar systems and
engage with commercial,
residential, social, educa-
tional and other organisa-
tions to garner support for
making Indore a Solar City.
PAINTING
COMPETITION
MARKS WORLD
WETLANDS
DAY AT SIRPUR
OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
In a celebration leading up to
World Wetlands Day, a painting
competition centred around the
theme "Wetland and Human Well-
being" was organised by IMC in
collaboration with the State Wet-

letter to get job, held dist to be OUR STAFF REPORTER

brigade reached the spot. The traf-
fic congestion at various places
land Authorities and the Ramsar
Convention Secretariat on Tues-

OUR STAFF REPORTER they lodged a complaint

further boosted’ city.indore@fpj.co.in meant that the firefighters got a
little late in reaching the spot.
day. The event was aimed at raising
awareness about wetland conser-
city.indore@fpj.co.in with the police. A case un- Indore: Collector Asheesh A traffic police constable was Kachhawa said that there were vation and encouraging an eco-
der section 420, 467, 468, 471, Singh has said that ex- awarded with cash reward by ad- more than 100 vehicles friendly lifestyle and was organ-
A man from UP was arrest- 34 of the IPC was registered ports from the district will ditional commissioner police parked near the building so ised on the banks of Sirpur Pond, a
ed by the crime branch for against the accused. be further boosted from (traffic management) Manish Ku- he had to take swift action Ramsar site in Indore, showcasing
giving a fake letter in the During investigation, the the current level. Current- mar Agrawal for his brave act in to ensure that the flames do the city's commitment to environ-
name of the Prime Minis- crime branch managed to ly, 25% of exports of the extinguishing the fire in a shop in not spread further. mental education.
ter’s Office (PMO) for job in identify the accused as state are made from the front of a petrol pump near Pala- There was a jam-like sit- Over 350 enthusiastic partici-
a gas agency in the city on Deepak Awasthi, a resident district. sia Square. It is said that there uation during the incident pants from 20 schools and colleges
Tuesday. Surprisingly, the of Jhansi and later arrest- To take stock of the ex- was a function at the shop situat- so the constable with the across Indore district participated
accused in UP police uni- ed him from the city. The port scenario of the dis- ed on the first floor of a building help of some people divert- in the competition to express their
SUMANT
form had reached the accused allegedly informed trict, collector Singh con- when it caught fire due to fire- ed the route near Palasia creativity. The competition cate-
agency office and had given the police that he had vened a meeting of all works nearby. It is also suspected Square for some time. A video in gories included paintings depict-
the letter there for his job. reached the gas agency of- stakeholders on Tuesday. that a short circuit might have which the constable was seen ex- ing the significance of Sirpur
Further investigation is on fice in UP police uniform so Later, he informed about taken place. Sumant Singh Kachhawa being helped by tinguishing fire climbing on pond, the Wetland and Human
into the case. that the agency officials the meeting to media per- According to information, a fire
people to climb up the building in Palasia area height went viral on Tuesday. Just Wellbeing theme, solar products,
Additional DCP (crime) would consider that the let- sons. He said that from broke out on the first floor of a flames but their efforts were prov- after this incident, the fire brigade and tribal art.
Rajesh Dandotiya said that ter was sent from the PMO the total exports of the building on the road leading to Pa- ing inadequate as the flames were reached the Vijay Nagar area also At the conclusion of the event,
Rahul Pastor, an official which was later found state, 25pc is made from trakar Square late on Monday as on the first floor and were becom- and doused off the flames in a participants and attendees, includ-
from Avantika Gas Limit- forged. The accused was the district. A meeting the sparks from the fireworks ing frightening. Panic gripped the shop. After seeing Kachhawa’s ing environmentalists and local of-
ed, lodged a complaint that employed with a gas was held to discuss how reached the shop and it caught area for a few minutes especially courageous job, additional CP ficials, took the Wetland Pledge, re-
they had received a letter in agency in Delhi and wanted to further increase ex- fire. Seeing the flames and smoke, as the spot was just opposite the awarded him with a cash reward inforcing their commitment to wet-
the name of PMO for a job a job in the city. He is being ports from the district. people tried to douse off the petrol pump. and appreciated his job. land conservation
recommendation in the questioned further. Crime The sectors which are al-
agency in Vijay Nagar area branch officials are investi- ready into exports like
of the city. The officials
found that the letter which
they received was fake so
gating to know the place
from where he had taken
UP police uniform as well.
pharma, textile cereals
will also be included in
the committee.
High Court dismisses Vatsalyapuram
He said that special eco-
nomic zones (SEZ) also play
Foundation's plea in child rescue case
News in Brief a crucial role in export pro- OUR STAFF REPORTER gaged in financial transactions in-
motion and discussion re- Indore volving orphaned children within
garding increase in exports the hostel premises, backed by
Website to help youth use wisdom of from SEZs will be held. Be- In a significant legal development, substantial evidence. Notably, the
Ramayana to solve problems launched sides, those units will also Indore bench of Madhya Pradesh foundation faces serious charges
be roped-in which are ex- High Court on Tuesday rejected of imprisoning and kidnapping
porting outside the purview the plea filed by Vatsalyapuram girls, prompting government's in-
of SEZs. Deliberations re- Foundation in response to allega- tervention.
garding promotion of pota- tions of misconduct related to the Representatives of the govern-
to wafers export which is rescue of 21 minor girls from their ment, advocates Ankit Nayak and
identified under ‘one dis- children's home in Vijay Nagar. Archana Kher, presented the case
trict, one product’ from the The incident, which unfolded on in the court, emphasising the
district were also done. January 12, has ignited a legal bat- need to curb the organisation’s ex-
Trial run of the new coaches of Indore Metro underway at Gandhi Nagar Depot PIC BY ANAND SHIVRE tle against the foundation, accus- ploitation of underprivileged chil-
ing them of various offences, in- dren in the guise of charitable
SHIVAJI MARKET RELOCATION IN ROUGH WATERS cluding non-registration under
Juvenile Justice Act, disappear-
work. The court's verdict on Tues-
day dismissed the foundation's
Indore: The matter of shifting of action can be completed. sold the shops to other people on ance of four girls and egregious plea, affirming government ac-
Indore: A website named 'Dharma' has been launched Shivaji Market is continuously After building a new market in the basis of agreement years ago mistreatment of the minors. tions against such entities.
to help youths seek solutions to their problems getting complicated. The Indore Nandlalpura, the Smart City offi- and if the shops are allotted The court expedited a double Ongoing investigations, led by
through the wisdom of the Ramayana. The website Municipal Corporation (IMC) cials had given consent to market afresh, then the matter can get bench hearing, denying any inter- SDM Ghanshyam Dhangar, CDPO
has been launched by the Indore unit of IT Company Market Department investigated department officials to complete disputed. Due to this, the corpora- im relief to the foundation and or- Dinesh Mishra, DPO Mamta
Metafic. and found that there were 45 the lottery process for allotment tion has written a letter to the Ur- dering regular hearings starting Choudhary and Bal Kalyan Sami-
Adin Shukla, member of the team handling project shopkeepers who had sold their of shops. Since then, the market ban Administration Department from January 17. ti member Sangeeta Choudhary,
'Dharma', said that the website contains knowledge of shops to other people on agree- department of the corporation explaining the entire matter and The case brings to light disturb- aim to uncover the full extent of
the Ramayana and related texts and also contains ma- ment. Now the corporation has was busy investigating the cases has also sought guidelines from ing accusations of physical abuse, the foundation's alleged miscon-
terial depicting the personality of Lord Rama. The in- sent a letter to the government of shops. top officials. Its action can be com- deprivation of basic needs and duct. The legal proceedings shed
formation can be obtained in Hindi, English, and San- asking for guidelines in the en- Officials say that out of 126, pleted only after receiving guide- other forms of mistreatment light on challenges in ensuring
skrit, and those who are more interested in listening tire matter, so that the remaining there are 45 shopkeepers who had lines from Bhopal. against the organisation. the welfare and protection of vul-
than reading can also use its audio system. It is free of The controversy unravelled as nerable children, urging a closer
cost and a solution to solve curiosity about Ramayana
and characters along with the Ram temple. Mindless honking needs urgent detox Indore SDM Ghanshyam Dhangar
disclosed that the foundation en-
examination of the practices
within charitable institutions.

NIDHI DEVLIYA
Venkatesh Iyer joins Ram procession Indore
“Honking in traffic signals has be-
come a pervasive issue, causing
frustration for pedestrians and driv-
ers alike. Even when the signal is
red, the incessant honking contin-
ues, creating a dissonance that dis-
rupts peace. This habitual noise pol-
lution not only contributes to stress
among the drivers and people on the
road but also adversely affects the
overall urban environment. Imple-
Indore: A huge procession was taken out as part of the menting awareness campaigns and
five-day Shri Ram Darbar Pran Pratishtha Mahotsav stricter enforcement of no-honking
organised at Shri Salasar Balaji Temple located in zones could help alleviate this per-
Tilak Nagar. Shri Salasar Balaji Temple Mahotsav sistent problem said traffic consta-
Committee head told the Ram Darbar made of Ash- ble Sumant Singh Kachhawa.
tadhatu was worshipped by saints as per the rituals. In the bustling cityscape, the per-
In the evening, the procession reached the temple sistent problem of unnecessary
premises from Shri Salasar Balaji Temple complex honking has far-reaching conse-
located in Tilak Nagar. In the procession, MLA Ma- quences. The incessant blaring of
hendra Hardiya danced to the songs and bhajans of horns poses serious health hazards
Ram along with the devotees. International cricket like cardiac arrest, panic attacks
player Venkatesh Iyer was walking with the devotees and hearing issues.
and encouraging them. In the procession, women The frequent practice of vehicle
wore red sarees and men wore white kurtas and py- drivers completely covering the left
jamas. Ashtadhatu Shri Ram Darbar was moving in side turn amplifies sound pollution
front in the chariot, followed by devotees dancing vig- in urban areas, creating a disruptive
orously to the songs of Ram. environment. Encouraging a more
considerate approach to traffic flow
is crucial to mitigate the excess
noise said Ambrish Kela, owner of
Scientech Technologies. He empha-
sises the need for increased aware-
ness programmes and imposition of
fines on honking. He actively con-
tributes to creating awareness ini-
tiatives against frustration caused
by increased noise pollution and un-
necessary horns at traffic signals.
Kela believes that addressing this is-
sue is essential for reducing stress
and fostering a more peaceful daily
environment. Excessive honking of-
ten escalates into road confronta-
tions, exacerbating traffic issues.
The noise pollution not only dis-
rupts the environment but also con-
tributes to heightened stress levels
among drivers, fostering an atmos-
phere prone to conflicts.
Every 10th urban
citizen suffering
hearing
impairment
very tenth person in the
E urban area is falling
victim to hearing
impairment, the ability to
hear the surrounding noise is
diminishing, and for some, it's
on the verge of disappearing.
A study conducted by AIIMS
in collaboration with ICMR
sheds light on this growing
concern. Approximately
90,000 individuals from six
cities underwent examination,
with each centre examining
around 15,000 people. The
study revealed that 9.1% of
the population faces hearing
difficulties, while 3.1%
experience severe issues,
placing them in the category
of hearing impaired.
However, the urban setting
poses a greater challenge due
to the constant ambient
noise.
Traffic workshop held
Indore: A session for personality
development was held at traffic
control room, Mhow naka for
newly-recruited force of male and
female constables under the guid-
ance of additional commissioner
(traffic) Manish Kumar Agrawal
on Tuesday.
Additional DCP (traffic zone-2)
Arvind Kumar Tiwari and In-
specting Officer Lal Bahadur
Baudh gave a lecture on personal-
ity development, behaviour, skills,
discipline and efficient traffic
management. Furthermore,
Arvind Kumar Tiwari instructed
all constables to perform duty
with vigilance in designated uni-
forms on intersections and roads,
A police
personnel
displaying a
traffic chart
during the
session held at
the traffic
control room in
the city on
Tuesday
reporting traffic-related issues to
the control room, co-ordinating
during VIP arrangements, diver-
sions and other arrangements.
Inspector Lal Bahadur Baudh
emphasised on punctuality, ad-
herence to senior officers' direc-
tions and personal health care
during duty. As part of traffic
management training, traffic in-
spector Sumanth Singh Kach-
hawa explained various aspects of
traffic management in detail
through the ‘Traffic Alphabet.’
After receiving training, all con-
stables are actively implementing
traffic management in various in-
tersections and one way areas
across the city.
On the run accused from Rajasthan caught by crime branch
Indore: An on-the-run man accused of keeping a weapon illegally and extortion in Rajasthan was arrested from the city by the crime
branch, an official said on Tuesday. He is a resident of the city and was hiding after committing a crime in Rajasthan. According to a crime
branch officer, information was received that a person who is on the run in a case in Rajasthan was seen in the city. The crime branch
team gathered more information about the accused Adil Taliya and managed to arrest him from the Azad Nagar area of the city.
MADHYA PRADESH BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Katiyar gets Resolve issues of

NEWS IN BRIEF
Cong candidate wins Nagar
Parishad chairman’s post
Undertrial commits honey-trap
SIT command
commoners at rapid
Satna: Congress candidate Deepa aka Deepu Mishra
defeated BJP’s Sunita Ramsushil by a whisker in a by-
election to the post of chairman of Ramnagar Nagar
Parishad. Mishra got eight votes and Ramsushil seven. The
contest for the post was between the BJP and the
suicide in Central Jail
Probe initiated light between 3:30 pm Sources claimed that
OUR STAFF REPORTER
Bhopal

Chief Minister Mohan

Congress. The Congress workers took out a victory rally.
< when officers were busy
Netaji Subhash Chandra OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
Bose remembered
Ganj Basoda: The birth anniversary of Netaji Subhash A person lodged in the
Chandra was celebrated with gaiety in the city on Tuesday. Central Jail for killing
Chairperson of Nagar Palika Shashi Anil Yadav garlanded his wife allegedly com-
the photograph of great revolutionary subhash Chandra mitted suicide by
Bose. Besides the BJP workers, the students of Subhash hanging in the bathroom
Higher Secondary School, teachers and eminent citizens of the jail, police said on
were present at the function. Yadav remembered Bose’s Tuesday. The undertrial
contribution in India’s freedom struggle. The students of was found hanging with a
the school presented some cultural events highlighting the bed sheet by a jail em-
life and works of Bose. ployee.
Jail superintendent
Alka Sonkar informed
Students given tips on traffic rules media persons that the
Anuppur: An event was held in Sankalp Group of deceased has been identi-
Colleges to raise awareness about traffic rules among the fied as Anil Manjhe (32), a
students following instructions from superintendent of resident of Lodha Colony
police Jitendra Singh Pawar and additional superintendent under Chhatripura police
of police Shiv Kumar Singh. Traffic inspector Jyoti informed station jurisdiction. The
the students about the importance of following traffic case was under trial, and
rules, wearing helmets and putting seat belts. The the accused was sent to
children were also informed about the traffic signals, road jail by the court.
signs and the reasons for accidents. The students were As it is a case of death
also informed about how to make licences. The students in jail so a judicial magis-
of the college, its manager Yogendra Singh and others trate is probing the case
were present at the event. further to know the cir-
cumstances under which
Ram’s idol unveiled at Siddh Pahad he committed suicide.
Satna: Ram spent 11years and six months of his exile in The incident came to
Chitrakoot, and when he moved ahead, he saw a hillock
of bones. The sight of the hillock, called Siddh Pahad,
made him angry and melted his heart. When he wanted to
know from the saints, who were accompanying him about
Shivaji Market
the history of the hillock, they said that the demons had
killed the saints and threw their bones which turned into a
shifting in rough
hillock. On hearing this, Ram got so angry that he had
promised to free the earth from all the demons. An idol of
waters
Ram was unveiled at Siddha hill. Indore: The matter of shift-
ing of Shivaji Market is con-
tinuously getting compli-
Two held, pistol seized cated. The Indore
Satna: The police arrested two youths and recovered a Municipal Corporation
pistol from their possession. According to the in-charge of (IMC) Market Department
Singhpur police station Shailendra Singh, on getting investigated and found that
information about the youths, a police team rushed to the there were 45 shopkeepers
spot and arrested a criminal Rahul Singh, a resident of who had sold their shops to
Teekar and his accomplice Himanshu aka Sujju Singh from other people on agreement.
the Ahari area and recovered a pistol and a weapon made Now the corporation has
of iron from their possession. sent a letter to the govern-
ment asking for guidelines
Idol consecration celebrated in the entire matter, so that
Bherunda: The entire Bherunda city celebrated the the remaining action can be
consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya on Monday. completed. After building a
The Nagar Parishad decked up the entire city and the new market in
devotees of Ram put up saffron flags everywhere. Nandlalpura, the Smart
Devotees began to flock to the ancient Ram Janki temple City officials had given con-
and worshipped the idol there. The Sundarkand was sent to market department
recited and Prasad distributed. The market was decked up officials to complete the lot-
with saffron flags and devotional songs were sung. tery process for allotment
of shops. Since then, the
market department of the
corporation was busy inves-
and 4 pm on Monday
in preparations for the
Ram temple ‘Pran
Pratishtha’ programme
organised in jail.
Sonkar further said that
Anil was suffering from
depression after his
wife’s death and would
not talk much inside the
cell. When everyone was
busy preparing for Lord
Ram’s programme, Anil
made a noose out of a bed
sheet provided by jail ad-
ministration and hanged
himself inside the bath-
room of barrack number
2. He tied one end of the
bed sheet to the toilet’s
ventilator and hanged
himself with the other
end.
Before the incident,
Anil even participated in
Sunderkand and had
prasad. His barrack’s oth-
er inmates told the jail
administration that Anil
was tense over whether
he would ever be released
from jail.
High Court dismisses Vatsalyapuram
Foundation’s plea in child rescue case
OUR STAFF REPORTER
Indore
In a significant legal de-
velopment, Indore bench
of Madhya Pradesh High
Court on Tuesday reject-
ed the plea filed by Vat-
salyapuram Foundation
in response to allegations
of misconduct related to
the rescue of 21 minor
girls from their children’s
home in Vijay Nagar.
The incident, which un-
folded on January 12, has
ignited a legal battle
against the foundation,
accusing them of various
offences, including non-
registration under Juve-
nile Justice Act, disap-
pearance of four girls and
egregious mistreatment
of the minors.
The court expedited a
pace: Collector
FP NEWS SERVICE
Narmadapuram
Anil’s relative had met Yadav has handed over
him in the jail a few days the much-talked-about A total of 73 applications
ago and the deceased had honey-trap case to addi- were received at the public
told them that his wife tional director general hearing in
was calling him. Anil was (ADG) of police Adarsh Narmadapuram on Tues-
a fruit vendor before go- Katiyar. day, during which Nar-
ing to jail. The case has been hand- madapuram collector So-
He allegedly murdered ed over to Katiyar after nia Meena, Zila panchayat
his wife Pinky by slitting the retirement of honey- CEO SS Rawat and Chief
her throat using a sharp trap SIT head Vipin Ma- municipal officer (CMO)
object over a petty heshwari. Navneet Pandey, along
dispute between them at Honey-trap case came to with other officials, were
his place in Lodha Colony light in August 2019. The also present.
on July 17. He was arrest- then Congress govern- While listening to all the there. Collector Meena di-
ed by the police the next ment formed an SIT to cases that turned up for rected the officials to look
day from the Simrol area probe the case. the hearing, Collector into the case.
and since then, he was in In the outset, the com- Meena directed the offi- Another elderly man
jail. mand of the SIT was cials concerned to redress from Itarsi, Ramadhar
Uncle Bharat said that handed over to the issues of the common- Kushwaha (75) said that
Anil’s mother is also in Shriniwas Verma. After- ers at a rapid pace. two of his daughters occu-
jail as his in-laws also wards, Sanjeev Shami, The sarpanch of the Ka- pied his house and ban-
made her an accused in Rajendra Kumar and Ma- hariya village of Seoni- ished him from there.
Anil’s wife’s murder case. heshwari were given the Malwa, Sanjaty Jat, showed He sought assistance
Anil had two sisters Ani- task. up at the public hearing, de- from the collector, after
ta and Shakeela with The accused women in manding that a cowshed which Collector Meena in-
whom Anil’s three chil- the case were granted has been proposed to be structed the Itarsi SDM to
dren live. bail. The SIT initially col- built on a playground. He take appropriate action
A case in the suicide in- lected some evidence, but requested the collector not against Kushwaha’s
cident was registered and afterwards, it could not to give nod to the cowshed daughters.
further investigation was do anything. on the ground, as the chil- Similar other cases were
underway, M G Road po- The case rattled many dren play there often, and also put up for hearing,
lice station in-charge Vi- politicians and bureau- various events of the vil- which were reviewed by
jay Singh Sisodia said. crats in the state. lage are also organised collector Meena.
UP man provides fake letter to get job, held
Indore: A man from UP was arrested by the crime branch for giv-
ordering regular hear- the case in the court, em-
ing a fake letter in the name of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO)
for job in a gas agency in the city on Tuesday. Surprisingly, the ac-
ings starting from Janu- phasising the need to cused in UP police uniform had reached the agency office and had
ary 17. curb the organisation’s given the letter there for his job. Further investigation is on into
The case brings to light exploitation of under- the case. Additional DCP (crime) Rajesh Dandotiya said that Rahul
disturbing accusations of privileged children in the Pastor, an official from Avantika Gas Limited, lodged a complaint
physical abuse, depriva- guise of charitable work. that they had received a letter in the name of PMO for a job recom-
tion of basic needs and The court’s verdict on mendation in the agency in Vijay Nagar area of the city. The offi-
other forms of mistreat- Tuesday dismissed the cials found that the letter which they received was fake so they
ment against the organi- foundation’s plea, affirm- lodged a complaint with the police. A case under section 420, 467,
sation. ing government actions 468, 471, 34 of the IPC was registered against the accused.
The controversy unrav- against such entities.
elled as Indore SDM Ongoing investigations,
Ghanshyam Dhangar dis- led by SDM Ghanshyam
closed that the Dhangar, CDPO Dinesh
foundation engaged in fi- Mishra, DPO Mamta
nancial transactions in- Choudhary and Bal
volving orphaned chil- Kalyan Samiti member
dren within the hostel Sangeeta Choudhary, aim
premises, backed by sub- to uncover the full extent
stantial evidence. No- of the foundation’s al-
tably, the foundation leged misconduct. The le-
faces serious charges of gal proceedings shed
imprisoning and kidnap- light on challenges in en-
ping girls, prompting gov- suring the welfare and
ernment’s intervention. protection of vulnerable
Representatives of the children, urging a closer

Woman kills self by hanging tigating the cases of shops.

Officials say that out of
126, there are 45 shopkeep-
ers who had sold the shops
double bench hearing,
denying any interim re-
lief to the foundation and
government, advocates
Ankit Nayak and
Archana Kher, presented
examination of the prac-
tices within charitable in-
stitutions.

OUR STAFF REPORTER
city.indore@fpj.co.in
A 25-year-old woman com-
mitted suicide by hanging
at her place in
Chhatripura police station
area on Monday. The exact
reason behind the extreme
decision was not ascer-
tained. However, it is be-
lieved that she hanged her-
self after an argument
with her husband as he
told her to get ready for
Lord Ram procession. The
police are probing the case.
According to police, the
deceased was identified as
Sandhya Ujle, a resident of
Lalbagh. She got married
five years ago. Sandhya’s
husband Kamal, who is a to other people on the basis
painter, said that he asked of agreement years ago Blood donation, health
Sandhya to get their chil- and if the shops are allot-
dren ready for Lord Ram ted afresh, then the matter check-up camp on R-Day
procession. He had an ar- can get disputed. Due to Indore: Saket morning walkers are organising a blood
gument with her and went this, the corporation has donation and health check-up camp on Republic Day from 8
outside for prasadi. When written a letter to the Ur- am onwards. The camp will be held at Saket Club. City
he returned around 9 pm, ban Administration De- residents along with their families can voluntarily donate
he found Sandhya hanging. partment explaining the blood. A team of various doctors will be deployed for their
She hanged herself in the entire matter and has also health check-up, which mainly include doctors for heart,
room where his son (4) and sought guidelines from top dental, eye, Cancer and CPR training. The doctor’s will
daughter (2) were sleeping. officials. provide their services free-of-cost.
She was alone at the house
as Kamal’s parents had
gone for work at a
marriage function. Kamal
said that her wife used to
be annoyed and grumpy on
trivial matters. The police
initiated a probe into the
case and conducted post-
mortem of the deceased.
Political appointments cancelled
RAIPUR: Political appointments under the previously formed Public
Participation Committee have been cancelled in all the government
colleges under the Higher Education Department of Chhattisgarh
Government. The order states, the charge of Chairman has been
handed over to Vice Chairman-cum-Collector till further orders.
CHHATTISGARH BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Newborns
named on
Ram Lala in
Sai discusses issues related Inspector level police officers,
employees to get weekly off
Raipur
STAFF REPORTER / Raipur

On the occasion of the

to mutual cooperation
STAFF REPORTER / Raipur
STAFF REPORTER / Raipur

16 Swachhata Didis, engaged in making the

consecration ceremony
of Ayodhya’s Ram Tem-
ple, 77 babies were born
in hospitals of capital
Raipur.
Surprisingly majority
parents who have got
their babies on the aus-
picious day January
22,2024 confirmed they
are going to name their
newly born infants on
the name of Lord Rama
which includes all the
names of Ramlala.
As per information re-
ceived, in Raipur’s state
level hospital Dr. Bhim
Rao Ambedkar Hospital
altogether 19 women de-
livered babies out of
which 11 women had
normal deliveries mean-
while 8 underwent C-sec-
tion.
Similarly, District
Government Hospital
situated in Kalibari de-
livered 18 newly born in-
fants.
However, the Commu-
nity Hospital Centre had
8 deliveries, CHC Arang-
4, Hospital in Cham-
paran – 2, PHC Mandir
Hasaud 2, Hospital in
Urla – 5, and in Tekari 2
babies were born.
In short, the district
observed 51 normal de-
liveries meanwhile 26
women underwent C-
section.
In many places it has
been witnessed that the
maternity ward was dec-
Dr. Andrew Fleming, British
Deputy High Commissioner
for East and North-East India,
Kolkata, met Chhattisgarh
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo
Sai today at Secretariat (Ma-
hanadi Bhawan), Atal Nagar,
Raipur.
Dr. Fleming extended best
wishes to Chief Minister Sai
on assuming the charge of
Chief Minister of Chhattis-
garh.
He had a detailed discus-
sion with the Chief Minister
on issues related to strength-
ening mutual cooperation be-
tween Chhattisgarh and the
United Kingdom. Sai briefed
Dr. Fleming about the priori-
ties of the new government
for the development of state.
He and and Dr Fleming
also exchanged views on
ways to deal with the global
challenge of climate change
and other issues.
The Deputy High Commis-
sioner said that he meeting
was pleasant at the beginning
Raipur AIIMS contractual
employees sit on Dharna
RAIPUR: Contractual work-
ers continuously
contributing their services in
All India Institute of Medical
Sciences for a decade sit on a
dharna against the recruiting
drive which is going to be
held in the same campuses
very soon. It has been in-
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Said holding interaction with Dr. Andrew Fleming, British
Deputy High Commissioner for East and North-East India at Raipur on Tuesday.
of the new government
formed in Chhattisgarh. Rela-
tions between Chhattisgarh
of lab technicians, computer
operators and others feel in-
secure with the Raipur
AIIMS decision and in the
form of protest they sit on
Dharna at AIIMS campuses.
The agitating employees
complained on the issue they
met the administration and
and the United Kingdom will
become stronger in the
future. The Chief Minister fe-
Visit wards with
team three days a
week: Minister
STAFF REPORTER / Raipur
cities of Chhattisgarh clean, will watch the
Republic Day Parade with their families on
January 26 on the Kartavya Path in New
Delhi.
The Ministry of Housing and Urban Af-
fairs, Government of India has invited
these women as special guests to watch the
Republic Day Parade. The Swachhata Didis
along with their families will leave for New
Delhi from Raipur's Swami Vivekananda
Airport on January 24.
Deputy Chief Minister and Urban Ad-
ministration and Development Minister
Arun Sao will flag off these women, their
families and the team of Urban Adminis-
tration Department from Mana Airport at
11.30 am.
The Union Housing and Urban Affairs
Ministry appointed two from Gandai Nagar
Panchayat, two from Kumhari
Municipality, one from Khairagarh Munic-
ipality, three from Bilaspur Municipal Cor-
licitated Dr. Andrew by pre-
senting him the logo of
Bastar Art.
poration and three from Rajnandgaon,
Durg, Ambikapur and Korba Municipal
Corporation as special guests in the Repub-
lic Day Parade. Along with these women,
one of their family members has also been
invited. These Swachhta Didis will also
meet Union Housing and Urban Affairs
Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in New Delhi
on January 25th.
The invited are Kiran Singh, Pushpa Ka-
tre and Lakshmi Iyer of Bilaspur
Municipal Corporation, Kiran Sahu and
Lakshmi Jangde of Ambikapur Municipal
Corporation, Shashi Sinha and Kusum
Minz, Geeta Tomar and Vijay Lakshmi Ti-
wari of Korba Municipal Corporation, Ani-
ta Francis and Veena Tandon of Raj-
nandgaon Municipal Corporation are going
to New Delhi.
Gayatri Dewangan and Rakhi Khan of
Gandai Nagar Panchayat, Shobha
Chakradhari and Bimla Sahu of Kumhari
Municipality and Jayshree Tamarkar of
Khairagarh Municipality have also been in-
vited.

Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief

orated in the same
theme as Ayodhya was
decorated with messag-
ing Ram Ayenge (Ram
Lala will come) , a gov-
ernment Hospital staff
said.
formed that Raipur AIIMS
management planned to ap-
point regular staff against all
the 700 contractual positions.
The contractual employees
who are generally dedicating
their services to the position
complained about their woes
but no heed paid.
He indicated if AIIMS
management does not give
proper response then may
drag the protest for infinite
time.
Minister and Urban Admin-
istration and Development
Minister Arun Sao on Tues-
day asked all the Chief Mu-
nicipal Officers and Engi-
neers to conduct a visit to the
cleanliness and construction
works three days a week.
He was holding review
work of all the municipalities
who delay and are negligent
in work. Action should also
be taken to blacklist them as
per rules.
FM holds pre-budget
Minister asked to expedite
the construction works under
the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yo-
jana. He reviewed the
meetings with ministers
progress of infrastructure de-
velopment in municipalities STAFF REPORTER / Raipur preparation meeting with Fi- Higher Education, Tourism,
and nagar panchayats, state nance Minister O.P. Choud- Endowment and Culture De-
and centrally sponsored Chhattisgarh Education, hary. partment with senior
works and those under con- Tourism, Endowment and With departmental offi- officials of the department at

Ramnami fair filled Governor to

hoist flag in
of the state and Nagar Pan-
chayats of Bastar, Surguja
and Bilaspur divisions.
struction with the funds of
the 15th Finance Commis-
sion.
Culture Brijmohan Agarwal
was part of the pre-budget
cials, both discussed the
budget of School Education,
Secretariat,
Bhawan.
Mahanadi

with echo of ‘Ram-Ram’

STAFF REPORTER / Sakti
‘Ram-Ram-Ram’ continued to
be echoed in the Ramnami fair
for the second day of Tuesday
in Jaijaipur of newly formed
district Sakti and village Kurdi
of Malkharoda block.
People belonging to the
Ramnami community were
bringing the message of Lord
Ram into everyone's life with
love and goodwill by chanting
bhajan-kirtan and Ramayana.
Thousands had ‘darshan’ of
‘Jaitkham’, the symbol of
Ramnami faith and worshiped
here with prayers for happi-
ness and prosperity.
A large number of people in-
cluding people from nearby
places attended the big ‘Bhajan
Mela’ and ‘Sant Samagam’ or-
ganized by Ramnamis, a com-
munity which has special affil-
iation towards Lord Ram. The
joy and enthusiasm of Ram-
Ram remained among the peo-
ple coming to Kurdi including
Jaijaipur. Ramnamis worship
their Lord Ram in their own
special style. Wearing clothes
with Ram-Ram-Ram written
on them and wearing a crown
with peacock feathers on his
head, they can be seen im-
mersed in the depths of faith.
Ramnami Gularam said that
our message is that people
should live together, love each
other and the differences be-
tween people in the name of
caste should be erased. He said
that we and our generations
have brought Ram into life.
Dadu Ram, said he has come
here with his family and feels
special happiness here.
Prakash Das, arrived from Ko-
rba, says that when any small
stain appears on someone's
body, they apply different types
of medicines to remove them,
some even undergo plastic sur-
gery, but here he has endured
the pain in his body. I have also
written Ram-Ram throughout
my life. This is not a small
thing, only the biggest devotees
of Ram and those who believe
in him can do this. He says that
people must visit Ramnamis,
because only by seeing them
one can understand the truth
and the lamp of faith in Ram-
Ram burns in the mind.
Elderly man Kholbahara of
village Mohtara has Ram-Ram
written on his forehead. He
said that as soon as he got in-
formation about the Ramnami
fair in Kurdi, he came to see the
Ramnamis. Kholbahara, who
has recited Ramayana five
times, says that this is a fair of
peace and goodwill. After com-
ing here, the life of Ramnamis
will inspire you.
On the second day of the fair,
a large number of children,
women and youth registered
their presence. There was a
huge crowd in the fair at the
food stalls, swings, shops deco-
rated with essential goods and
entertainment facilities.
Raipur
RAIPUR: On the occasion of
Republic Day, January 26,
Governor Biswabhusan
Harichandan will hoist the
flag and take the salute of the
parade at 9 am in the main
function organized at the Po-
lice Parade Ground in the
capital city, Raipur.
Assembly Speaker Dr.
Raman Singh at Raj-
nandgaon and Chief Minis-
ter Vishnu Dev Sai will
hoist the flag in the main
ceremony organized at Jag-
dalpur, the headquarters of
Bastar division.
Deputy Chief Minister
Arun Sao will hoist the flag in
Bilaspur and Deputy Chief
Minister Vijay Sharma at
Durg, Tourism and Culture
Minister Brijmohan Agarwal
at Mahasamund, Tribal De-
velopment Minister
Ramvichar Netam in Bal-
rampur-Ramanujganj dis-
trict, Food Minister Dayaldas
Baghel in Bemetara, Forest
Minister Kedar Kashyap in
Narayanpur, Commerce and
Industry Minister Lakhanlal
Dewangan in Korba, Health
Minister Shyambihari Jaisw-
al at Manendragarh.
Finance Minister O.P.
Chaudhary at Raigarh,
Women and Child Develop-
ment Minister Lakshmi Ra-
jwade at Surguja division
headquarters Ambikapur,
Revenue Minister Tank
Ram Verma in Balodabazar-
Bhatapara district, MP
Guha Ram Ajgale at Sakti,
MP Vijay Baghel at Balod,
MP Mohan Mandavi at
Kanker, MP Sunil Soni will
hoist the flag in Sarangarh-
Bilaigarh district, MP San-
tosh Pandey in Khairagarh-
Chhuikhadan-Gandai dis-
trict, MP Chunni Lal Sahu
in Gariaband, MLA
Dharamlal Kaushik at Mun-
geli, MLA Amar Aggarwal
in Janjgir-Champa district
and MLA Ajay Chandrakar
in Dhamtari.
He asked all the chief mu- He reviewed the status of
nicipal officers and engi-
neers to reside in their re-
spective headquarters. En-
income and expenditure, sta-
tus of tax collection, progress
of Pradhan Mantri Awas Yo-
Discussion on agriculture department
sure the quality of all con- jana, cleanliness arrange-
struction works and con- ments and salary payment RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Finance Minister OP with the departmental officers regarding the
struction materials in case status in these urban bodies Choudhary, in the presence of Cabinet Minister budget of important schemes in the meeting
of negligence in work, im- and gave necessary instruc- Ram Vichar Netam, held a discussion and held at Mantralaya, Mahanadi Bhawan on
pose fines on contractors tions. review meeting with senior officials of the Tuesday. In the meeting, a detailed discussion
department regarding the budget session of was held regarding the budget and grants of
Tribal Development, Scheduled Caste various schemes related to the department
Development, Backward Class and Minority including Krishak Unnati Yojana, Pradhan
Development, Agricultural Development and Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Chirag Yojana,
Farmers Welfare Department. National Agricultural Development Scheme,
Choudhary and Netam discussed in detail arrangement for coaching for students.
CM distributes sweets to differently able children
STAFF REPORTER / Raipur Dham, the nephew of Chhattisgarh,
Lord Shri Ramlala came out of the
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu tent and sat in the grand temple.
Deo Said on Tuesday said still there is He said that Mata Shabari is also
a festive atmosphere in his maternal mentioned in Ramayana and her
home of Chhattisgarh after the conse- ashram is in Shivrinarayan. Mother
cration of Shri Ramlala in Ayodhya Shabari was a forest dweller and wait-
Dham. ed for the Lord for years. The result of
The celebration that started from her penance was that God himself
Makar Sankranti continued till the came to her and Mother Shabari fed
historic day of Pran Pratistha, he him berries. After a long wait of the
said. devotees, the auspicious opportunity
He participated in the ‘Mahabhog’ came for the consecration of their
and ‘Prasadi’ program organized at idol.
Akashwani Chowk in the capital city Sai said that under the aegis of
RaipuThe Chief Minister performed the Youth Club, Ram devotees are ex-
puja as per the rituals at the Maa Ma- pressing their feelings for the Lord
hakali temple. He performed ‘aarti’ of through letters. These letters will be
Maa Kali and offered laddus to her. collected and taken to Ayodhya
He was weighed with laddus. He Dham. Giving information about
then distributed Mahabhog to the vi- Prabhu Shri Ramlala Darshan
sually impaired children of the Na- Scheme, the Chief Minister said that
tional Association for the Blind the residents of ‘Nanihal’ (state) will
School. be given darshan of Lord's birth-
He further said, yesterday was a place Ayodhyadham at government
historic day for all of us. In Ayodhya expense.

LAST WORD
National Road Safety Short Film Festival from today
STAFF REPORTER / Raipur
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister
Vishnu Deo Sai will inaugu-
rate the two-day National
Road Safety Short Film Festi-
val in the capital Raipur on
January 24 at Atal Bihari Va-
jpayee Auditorium located in
the Medical College of the
capital ity, Raipur. Road safety
exhibitions and street plays
will also be organized on the
occasion.
National Road Safety Short
Film Festival is being organ-
ized in a series of public
awareness educational pro-
grams related to various road
safety and smooth traffic be-
ing organized under the Na-
tional Road Safety Month
2024.
In the first session of the
festival, 44 short films identi-
fied as the best out of 460 en-
tries in various languages re-
ceived from different states of
the country will be screened
from 10 am.
A street play based on road
safety will be staged by “Stay
Fit with Me Group” at 11:30
am. After this, there will be a
program of road safety exhi-
bition, release of traffic
guide, distribution of prizes
to the winners of the film fes-
tival and screening of excel-
lent and award-winning films
at 12 noon. In the second ses-
sion, short films related to
road safety will be screened
from 4 pm.
On January 25, in the third
session, selected special short
films will be screened for the
general public from 10 am. In-
ter-departmental Lead
Agency (Road Safety) Chhat-
tisgarh, Transport Depart-
ment and Chhattisgarh Police
have appealed to the common
citizens for maximum partic-
ipation.
For the National Road
Safety Short Film Festival,
candidates from other states
including Uttar Pradesh, Gu-
jarat, Madhya Pradesh, Kar-
nataka, Kerala, Maharash-
tra, Bihar, Punjab, Assam,
Rajasthan, West Bengal,
Andhra Pradesh, Haryana,
Jharkhand, Delhi, Odisha
and Registration of partici-
pants from different areas
of Chhattisgarh has been
done.
Submissions have been ac-
cepted in two categories in
the National Road Safety
Short Film Festival, Chhattis-
garh 2024, these include (1)
Chhattisgarhi language
(Chhattisgarhi, Godi,
Dhurva, Bhatri, Dorli, Sam-
balpuri, Kudakh, Sadri,
Baigani, Kamari, Auriya,
Surgujia, Dantewada Godi
etc) and (2) Other Indian lan-
guages, subtitles in Hindi are
made mandatory for all en-
tries.
Arvind Kumar Verma is Additional Judge
BILASPUR: The Government
of India has approved the pro-
motion of Chhattisgarh judi-
cial officer Arvind Kumar
Verma as Additional Judge of
Chhattisgarh High Court.
Law Minister Arjun Ram
Meghwal gave the informa-
tion on X (Formerly Twitter).
On January 4, the Supreme
Court Collegium had sent a
proposal to make judicial offi-
cer Arvind Kumar Verma a
judge of the High Court. The
Central Government has ap-
proved the promotion of
Chhattisgarh judicial officer
Arvind Kumar Verma as Ad-
ditional Judge of Chhattis-
garh High Court.
In a notification issued by
the Ministry of Law and Jus-
tice of the Government of In-
dia, it has been said that the
President of India has ap-
pointed Arvind Kumar Ver-
ma as Additional Judge in
the Chhattisgarh High Court
for a period of 2 years. His
tenure will be effective from
the date he assumes charge
of his office.

NATION BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
SNIPPETS
Family contact
programme by BJD
BHUBANESWAR:
Coinciding with the birth
anniversaries of freedom
fighters Netaji Subhas
Chandra Bose and Veer
Surendra Sai, the ruling
BJD headed by Chief
Minister Naveen Patnaik
on Tuesday launched a
'Paribar Sampark Yatra',
a statewide family
contact programme
ahead of the Lok Sabha
and Odisha assembly
polls. The family contact
programme followed the
regional party's 'Ghare
Ghare Sankha' (conch
shell is each house) and
'Jana Sampark Padayatra'
(Public contact foot-
march) schemes.
ED wrath in north
Indian states
CHANDIGARH: The
Enforcement Directorate
on Tuesday raided
multiple locations in
Chandigarh, Mohali and
Panchkula and a location
in Himachal Pradesh as
part of a money
laundering probe linked
to an alleged fake
refund scam in the
HUDA, official sources
said. Around 18
premises in these cities
are being searched by
the officials of the
federal probe agency,
they said. A location in
Himachal Pradesh's
Solan district is also
being covered.
Noida court grants
bail to Baghel
NOIDA: Former
Chhattisgarh chief
minister Bhupesh Baghel
has been granted bail by
a court in Uttar
Pradesh's Gautam Buddh
Nagar in a case of
alleged violation of
Covid protocols by him
two years ago. Baghel
was booked by Noida
Police for violation of
rules imposed under
CrPC section 144 during
the pandemic when he
came here to canvass for
Congress Vidhan Sabha
candidate Pankhuri
Pathak. Advocate Rajnish
Yadav, representing
Baghel, said the MP/MLA
court in Surajpur had
directed the former chief
minister to appear on
Monday in person for
hearing in the case.
West Bengal Governor C V Ananda Bose shakes hands with noted author Amitav Ghosh(R) as
Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murty (C) looks during the inauguration of 12th edition of
Kolkata Literary Meet at Victoria Memorial Ground in Kolkata
‘Concerned only about securing
votes through caste census’
Nadda attacks Cong, INDIA allies
AGENCIES
Ahmedabad
BJP chief JP Nadda on
Tuesday alleged that
Congress and its al-
lies in the INDIA bloc
are interested only in
garnering votes in
the name of caste
census and are not
bothered about the
welfare of various
sections.
He was address-
ing BJP workers
and leaders after in-
augurating the Gand-
hinagar Lok Sabha
Constituency office in
Huge rush for Ram Lalla’s 'darshan'
DEVOTEES TURN IMPATIENT, BREAK THROUGH SECURITY LINES
AGENCIES
Ayodhya
A massive crowd that
swelled by the hour and be-
came unmanageable in the
afternoon thronged the
main gateway to the Ram
temple here as it opened its
doors to the public on Tues-
day, a day after the consecra-
tion ceremony.
Ram Path -- the main thor-
oughfare -- was choked as
devotees flooded the streets
of the temple town, which
has been gripped by reli-
gious fervour over the inau-
guration of the grand
mandir.
The entry of devotees to
the temple complex began at
6 am and about 2.5 lakh peo-
ple are likely to have visited
the temple by 2 pm, Ayodhya
Divisional Commissioner
Gaurav Dayal told PTI.
It is estimated that about
five lakh devotees will have
visited by the end of the day,
another official said.
Crowds of impatient peo-
SUICIDE ABETMENT CASE
Taunting is not
mental cruelty: HC
AGENCIES
Mumbai
Mere taunting does not
amount to harassment or
mental cruelty, the Au-
rangabad bench of the
Bombay High Court ob-
served on Tuesday while
acquitting three persons
for harassing a woman
and abetting her suicide.
A single bench of Jus-
tice Abhay Waghwase
quashed a 2001 order
passed by a sessions court
at Nandurbar convicting
a woman's husband,
mother-in-law and broth-
er-in-law on charges of
abetting her suicide, ha-
rassment and cruelty.
According to the prose-
cution, the couple got
married in May 1993, and
while everything was fine
in the beginning, the
Thaltej area of Ahmed-
abad.
Nadda also virtually in-
augurated similar offices
for the rest 25 LS con-
stituencies in Gujarat
from the stage.
"The Congress and
INDI Alliance (IN-
DIA) parties are
talking about a
caste census. They
are not concerned
about the welfare of
castes, but are in-
terested only in se-
curing votes in the
name of caste cen-
sus," the BJP presi-
dent alleged.
Waiting in serpentine
queues outside the
temple were people who
had been camping in
Ayodhya since before the
consecration ceremony,
having made long and
difficult journeys to
reach the temple town
ple broke through police
lines as Ram Bhakts started
thonging in large numbers to
the temple. Security was
stepped up at the temple,
which witnessed a heavy
rush of devotees at its main
gate from 3 am.
An idol of the new Ram
Lalla was consecrated at the
Ayodhya temple on Monday,
a landmark event led by
Prime Minister Narendra
Modi. For a couple hours in
the afternoon, the crowd be-
came so huge that the securi-
ty personnel scrambled to
maintain order.
The woman's family
claimed that she had
committed suicide as
she was fed up with the
ill-treatment meted out
to her by her in-laws
and husband, while the
accused said the
woman got immolated
by accident
three accused eventually
started taunting the
woman for not cooking
properly and doing house-
hold work, among other
things.
"In the considered opin-
ion of this court, mere
taunting would not
amount to harassment or
mental cruelty," the court
said.
Parl staff asked not to click
pics inside House complex
AGENCIES
New Delhi
In a circular, the acting
joint secretary (security)
Parliament staff has been of Parliament House has
warned against clicking pic-
tures and making videos in-
side the Parliament House
complex as such activities some of the officials are
are prohibited under the se-
curity protocol.
"The Parliament Complex
is the most threatened place
in India. As a part of its strategic security arrangements,
prohibition of photography/video shooting in Parliament
House Complex is also a part of its planned strategy," the
January 19 circular said.
Underlining that cameras, spy cameras and smart-
phones are a direct threat to the safety and security of the
complex, it informed all officers and staff of the Lok Sab-
ha and Rajya Sabha secretariats, Ministry of Parliamen-
tary Affairs and other allied agencies working in Parlia-
ment House Estate that any type of photography inside
the Parliament House Complex is strictly prohibited.
20 lakh houses to be built for poor in Jharkhand by 2027: CM
RANCHI: Jharkhand Chief Minister Hemant Soren announced that his government would provide 20 lakh houses
to the poor of the state by 2027. Addressing the beneficiaries of 'Abua Awas Yojana' (AAY), a state government-
sponsored housing scheme, at Torpa in Khunti district, Soren said that the JMM-led dispensation had demanded
eight lakh houses for the poor from the Centre as it had promised to provide accommodations to all the poor.
YSR Aasara scheme: Andhra
CM releases Rs 6,394 crore
ANANTAPURAM (ANDHRA PRADESH): Andhra
Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday
released Rs 6394.83 crore towards the fourth and final
tranche for waiving off the balance loans of women mem-
bers and self-help groups.
The balance of the loans pertained to 78,94,169 women
members and 7,983,395 self-help groups that owed a total of
Rs 25,571 crores to various banks in 2019.
In three tranches earlier, the government repaid the self-
help groups' loans to the tune of Rs. 19,176 crore, which was
defaulted upon during the rule of the Telugu Desam Party
(TDP), which promised the loan waiver.
Addressing a huge public meeting before releasing the
amount with the click of a button here on Tuesday, the Chief
Minister said he was happy to fulfil his 2019 election prom-
ise of repaying the bank loans of women's self-help groups
that were ditched by TDP chief Chandrababu Naidu.
DASHBOARD PM’S LETTER
TO PRESIDENT ‘TIME TO END DRAMA’
‘SHIV SENA MADE AYODHYA TEMPLE
CONSECRATION POSSIBLE’
he consecration of Ram Lalla's idol in Ayodhya
T
he grand Ram
temple in
Ayodhya will
YSRCP MP
T temple would not have been possible without Shiv
Sena which shares the "oldest and deeply
emotional" connection with Lord Ram, party MP Sanjay
"continue to inspire
us" to create new
paradigms of
development and
Devarayalu quits
Raut, who belongs to the Uddhav Thackeray-led faction, success, Prime
claimed on Tuesday. "The title of a composed warrior AGENCIES cy.
suited well for Lord Ram. The composed warrior (title)
Minister Narendra Amaravati Devarayalu said that the
Modi said on Tuesday Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy-
now suits Uddhav Thackeray. He has the strength to in a letter to President
fight. Lord Ram's patience is Thackeray's courage," Raut Droupadi Murmu, a
The ruling YSRCP Lok led YSRCP was planning
said. Sabha member L Sri Kr- to shift him to a different
day after returning ishna Devarayalu on Tues- constituency, but he didn't
from the 'Pran day resigned from the par- want to move from
‘Jo Ram Ka nahin vo kisi kaam ka nahin’ Pratishtha' ceremony. ty as well as the Parlia- Narasaraopeta.
"Upon returning from
A
sserting that Prime Minister Narendra Modi ment. The 40-year-old politi-
fulfilled the dreams of Balasaheb Thackeray of Ayodhya Dham after He represented cian observed that this
the Ram Temple, Maharashtra Chief Minister witnessing the most Narasaraopeta con- 'drama' has been playing
Eknath Shinde said that those who opposed the Ram unforgettable stituency in Andhra for the past six months in-
Temple do not have the right to take Ram Lalla's name. moments of my life, I Pradesh. ternally within the party
"Jo Ram Ka nahin vo kisi kaam ka nahin (Those who am writing this letter "Yes, I have resigned but came out to public
are not for Ram are of no use). Those who opposed the to you. I have from the YSRCP and Lok light only in the past 15
Ram Temple do not have the right to take Ram Lalla's returned with an Sabha also," Devarayalu days.
name. PM Modi fulfilled the dreams of Balasaheb Ayodhya in my heart, told PTI, adding that the "They were dilly-dally-
Thackeray and crores of devotees of Lord Ram...Yes- an Ayodhya which time has come to put an ing, pushing me to a dif-
terday was a historic day," Maharashtra CM told re- can never be end to months-long 'dra- ferent corner. I said let's
porters on Tuesday. separated from me," ma' over the party's plans put an end to this whole
Modi said. to change his constituen- drama," he said.
This man climbed Congress leader triggers ire over ‘it’s
down bridge after...
...BIRYANI OFFER doubtful Modi fasted for 11 days’ remark
CHIKKABALLAPUR: For- of the Ram mandir in Ayod- alive. As per the opinion of ing Modi as he hailed from a
mer Union Minister and hya. Speaking to reporters doctors it is impossible to backward community. "For-
senior Congress leader in Chikkaballapur, Moily do. mer Union Minister Veerap-
Veerappa Moily has stirred stated that if one fasts and Reacting strongly to the pa Moily should issue a pub-
a controversy by raising drinks just tender coconut statement, Leader of Oppo- lic apology immediately.
doubts on whether Prime water, one will collapse in sition and senior BJP leader, Otherwise, KPCC President,
Minister Narendra Modi two days. "I have been told R Ashoka, stated on Tues- DK Shivakumar must expel
had fasted for 11 days in the that if an 11-day fast is ob- day in Bengaluru that the him from the party," he de-
run-up to the inauguration served it is impossible to be Congress leaders were abus- manded.
KOLKATA: Kolkata Po-
lice had to make a promise
of employment and lure a
man with a biryani packet
in order to convince him to
ED challenges order forming joint SECURITY PARLIAMENT
BREACH
come down from a bridge
he had climbed with the in-
tention of committing sui-
SIT into Sandeshkhali attack Accused wanted to
cide, an officer said. AGENCIES / Kolkata
Law will take its own course: WB Guv
The incident happened
est Bengal Governor CV Ananda Bose on Tuesday do 'something big'
W
on Monday afternoon The Enforcement Direc-
expressed hope that appropriate legal measures
causing much disruption torate has challenged be-
to traffic through one of
the busiest streets of the
fore a division bench of the
Calcutta High Court a sin-
will be taken in response to the recent incident
at Sandeshkhali in North 24 Parganas district when three
Enforcement Directorate (ED) officials were injured in a
for fame: Cops
city for nearly half-an- gle bench order forming a
mob attack while conducting a raid at the house of a
hour, the police officer joint special investigation AGENCIES
local TMC leader. Replying to queries by reporters on the
from Karaya station said. team of CBI and West Ben- New Delhi
sidelines of a literary meet here, Bose said, "Law will take
The man, later identified gal police to probe an at-
its own course." The governor had earlier termed as
as a 40-year-old resident of tack on ED officials at The Delhi Police probing
"ghastly and alarming" the attack on the ED team and
the locality, has been un- Sandeshkhali, a lawyer the Parliament security
CRPF personnel accompanying them.
der severe emotional representing the agency beach case for more than
stress following separation said on Tuesday. 40 days on Tuesday said the
from his wife and simulta- The appeal has been list- Sivagnanam on Wednes- prayed for a holistic inves- six accused were "self-
neous financial con- ed for hearing before a di- day. tigation by the CBI, the funded and self-motivated"
straints due to losses in his vision bench presided by Challenging the forma- lawyer representing ED in to do "something big" for
business, he said. "Around Chief Justice T S tion of a joint SIT, the ED the matter said. fame.
2.30pm, he was taking his The accused also as-
elder daughter to Science sumed that they would be
Uddhav targets
City on his two-wheeler. He
suddenly stopped near the
bridge and told her that his
mobile phone had fallen CM Shinde; Jagan government a puppet let off even if they were ar-
rested, thinking they were
not committing any "seri-
ous crime", they said.
somewhere on the road
and he was trying to spot
it. Leaving her standing on
the road, he climbed up the
invokes Vali
from Ramayana
in hands of BJP: Sharmila
VISAKHAPATNAM: (YSRCP) government
According to a senior po-
lice officer, the master-
mind is suspected to be
Manoranjan D, who had
bridge and then threat- Andhra Pradesh Congress headed by her brother, say- created a 'Bhagat Singh
ened to jump off," the po- AGENCIES Chief Y. S. Sharmila on ing its functioning is not in Fan Club' page on the so-
liceman said. Nashik Tuesday alleged that the Y. alignment with the ideals cial networking site Face-
Onlookers said a team S. Jagan Mohan Reddy-led of their father Y. S. Ra- book and used it to moti-
from the local police sta- Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ud- government has become a jasekhara Reddy (YSR). vate "like-minded" people
tion along with personnel dhav Thackeray on Tuesday puppet in the hands of the She said that YSR, to do "something big" for
of Kolkata Police Disaster invoked king Vali from epic BJP. throughout his life, was fame.
Management Group Ramayana to launch a veiled A day after assuming of- strongly opposed to the "The accused were
(DMG) and the fire depart- attack on Chief Minister Ek- fice as Andhra Pradesh BJP. She said it was unfor- known to each other for the
ment reached the spot and nath Shinde whom he ac- Congress Committee tunate that the political last four years but the plan
started talking with him, cused of stealing the party. (APCC) president, she parties in Andhra Pradesh to breach parliament was
he added. launched a fresh attack on have become tools in the hatched a year ago," the of-
ne will have to
O understand why Lord
the YSR Congress Party hands of BJP. ficer said.
Ram killed Vanar king Vali.
We will also have to kill
SOUMYA VISHWANATHAN MURDER CASE
today's Vali (politically) who
has decamped with our Shiv Killers challenge life term;
Sena. Make a resolve to kill
this Vali (politically) who has
escaped with our Shiv Sena HC seeks police’s reply
n UDDHAV THACKERAY,
observed that despite SHIV SENA (UBT) LEADER NEW DELHI: The Delhi The bench, which asked to the interim application
repeated instructions, High Court on Tuesday moved by the convicts for
Addressing a party asked the city police to re- the jail authorities to suspension of their sen-
convention in Nashik city, spond to appeals filed by submit the nominal roll tence. A special court had
not adhering to the Thackeray appealed to Shiv- the four convicts handed on their conduct in on November 26, 2023
protocol sainiks to take a vow to "po- down life imprisonment in awarded two life terms to
litically assassinate" the the Soumya Vish- prison, listed the Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla,
traitors. wanathan murder case interim application for Baljeet Malik and Ajay Ku-
"We will surely do political challenging their convic- hearing on February 12 mar under Section 302
assassination of all those tion and sentence. (murder) of the Indian Pe-
who decamped with our A bench of Justices lish news channel, was nal Code (IPC) and section
Shiv Sena, cheated the saf- Suresh Kumar Kait and shot dead in the early 3(1)(i) (committing organ-
fron flag, and their masters," Manoj Jain issued notice to hours of September 30, ised crime resulting in the
Thackeray said. the police on the appeals by 2008 on Nelson Mandela death of any person) of the
As per Ramayana, monkey Ravi Kapoor, Amit Shukla, Marg in south Delhi while Maharashtra Control of Or-
king Vali had allegedly Baljeet Singh Malik and she was returning home ganised Crime Act (MCO-
usurped the kingdom of his Ajay Kumar. from work in her car. CA). The court had made it
brother Sugriva following a Vishwanathan, who The high court also asked clear that the sentences will
dispute. worked with a leading Eng- the authorities to file a reply run "consecutively".
Coal scam: Delhi court allows Naveen Jindal to travel abroad from Feb 1-20
NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed Congress leader and industrialist Naveen Jindal, accused in three
cases related to alleged irregularities in the allocation of coal blocks, to travel to several countries, including the US,
UK, Italy and Spain, from February 1 to 20. Special Judge Arun Bhardwaj allowed Jindal's application, noting he had
travelled abroad several times in the past and returned to India to face trial within the stipulated period.
NITISH KUMAR PAYS SURPRISE
VISIT TO BIHAR GOVERNOR
Ex-Bihar CM posts Khela Hokhi in Bhojpuri Manjhi implying that Nitish would join NDA any time
PATNA
Bihar Chief Minister Ni-
tish Kumar on Tuesday
called on Governor Rajen-
dra Vishwanath Arlekar at
the Raj Bhavan in capital
Patna raising eyebrows at
the unexpected meeting.
Sources said that Kumar
reached the Raj Bhavan on
Tuesday to meet Governor
Arlekar. The Bihar Chief
Minister was also accom-
panied by cabinet minister
Vijay Kumar Chaudhary.
Sources said that talks
have been going on be-
tween CM Kumar and Gov-
ernor Arlekar in Patna Raj
Bhavan for about half an
hour. The agenda of the
meeting was not immedi-
ately known.
The unexpected meeting
of Chief Minister Nitish
Kumar with the governor
has raised eyebrows in the
political quarters in the
state as the meeting had
not been scheduled by the
Bihar CMO as per sources.
Ladakh bodies submit
memorandum to ministry
Demanding statehood,
sixth schedule status
AGENCIES
New Delhi
Representatives from
Ladakh have submitted a
memorandum to the Union
home ministry demanding
statehood for Ladakh, and
status under the Sixth
Schedule, sources said.
According to sources,
representatives from Leh
Apex Body and Kargil
Democratic Alliance have
submitted a detailed mem-
orandum, including a draft
of a bill for amending the
Jammu and Kashmir Reor-
ganisation Act of 2019 to
provide statehood to
Ladakh.
The memorandum was
submitted to the Home
Ministry last week.
This comes as a high-lev-
el committee chaired by
Minister of State for
Home Nityanand Rai has
been holding meetings
After 5-yr gap, JNU
to hold students
union poll in March
AGENCIES
New Delhi
After a gap of five years,
Jawaharlal Nehru Univer-
sity will hold an election
for student union in
March, announced the ad-
ministration on Tuesday.
The announcement
comes after students' occa-
sional protests demanding
the elections. The students'
union elections have not
been held in JNU for five
years. The last JNUSU
election was held in 2019.
Even in 2019, the admin-
istration refused to offi-
cially notify the students
union citing technicality
in the poll results. The elec-
tion process was also inter-
rupted by Covid pandemic.
"This is to bring to the
kind notice of all con-
cerned that JNU Student
Union Elections2023-2024
will be held between 6 to 8
weeks from the date of
commencement of the aca-
demic session for PhD stu-
dents, i.e., Feb 2, 2024," the
university said in an offi-
cial notification.
"Please note that the elec-
tions have to be conducted
in strict compliance with
Lyngdoh Committee Re-
port and Honourable
Supreme Court of India
Guidelines on Student
Elections in Colleges and
Universities," the notifica-
tion added. According to
Lyngdoh committee rec-
ommendations, the
student union elections
should be conducted with-
in six to eight weeks from
the commencement of the
semester.The university
has requested the coopera-
tion of all students in en-
suring fair and orderly
elections.
Following the incident,
former Chief Minister of
Bihar, Jitan Ram Manjhi
posted a cryptic comment
on his X handle saying the
games have begun in Bihar.
He posted "Khela Hobe" in
Bangla, "Khela Hokto" in
Magahi and "Khela Hokhi"
with representatives from
the two bodies represent-
ing the two regions of
Ladakh - Leh and Kargil.
The ministry had sought a
list of demands from the
two bodies in writing dur-
ing their last meeting on
December 4.
The memorandum ob-
served that the Supreme
Court in its recent judg-
ment has said that state-
hood is going to be
restored in Jammu and
Kashmir, but those provi-
sions are not being extend-
ed to Ladakh which will re-
main a Union territory.
Referring to precedents
of states like Mizoram,
Tripura, Sikkim and other
northeastern states in
seeking statehood for
Ladakh, the memorandum
points out that these states
are also protected under
the Sixth Schedule and Ar-
ticle 371 of the Constitu-
tion of India.
Raising the demand for
Sixth Schedule status, the
Former Bihar CM Karpoori Thakur
to be awarded Bharat Ratna
NEW DELHI: Two-time
Bihar chief minister Kar-
poori Thakur has been
named for the country's
highest civilian award
Bharat Ratna posthumous-
ly, a Rashtrapati Bhawan
communique said on Tues-
day on the eve of the birth
centenary of the fountain-
head of OBC politics in Bi-
har.
Thakur, who passed away
in 1988, was the first non-
Congress socialist leader
who became chief
minister twice -- first for
seven months in December
1970 and later for two years
in 1977.
"The President has been
pleased to award Bharat
in Bhojpuri Manjhi was
implying that Nitish would
join the NDA any time and
change the government in
Bihar.
Sources said that CM Ni-
tish Kumar rushed to the
Raj Bhavan soon after at-
tending the state function
memorandum pointed out
that tribal communities
like Balti, Beda, Bot, Boto,
Brokpa, Drokpa, Dard,
Shin, Changpa, Garra,
Mon and Purigpa form a
major chunk of population
in Ladakh. It also demand-
ed a Ladakh Public Service
Commission, stating that
opportunities for the
gazetted posts for the stu-
dents of Ladakh have be-
come limited as there is no
such provision at present.
The memorandum also
has a draft bill for amend-
ing The Jammu and Kash-
mir Reorganisation Act
2019, which includes the
provision for two MPs
from the region - one each
from Leh and Kargil, and
says they are hopeful that
the state will also get one
seat in the Rajya Sabha on
the lines of states like
Sikkim.
The sources added that
the date of the next meet-
ing between the represen-
tatives and the MoS has
Ratna to Shri Karpoori
Thakur (posthumously),"
the communique said.
Thakur, known affection-
ately as 'Jan Nayak' (peo-
ple's leader), is the 49th re-
cipient of the country's
highest civilian award.
The award was last con-
ferred on late president
Pranab Mukherjee in 2019.
Born on January 24, 1924
in Nai samaj (barber socie-
ty), Thakur is credited in
Bihar politics for
enforcing total prohibition
of alcohol in 1970. The vil-
lage where he was born in
Samistupur district was
renamed after him as
Karpuri Gram.
Thakur abandoned col-
The Chief Minister not
taking along his
deputy Tejashwi
Yadav, an ally in the
Mahagathbandhan
government to the
meeting with the
Governor has given
rise to speculations
to commemorate the
'Parakram Diwas' marking
the 127th birth anniversary
of Netaji Subhash
Chandra Bose. Sources
said that after attending
the government program
along with Deputy CM Te-
jashwi Yadav, CM Kumar
left for the Raj Bhavan to
meet the Governor.
The Chief Minister not
taking along his deputy Te-
jashwi Yadav, an ally in the
Mahagathbandhan govern-
ment to the meeting with
the Governor has given
rise to speculations. The
not been decided yet, but is
likely to be held early in
February. Ladakh was
turned into a Union ter-
ritory without legisla-
ture when Article 370
and 35A were abrogated,
and Jammu and
Kashmir was bifurcated
into two Union territo-
ries on August 5, 2019.
The Leh-based Ladakh
Apex Body of People's
Movement for 6th
Schedule and Kargil Dem-
ocratic Alliance are the
bodies from the two re-
gions of Ladakh which
have been demanding
statehood, and Sixth
Schedule status among
other demands.
The LAB and KDA joined
hands to forward their de-
mands in August 2021, and
in January 2023, the Union
home ministry constituted
a high-powered committee
headed by MoS Rai to "en-
sure the protection of land
and employment" for the
people of Ladakh.
lege education for the Indi-
an freedom struggle and
was arrested between 1942
and 1945 for participating
in the Quit India Move-
ment.
He was inspired by
heavyweights like Ram
Manohar Lohia who spear-
headed the socialist move-
ment in post-Independent
India. He was also close to
Jayaprakash Narayan.
Thakur's tenure as
chief minister is best re-
membered for implemen-
tation of the recommen-
dations of the Mungeri
Lal Commission,
whereby quotas for back-
ward classes were intro-
duced in the state.
RJD headed by CM Kumar,
has termed the meeting as
a courtesy call adding that
any kind of speculation re-
garding this was not right.
The meeting of Bihar
Chief Minister Nitish Ku-
mar with Governor Ar-
lekar comes amid reports
claiming that Kumar was
disgruntled at being ig-
nored for the post of Coor-
dinator of the INDIA oppo-
sition bloc.
Recently, Union Home
Minister Amit Shah had
also said that Nitish was
welcome to join the NDA.
Earlier, Ahead of the Lok
Sabha election, the Janata
Dal (United) has revamped
its national team, with new
office-bearers being an-
nounced for the first time
since Bihar Chief Minister
Nitish Kumar took over as
the party’s national presi-
dent last month. His prede-
cessor, former party presi-
dent Rajiv Ranjan Singh
alias Lalan Singh, is miss-
ing from the list.
Delhi poll official's internal
note creates flutter about
LS poll date
AGENCIES
New Delhi
An internal note
circulated by the office of
Delhi's Chief Electoral Of-
ficer having April 16 as the
tentative "poll date" to help
officials schedule various
activities "in the build up"
to the Lok Sabha elections
created a flutter among
journalists about the possi-
ble schedule of the upcom-
ing polls.
Responding to queries,
the Chief Electoral Offi-
cer's office clarified that
the date was mentioned
only for "reference" for offi-
cials to plan activities in
accordance with the Elec-
tion Planner issued by the
poll panel.
"Some media queries are
coming referring to a cir-
cular by @CeodelhiOffice
to clarify whether April 16
is tentative poll day for Lok
Sabha elections. It is clari-
fied that this date was men-
tioned only for 'reference'
for officials to plan activi-
ties as per Election
Planner of ECI," the CEO
office posted on X.
BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
Cong revokes
suspension of
Moquim,
Biswal
BHUBANESWAR
The Congress party on
Tuesday revoked the sus-
pension of three senior
leaders including Barabati-
Cuttack MLA Mohammed
Moquim and former MLA
Chiranjib Biswal.
Similarly, the suspension
of former Legislator Krush-
na Chandra Sagaria has
also been revoked by the
party.
Speaking to media per-
sons, Congress Odisha in-
charge Ajoy Kumar said
that the suspension order
against Moquim, Biswal
and Sagaria had been with-
drawn following their let-
ters to the party President
in this regard.
He also urged others who
had left the Congress to
rejoin the party. Kumar
stated that the party is
ready to welcome them if
they show interest in join-
ing it. Earlier, Biswal and
Moquim had met Kumar at
the state guest house on
Monday and held discus-
sions. The decision regard-
ing the revocation of sus-
pension was finalised dur-
ing the meeting.
BABRI SLOGANS: NO ACTION CAN BE TAKEN
AS NO FORMAL COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED
NEW DELHI
After a purported video of
some students trying to
hold protest inside the
Jamia Millia Islamia sur-
faced on social media, Del-
hi Police on Tuesday said
that it was held inside the
campus and no action can
be taken as no formal com-
plaint was received.
A group of youths, carry-
ing placards, assembled in-
side the campus and raised
slogans such as "Strike for
Babri", they said.
The protest was held on
the day of the
consecration of the new
idol of Ram Lalla at the
Ram temple in Ayodhya.
In the video, the security
guards of the campus can
be seen removing the pro-
testors and two of the
youths can be seen carry-
ing the placards.
A police officer said that
an information was re-
ceived yesterday about
some protest by a group
called Fraternity Move-
ment led by Lubabib
Bashir inside the campus
NATION
Mamata accuses
Cong of delaying
seat-sharing talks
AGENCIES
Kolkata
TMC supremo Mamata
Banerjee on Tuesday
criticised the Congress
for causing delay in dis-
cussions for seat-sharing
in West Bengal, citing
"unjustified" demand for
10-12 Lok Sabha con-
stituencies when her par-
ty was willing to share
only two.
Banerjee, also the chief
minister of West Bengal,
conveyed the stance dur-
ing a closed-door organisa-
tional meeting of the par-
ty's unit of Birbhum, a dis-
trict considered a strong-
hold of the TMC.
During the internal
meeting, she urged party
leaders to gear up for the
electoral battle, emphasis-
ing the need for the TMC's
triumph in both the Lok
Sabha seats from the dis-
trict.
A senior TMC leader,
preferring anonymity,
shared insights of the
meeting, and stated,
"Our party supremo
clearly said that we don't
need to think about seat-
but no complaint was re-
ceived from the university
administration.
As a "precautionary
measure", the security per-
sonnel were deployed out-
side the campus, the
officer said.
Fraternity Movement is
a student outfit in the cam-
pus.
The Ram temple has been
built at the site where the
16th Century Babri Masjid
once stood before being de-
molished by the kar sevaks
in 1992.
After the video went
viral on Monday, the Jamia
Millia Islamia administra-
tion said that academic ac-
tivity was not disrupted
because of the "protest"
and the situation was un-
der control.
"It was just two to three
students, who engaged in
sloganeering. The classes
and examination contin-
sharing talks with the
Congress. She said that
the party had offered two
seats to them. But the
Congress at times is de-
manding 10-12 seats."
West Bengal has 42 Lok
Sabha seats.
Party sources disclosed
that Banerjee urged dis-
trict leaders to prepare for
fighting alone to win both
the parliamentary seats
from Birbhum.
"Mamata didi told us to
prepare to fight in both the
seats from the district,"
the TMC leader said.
Banerjee's remark at the
party's internal meeting
comes a day after she, at a
public meeting, batted for
the idea of regional lead-
ers spearheading the fight
against the BJP in specific
regions, suggesting that
Congress can independ-
ently contest 300 Lok Sab-
ha seats.
The CPI(M)-led Left
Front, Congress and TMC
are part of the 28-party op-
position INDIA bloc.
However, in West Bengal,
the CPI (M) and Congress
have aligned against the
TMC and the BJP.
ued without any disrup-
tion," an official of the uni-
versity said.
Banner on Babri
sparks clash at FTII
A clash broke out be-
tween members of Hindut-
va outfits and students of
the Film and Television In-
stitute of India (FTII) on
Tuesday afternoon over a
banner put up by the FTII
Students’ Association on
the institute premises,
which said the Babri
masjid demolition was
against the Constitution.
The police said the ban-
ner was set on fire by the
members of the right-wing
Hindutva outfits. After the
incident, heavy police de-
ployment was made inside
and outside the campus.
The police also deployed
riot control vans and quick
response teams.
 Three new Covid deaths reported from Karnataka and West Bengal
NATION BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
New Delhi: India has logged 236 cases of Covid, while the number of active cases of the infection stood at 2,031, the health
ministry said on Tuesday.Three new deaths --one from Karnataka and two from West Bengal -- have been reported in a
span of 24 hours, according to the ministry's data updated at 8 am. The number of daily cases had dropped to double-digits
till December 5, 2023 but they again began to increase after emergence of a new variant and cold weather conditions.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Health & medical... NASA spacecraft pings Chandrayaan-3 lander on moon
Under this decision, the shortcomings of already NEW DELHI uring how long it takes the oped the retroreflector on durable, scientists say, re-
existing colleges will be done away with and such col- light to bounce back is a Vikram as part of a part- quiring neither power nor
leges will be strengthened. Cabinet decided to give Laser instrument onboard commonly used way to nership between NASA and maintenance, and can last
the benefit of 6th pay commission from January 1, a NASA spacecraft orbiting track the locations of Indian Space Research Or- for decades. Its configura-
2006, to teachers and employees of grant-aided pri- the Moon has successfully Earth-orbiting satellites ganization (ISRO). tion allows the retroreflec-
vate institutions under Tribal Affairs Department. A pinged the Vikram lander from the ground. "The next step is to im- tor to reflect light coming
sanction of Rs 87.25 crores was given to Malhargarh of India's Chandrayaan-3 However, using the tech- prove the technique so that in from any direction back
Lift Irrigation project and Rs 264 crores for Talawada mission, the US space nique in reverse—to send it can become routine for to its source, NASA said.
Bairage construction in Ratlam. agency said. laser pulses from a moving missions that want to use Retroreflectors can be
The laser beam was trans- spacecraft to a stationary these retroreflectors in the used for many applications
Lawyer hurls shoe... mitted and reflected be- one to determine its precise future," Sun said in a NASA in science and exploration
The accused layer, however, is yet to get arrested. tween the Lunar Recon- location—has many appli- statement. and have been in use at the
The police said a search operation has been initiated naissance Orbiter (LRO) cations at the Moon, scien- Only 2 inches, or 5 cen- Moon since the Apollo era.
to nab the accused. Agar District Collector and SP and an Oreo-sized device on tists said. timeters, wide, NASA's tiny By reflecting light back to
had reached to court upon knowing the incident. Vikram lander, opening the near Manzinus crater in bounced back from a tiny "We've showed that we but mighty retroreflector, Earth, the suitcase-size
Nitin Atal, who practises at the Agar and Shajapur door to a new style of pre- the Moon's south pole re- NASA retroreflector can locate our retroreflec- called a Laser Retroreflec- retroreflectors revealed
district court, had reportedly indulged in fights with cisely locating targets on gion, when LRO transmit- aboard Vikram, NASA sci- tor on the surface from the tor Array, has eight quartz- that the Moon is moving
layers and judges earlier too. Sources aware of the the Moon's surface, NASA ted laser pulses toward it entists knew their tech- Moon's orbit," said Xiaoli corner-cube prisms set into away from our planet at a
matter told IANS that Nitin, who is connected to said. on December 12 last year. nique had finally worked. Sun, who led the team at a dome-shaped aluminum rate of 3.8 centimeters per
politicians, often misbehaved with court employees. The lander was 100 kilo- After the orbiter regis- Sending laser pulses to- NASA's Goddard Space frame. year, the US space agency
meters away from LRO, tered light that had wards an object and meas- Flight Center, that devel- The device is simple and added.
Assam CM asks...
"You should not think we are weak. We have broken
the barricades," he told his workers and supporters,
People now want
calling them "babbar sher" (lion). Following this, the
chief minister said in a post on X that he instructed
the DGP to file a case for "provoking the crowd'.
SC slams Guj cops for freedom from BJP, Cong, INDIA allies want to
Youth Congress president Srinivas BV shared on X a
video showing Congress workers breaking a barri-
cade. Responding to this, Sarma said that the footage flogging Muslim men says akhilesh secure votes in name of
caste census: Nadda
will be used as evidence. 'These are not part of As- AGENCIES
samese culture. We are a peaceful state. Such ORDER SENTENCING POLICEMEN TO 14-DAY JAIL Lucknow
naxalite tactics are completely alien to our culture.
Your unruly behaviour and violation of agreed NEW DELHI Samajwadi Party chief
guidelines have resulted in a massive traffic jam in Akhilesh Yadav on Tues- AHMEDABAD: BJP chief
Guwahati,' Sarma added. The Supreme Court on day said the people, who JP Nadda on Tuesday al-
He said that evidence is emerging as to how Gandhi Tuesday stayed till further voted for the BJP in the leged that Congress and its
and senior leader Jitendra Singh "instigated the mob orders the decision of the last elections, are upset be- allies in the INDIA bloc are
to kill Assam police personnel. . Our police personnel Gujarat High Court sen- cause of its failure to fulfill interested only in garner-
are servants of the public and do not belong to any tencing four police the promises and its decep- ing votes in the name of
royal family. Rest assured, law has a long arm, it will officials to a 14-day jail tion. caste census and are not
definitely reach you." The chief minister had earlier term and imposing a fine The former Uttar bothered about the welfare
said the Yatra would not be allowed to enter the city of Rs 2,000 each for their Pradesh chief minister as- of various sections. countrymen by giving the
in order to avoid traffic jams. involvement in flogging of serted the "public's focus" He was addressing BJP concept of 'GYAN' (Garib,
The DGP said appropriate lawful action is being several men belonging to a is now on the PDA ('Picha- workers and leaders after Yuva, Annadata and Nari
taken against those leaders and participants who in- particular community. da, Dalit, and Alp- inaugurating the Gandhi- Shakti), said Nadda.
stigated, led and participated in unlawful activities. Hearing an appeal filed sankhyak') and INDIA nagar Lok Sabha Con- "Modiji said Garib, Yuva,
The hurdles for the Yatra in the state reached a by the convicted officials, a bloc. stituency office in Thaltej Annadata and Nari Shakti
flashpoint on Monday when the former Congress Bench presided over by Addressing a meeting of area of Ahmedabad. are the only four castes in
president was stopped from going to the birthplace of Justice BR Gavai of the his leaders, workers and Nadda also virtually in- India. We will work for
Assam's iconic Vaishnav saint Srimanta Sankardeva apex court extended the officials of Lucknow dis- augurated similar offices them. While the INDI Al-
at Batadrava in Nagaon district. The neighbouring stay already put by the trict at the Samajwadi Par- for the rest 25 LS con- liance was dividing the
Morigaon district authorities also barred him from High Court on the execu- ty state headquarters here, stituencies in Gujarat from country in the name of
holding street corner meetings and a padyatra. tion of the sentence. In its Yadav said, "Development the stage. castes and religion, Modiji
The Yatra which halted at Meghalaya on Monday October 2023 order, the of the HC denounced the act that drew widespread is blocked because of the "The Congress and INDI united the country by the
night reentered Assam this morning but the High Court had convicted act as "inhuman" and a condemnation. BJP. Democracy is being Alliance (INDIA) parties concept of GYAN," he said,
Congress leader claimed that he was 'not allowed' to the four officials in con- stark violation of human Five victims, alleging ex- played with and the Consti- are talking about a caste adding that these four cate-
interact with students of a private university in tempt for breaching the rights. cessive police force and il- tution is in danger. The census. They are not con- gories include everyone, ir-
Meghalaya at the 'instructions' of the Union Home Supreme Court guidelines The case stems from an legal detention, petitioned people are suffering from cerned about the welfare respective of caste or reli-
minister which was conveyed to the varsity through on arrest as outlined in the incident on October 3, 2022, the Gujarat High Court, inflation, unemployment of castes, but are interest- gion. Nadda claimed about
the Assam chief minister's office. DK Basu case. where a sizable crowd al- referencing a landmark and corruption." "Crimes ed only in securing votes 50 crore people are now
Gandhi was scheduled to hold separate interactions However, it had suspend- legedly disrupted a reli- Supreme Court judgment are increasing, the people in the name of caste cen- covered under the Ayush-
with students, civil society members and party lead- ed the execution of the sen- gious event at Undhela Vil- that outlines guidelines for are feeling unsafe. The sus," the BJP president al- man Bharat scheme
ers at the University of Science and Technology, tence for three months to lage of Kheda District. police conduct during ar- women are being insulted leged. wherein beneficiaries get
Meghalaya, in Ri Bhoi district bordering Assam. allow the convicted police Subsequent to this, videos rests and detentions. every day. Every section of While Opposition parties free treatment up to Rs 5
However, it was cancelled and he addressed students officials to file an appeal. A emerged showcasing They further sought com- the public is troubled and pursued the politics of the lakh annually based on
and others from atop his bus at the inter-state border. Division Bench of Justices police officers publicly pensation for the infringe- now wants freedom from vote bank, Prime Minister their income and "not on
As his entourage weaved his way towards AS Supehia and Gita Gopi flogging several men, an ment of their rights. the BJP," he added. Narendra Modi united the the basis of caste".
Guwahati, they came across the barricades at Khana-
para area of the city.
'On being advised to stick to the original Advanced
Security Liasoning (ASL) plan, the participants of
‘Hand over Jayalalithaa’s gold & Mob attacks Hindu
road event, at the instigation of senior leaders tried
to force their way by changing the route which was
procession in Thane
resisted by the @assampolice', the DGP posted on X.
'Participants used force to break down some of the
barricades causing injury to some policemen and the
diamond jewellery to TN govt’ Thane: A mob of 50-60 per-
sons was booked by Mira
Bhayander Vasai Virar po-
general public. Sensing and seeing threat to life and lice in Thane district for al-
property, @GuwahatiPol used persuasion to turn the legedly assaulting a man
event back to the allotted route," Singh said. who was part of a proces-
Gandhi's Yatra was to travel from Meghalaya to- sion on the eve of the idol
wards Kamrup through Guwahati and there are two consecration of the Ram
major roads with permission given to use one of Temple in Ayodhya, an of-
these after deliberation with the organisers and ASL ficial said. The incident
was done accordingly, he said. took place on Sunday night
'This was done to present the least inconvenience to on Lodha Road and as per
general road users. However, participants of the road the complainant the mob
event insisted on changing the route that would have armed with iron rods,
thrown the city life out of gear and also jeopardised sticks, bats shouted reli-
the security of a Z+ category protected person who is gious slogans and assault-
part of the road event', Singh said, referring to Gand- BENGALURU alalithaa were not entitled ed him when he was part
hi. for the properties which of a procession comprising
In the video Srinivas shared, he alleged that there is A special court in Bengalu- are confiscated by the three vehicles and 10 two-
a conspiracy to stop Rahul Gandhi's Bharat Jodo ru has directed the State. The Special CBI wheelers, the official said.
Nyay Yatra once again by putting up barricades. transfer of valuables Court had thus rejected the They vandalised the car
'We will not let this happen now...use as many sticks seized from former Tamil petition filed by J Deepa with stones and sticks, the
as you want...this war will continue now', Srinivas Nadu Chief Minister late J and J Deepak, the niece man said in his complaint
said. Jayalalithaa to the govern- and nephew of Jay- to Naya Nagar police sta-
During the scuffle, state party president Bhupen Bo- ment of the neighbouring alalithaa, respectively. tion. A case of attempt to
rah and others tried to push through the barricade State. Ordering the transfer of murder and other offences
when he was hit on his wrist by a police baton and The Tamil Nadu Govern- the jewels to the Tamil has been registered Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar 2024 awardees in New
fell down on the road, suffering injuries. ment will then take neces- Nadu Government, the against a mob of 50-60 per- Delhi on Tuesday
Once back on foot, Borah and others climbed over sary action on the disposal Special Court judge said: sons. Further probe is on.
the barricade and started marching down the road, of these gold and diamond "Instead of auctioning the
when Guwahati Police Commissioner Diganta Barah jewellery which were part jewels, it is better to trans-

Myanmar military aircraft overshoots

prevented them from proceeding further and, along of the material evidence in fer the same to Tamil Nadu
with other police personnel, tried to push them back.
Earlier, while addressing the students on the inter-
the disproportionate
assets case against Jay-
by handing over the same
through the Department
3 Rly staffers run
state border, the former Congress president said, 'It alalithaa and others. of Home, State of Tamil over by local
is not important if Rahul Gandhi comes or not. What
is important is that you are allowed to listen to any-
body you want'.
"You have come here because you do not agree with
The trial was held in Kar-
nataka on the direction of
the Supreme Court and
therefore all material evi-
Nadu." The Court then is-
sued the direction that the
Tamil Nadu Home Depart-
ment authorise
runway in Mizoram, eight crew hurt train while fixing
what the chief minister is trying to do. You are not
ready to accept an enslaved Assam and I am extreme-
dence is in the Karnataka
treasury now under the
"competent persons prefer-
ably in the rank of Secre-
AIZAWL completed all neces-
sary formalities,” a
signal fault
ly proud of that," he added. custody of the court. tary along with police to At least eight crew senior official said. MUMBAI
The Yatra would be in Assam till Thursday. Judge H A Mohan presid- come and collect the jew- members of a Myan- The remaining 92
ing over the XXXII Addi- els." In the same order, the mar Air Force aircraft Myanmar soldiers Three railway staffers
Ram Lalla to... tional City Civil & Sessions Special Court ordered the were injured after the were supposed to be were killed after being run
The idol was consecrated on Monday in a grand cer- court passed the order on payment of Rs five crore to plane skidded off the airlifted on Tuesday. over by a Mumbai-bound
emony led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who Monday. Karnataka for the expens- Lengpui airport in Mi- The 276 Myanmar local train near Vasai town
said it marked the advent of a new era. The old idol The court had earlier held es of the trial conducted in zoram capital Aizawl Army personnel took in Palghar district when
of Ram Lalla, which was earlier kept in a makeshift that the kins of Jay- the State. on Tuesday, officials refuge in Mizoram's they were engaged in the
shrine, has been placed in front of the new idol. said. Lawngtlai district on task of fixing a signalling
Lakhs of people watched the 'pran pratishtha (con- The Myanmar Air Force Myanmar Air Force air- January 17 after their system fault, officials said
secration)' ceremony on television in their homes fixed wing transport air- craft. According to offi- camps were captured by on Tuesday.
and neighbourhood temples, becoming part of the
historic event held just months before the Lok Sabha
BJP kicks off district tour in craft came to Lengpui air-
port to take back the re-
cials, as many as 184 of the
276 Myanmarese soldiers,
the Arakan Army mili-
tants.
The incident occurred at
8.55 pm on Monday be-
elections.
According to the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth
Kshetra, the ornaments for the idol have been pre-
Kohima ahead of LS polls maining 92 Myanmar sol-
diers to their country.
Officials said that out of
who fled to Mizoram on
January 17 after their
camps were captured by
The Myanmar soldiers,
with their arms and am-
munition, reached Ban-
tween Vasai Road and
Naigaon stations when the
local was going towards
pared after extensive research and study of texts KOHIMA Imna Along, emphasised the 14 people who were on armed pro-democracy eth- dukbanga village, situated Churchgate terminus in
such as the Adhyatma Ramayana, Valmiki Ra- the paramount importance board the medium size air- nic groups, were flown on the Mizoram-Myanmar- south Mumbai, they said.
mayana, Ramcharitmanas and the Alavandar Sto- The Bharatiya Janata Par- of adhering to the core val- craft along with the pilot, back home on a Myanmar Bangladesh border trijunc- The Western Railway
tram. ty (BJP) Kohima district ues of 'Sab Ka Saath, Sab eight were injured and six military aircraft on Mon- tion, in Lawngtlai and (WR), under whose Mum-
The idol is adorned in Banarasi fabric, featuring a incharge and co-incharge Ka Vikas, Sab Ka Vishwas, were safe. day. were taken to Assam bai division the accident
yellow dhoti and a red 'pataka' or 'angavastram'. The kicked off their district and Sab Ka Prayas' for all The injured were imme- “A Myanmar Air Force Rifles' Parva camp in the occurred, said it was an
'angavastram' are embellished in pure gold 'zari' and tour programme at the dis- BJP workers. diately rushed to Lengpui transport plane from Man- district.Necessary medical unfortunate incident, and
threads, featuring auspicious Vaishnav symbols -- trict office of the BJP in State Vice President and hospital. Mizoram disaster dalay (Myanmar) landed at support was also given to ordered a probe into it.
'shankh', 'padma', 'chakra' and 'mayur'. Nagaland's Kohima on Incharge of Kohima Dis- management officials Lengpui airport on Mon- the soldiers, the official The deceased were iden-
January 22. Addressing trict, MP (RS), Phangnon along with the district ad- day and evacuated 184 said. With the latest influx, tified as chief signalling
Despite Pak's protest... the party workers, Legisla- Konyak, called upon the ministration and police of- Myanmar soldiers to Sit- the number of soldiers inspector Vasu Mitra, elec-
Talking about formation of Akhand Bharat, Yadav tor Incharge of Kohima party workers to concen- ficials rushed to the Leng- twe (Akyab) in two sorties. who fled Myanmar since trical signalling maintain-
just reiterated the RSS's agenda, which made Pak- District and Minister, trate on strengthening the pui airport, 30 km from the Before the departure of the November 13 last year and er Somnath Uttam Lam-
istan angry. Tourism and Higher Edu- organisation at the booth Aizawl city, and rescued Myanmarese soldiers, the reached Mizoram, has butre and helper Sachin
cation Nagaland, Temjen level. the injured crew of the Indian authorities have touched 636. Wankhede.

Printed and Published by ANIL VISHWAKARMA, for the Proprietors, Compac Printers Pvt. Ltd. at F-134/2 Professor’s Colony, Opp. Ravindra Bhawan, Bhopal and printed at Compac Printers Pvt. Ltd., Free Press House, 3/54, Press Complex, A.B. Road, Indore n Editor : Arshit Gautam Phones:- 0755-2660570/71/ 79, FAX: 0755-4271345. E-Mail: news. freepress@gmail.com.
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MUMBAI
Snag mars
quota survey
on first day
RAJA MANE / Mumbai
The statewide Maratha quota
survey – which aims to assess
the community's backward-
ness on social, economic and
educational indicators – had
a jerky start on Tuesday. The
mobile app designed to
record the public responses
encountered technical glitch-
es, halting the exercise in
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar
and Hingoli districts. The er-
ror resulting from server
shutdown dismayed the sur-
vey teams, who have been
tasked to visit several lakhs
households and complete the
crucial work on a “war-foot-
ing” within eight days (Janu-
ary 31).
As the survey began, the
app – developed by Pune-
based Gokhale Institute of
Politics and Economics –
worked fine in the morning.
However, enumerators faced
a login problem, forcing them
to stop the exercise by noon.
Due to the bad experience on
the very first day, the enumer-
ators expressed displeasure,
while questions are being
raised on how the survey will
unfold in this manner.
To resolve the vexed issue
of the Maratha quota, the
state backward classes com-
mission has been saddled
with the humongous job of
profiling Marathas and non-
Marathas. Meanwhile, quota
activist Manoj Jarange-Patil,
who is on a march towards
Mumbai, reached Pune on
Tuesday.
Waikar skips
ED summons
for 2nd time
ASHISH SINGH / Mumbai
For a second time, Shiv Sena
(UBT) MLA Ravindra
Waikar on Tuesday skipped
the summons issued by the
Enforcement Directorate
(ED) in the Rs500 crore mon-
ey laundering case related to
an under-construction luxu-
ry hotel in Jogeshwari. Ac-
cording to sources, the MLA's
lawyer approached the ED on
Monday, seeking an exemp-
tion on health grounds. The
central agency is likely to is-
sue fresh summons as no ex-
emption has been granted to
Waikar.
On Tuesday, he was attend-
ing Shiv Sena's (UBT) state
'adhiveshan' along with Ud-
dhav Thackeray in Nashik.
The Free Press Journal tried
to contact Waikar, but he was
not available for comments.
On January 17, the ED had is-
sued the first summons to the
MLA, who had sought
month-long exemption on ill-
health grounds back then. As
per sources, his request was
not accepted as he didn't pro-
vide a medical certificate to
corroborate his plea.
Recently, the ED carried
out a search operation at
Waikar's residence as well as
entities affiliated to him. The
case centers on the construc-
tion of the hotel, reportedly
in violation of Waikar's
agreement with the BMC,
with accusations suggesting
the MLA's involvement in the
mega scam.
CBI probes
`8.2 cr SBI
fraud case
SOMENDRA SHARMA / Mumbai
The Central Bureau of Inves-
tigation (CBI) has launched
an investigation against a
private company and its di-
rectors for allegedly causing
a wrongful loss of Rs8.23
crore to the State Bank of In-
dia (SBI).
According to the Special
Task Branch of CBI, a com-
plaint was received on De-
cember 21, 2023, from Mata
Prasad, Assistant General
Manager, SBI. The grievance
alleged diversion of funds
and misappropriation of
money on part of the firm en-
gaged in trading of automo-
biles and allied business.
"Between 2015 and 2021, the
borrower company situated
in Bhavnagar had availed fi-
nancial facilities from the
SBI. Subsequently, the com-
pany purchased vehicles of
Rs6.22 crore between 2020
and 2021 through 22 invoices
and funds were remitted
from the account of the
bank," said a CBI official. The
cars supplied were sold by
the borrower and the sale
proceeds were supposed to be
credited in the account of the
complainant bank. However,
the same were not credited,
the official added.
BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
Quota survey farce, Maratha
rally event mgmt: Shendge
Alleges OBC Jan Morcha chief; says Jarange trying to claw into 27% quota
S BALAKRISHNAN / Mumbai
Maratha quota crusader
Jarange Patil said in Pune on
Tuesday that he is will-
ing to talk with the
government. In the
apparent softening
of stance, he also
reiterated that he
will not return to
his village in
Jalna unless
Marathas are
granted reservation. “I
am willing to lay down my
life, if need be,” he asserted.
Unless the state govern-
ment makes similar concilia-
tory noises, a head on colli-
sion is inevitable with the
OBC Jan Morcha, an
omnibus organisation of
OBC castes, insisting on
holding its scheduled rally at
Azad Maidan, where Patil is
expected to up the ante.
Morcha president Prakash
Shendge told the FPJ on
Tuesday that “Jarange Patil
is trying to sneak in the 27%
OBC quota through the back-
door by getting the state gov-
ernment to issue Kunbi cer-
tificates to Marathas.’’
‘‘We will not tolerate that.
There are already 374 castes
in the OBC category which
are all socially backward.
How can Marathas, who are
‘Modi looting Maharashtra, funding Gujarat’
Charges Uddhav Thackeray while speaking at party’s state convention in Nashik
KALPESH MHAMUNKAR /
Mumbai
In an all-out verbal assault on
the BJP and primarily Prime
Minister Narendra Modi,
Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Ud-
dhav Thackeray on Tuesday
even lambasted the saffron
party's yesteryear leaders. He
also made pointed statements
against his archnemeis Ek-
nath Shinde, while speaking
on the occasion of Bal Thack-
eray's 98th birth anniversary
in Nashik. Around 1,600 of-
fice-bearers had converged to
attend the party's state con-
vention at Hotel Democracy
on the Trayambak Road
Addressing a public rally
organised at the Anant Kan-
here ground, Thackeray
opened his remarks by hail-
ing the inauguration of Ram
temple in Ayodhya, remark-
HONOURING MELODY
Legendary flautist Hariprasad Chaurasia was awarded Gurukul Pratishthan’s 'Gurukul Sanman' at
'Bansuri Utsav' in Thane on January 20. He was feted by Thane deputy civic chief Sandeep Malvi.
Landlord can’t be booked
if tenant runs brothel: HC
URVI MAHAJANI / Mumbai
A landlord cannot be booked
under the Immoral Traffic
(Prevention) and the Protec-
tion of Children from Sexual
Offences Acts merely because
the person's premises were
used as a brothel by tenants,
ruled the Bombay High
Court. It also observed that
merely because the landlord
failed to inform the local po-
lice about the execution of
the registered leave and li-
cence agreement will not help
the prosecution as this does
not constitute an offence un-
der the Immoral Traffic (Pre-
vention) Act.
On January 17 this year,
Justice MS Karnik dis-
charged one Mahesh
Andhale from a case regis-
tered against him after a cou-
ple was arrested for allegedly
running a brothel from his
premises in 2019. The HC was
hearing Andhale's plea, chal-
not socially backward, be in-
cluded in our category?''
Referring to the ongoing
survey of economic back-
wardness of Marathas which
is being conducted by the gov-
ernment on a war-footing,
BAL THACKERAY’S 98TH BIRTH ANNIV
ing that a “long-awaited
dream” of Indians has been
realised. From here on, he
embarked on a frontal attack
against the BJP.
Asserting that PM Modi
and the BJP has taken all the
credit for the Ram temple in-
auguration, Thackeray said
that the party should have
Applicant had no knowledge
that his premises was
intended to be used as a
brothel. Merely because the
premises was in occupation
of the tenants, who were
indulging in illegal activities,
will not be sufficient to
proceed against the
applicant.
–High Court
lenging sessions court 2021
order rejecting his discharge
plea.
As per the police case, one
Biren and his wife in 2019 al-
legedly trafficked a 16-year-
old Bangladeshi girl and ran a
brothel from Andhale's prem-
ises taken on rent. In June
2018, a leave and license
agreement was signed be-
tween both the parties for 11
months. However, Biren de-
faulted on rent payment in
Shende asked, "How is the
Shinde government going to
prove within one week
(which is the time period dur-
ing which the survey is to be
concluded) that the Marathas
are economically backward?
VIJAY GOHIL
waited to celebrate the conse-
cration ceremony on Ram
Navami. “Shiv Sena supremo
Bal Thackeray had claimed
the responsibility for the
demolition of Babri masjid.
At that time, BJP leaders like
Sundarsingh Bhandari, Lal
Krishna Advani, Murli
Manohar Joshi and Atal Bi-
September and October and
stopped responding to And-
hale’s calls. Meanwhile,
neighbours informed him
that men would visit his
premises. Andhale then ter-
minated the agreement and
asked the couple to vacate the
premises in November 2018,
said his Advocates AR
Avachat, Siddhant Desh-
pande and Vijay Babar.
State advocate AR Patil op-
posed the plea, contending
that Andhale was responsible
since he rented the premises
and that he also failed to in-
form the police about the
same. Advocate Hrishikesh
Shinde, appearing for the
teen girl, submitted that she
had given her statement to
the police, which does not in-
criminate him. The court not-
ed that there is nothing to in-
dicate that Andhale had
knowledge that the premises
was intended to be used as a
brothel.
Shiv Sena made Ayodhya temple possible: Sanjay Raut
Nashik: The consecration of Ram Lalla’s idol in Ayodhya
temple would not have been possible without the Shiv
Sena, which shares the “oldest and deeply emotional”
connection with Lord Ram, party MP Sanjay Raut claimed
The survey is a farce and a
manipulated effort to prove
that the Marathas are eco-
nomically backward. The
government has set a target
for all district collectors for
the issue of an aggregate 54
lakh Kunbi certificates. We
will challenge this farcical ex-
ercise before the Bombay
high court."
Mr Shendge said, "Crores
of rupees are being spent on
the 400-km-long march
launched by Jarange Patil
from Jalna to Mumbai. He
said thousands of vehicles
form a part of the convoy and
rose petals are showered on
the procession from helicop-
ters. JCBs are being used to
garland Jarange Patil. It all
smacks of event manage-
ment. Where are the funds
coming from?"
Mr Shendge added, "We
have also applied for permis-
sion to agitate at Azad Maid-
an. But even if police permis-
sion is denied, we will hold
our protest."
At least 15,000 people were
accompanying Jarange in
Shikrapur with a convoy of
about 750 vehicles, police
said. Police have made elabo-
rate security arrangements
as the march led by Jarange
will pass through Pune on the
way to Mumbai.
hari Vajpayee recused them-
selves from the incident,” he
said.
Thackeray continued,
“Now, this coward BJP asks
Sena's contribution to the
Babri demolition Said Ud-
dhav. The BJP leaders are
even asking the contribution
of Shankaracharya in Hin-
dutva. The saffron party re-
spects turncoats.” Underscor-
ing that the party has no face
to contest election hence it re-
sorts to the strategy of split-
ting other parties to make it-
self strong, said the former
CM said.
Saying that the BJP wel-
comes corrupt people, Thack-
eray slammed it for
“breaking alliance” with the
undivided Shiv Sena in 2014.
“The BJP was first to break
the alliance, averred
Thackeray.
HC Justice
Abhay Ahuja
promoted
FPJ NEWS SERVICE /
NEW DELHI
The central government,
through the ministry of law
and justice, on Tuesday noti-
fied the appointment of addi-
tional judge Justice Abhay
Ahuja as the Bombay High
Court's permanent judge.
A notification issued in
this regard stated that in ex-
ercise of the power conferred
by clause (1) of Article 217 of
the Constitution, the Presi-
dent is pleased to appoint Jus-
tice Abhay Ahuja, additional
judge of the Bombay high
court, to be a judge of that
high court with effect from
the date he assumes charge.
HC reprimands police for casual diary-keeping
Court asks DGP to personally look into issue; convey to cops seriousness of matter
URVI MAHAJANI / Mumbai
Expressing concern on the
“casual manner” in which
the police maintain case di-
aries, the Bombay High
Court has directed the Maha-
rashtra Director General of
Police (DGP) to personally
look into the issue. The court
noted that it regularly came
across matters wherein case
diaries were not being main-
tained by the police as man-
dated in law.
The HC made the observa-
tion, while hearing a petition
by a man seeking a direction
to his wife, an Uzbekistan na-
tional, to produce their
daughter. He alleged that the
woman and her parents had
absconded along with the in-
fant. Subsequently, all of
them were traced to
Amritsar at a friend’s resi-
dence. The wife was arrested
and later released on bail.
Representing the woman,
Advocate Padma Shelatkar
Multiple brawls, scuffles on
day of Ram temple opening
MEGHA KUCHIK/
AISHWARYA IYER / Mumbai
On the day of Ram Mandir’s
consecration ceremony in
Ayodhya, multiple incidents
of unlawful assembly, rioting
and deliberately malicious
acts intended to outrage reli-
gious feelings were reported
across Mumbai. The police
filed several cases at Vakola,
Malvani, Oshiwara and Go-
vandi.
One of FIRs was
registered on Monday at
Golibar 3, Santacruz East.
Balgopal Mitra Mandal had
organised a live LED telecast
of the ceremony along with a
Mahaprasad. During the
event, a person smoking a
cigarette blew smoke into
people’s faces. Despite at-
tempts to dissuade him, he
threatened the public of
bringing in more people to
remove the Lord Rama flags,
similar to a previous
incident during Ganpati fes-
tival.
The police responded
promptly and arrested him.
A case was filed under sec-
tions 295-A (deliberate and
malicious acts intended to
outrage the religious feelings
of any class), 504 (provoking
breach of peace), and 506
(criminal intimidation) of
4L voters added to electoral rolls
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Mumbai
The State Election Commis-
sion (SEC Maharashtra) on
Tuesday announced that 9.12
crore citizens, including 10.18
lakh first-time voters, are eli-
gible to vote for Lok Sabha
and Vidhan Sabha polls in the
state.
The SEC had conducted a
special summary revision
programme and a door-to-
door survey from October 27,
2023 to January 23, 2024 to up-
date the electoral rolls. As per
the election body, over four
lakh new voters have been
added in the last three
months alone.
Chief electoral officer
Shrikant Deshpande said that
out of the new voters, 1,01,869
are male voters, 3,08,306 are
Cox & Kings ex-CFO denied
bail in money laundering case
Court says right to bail is not absolute; points out that accused
hasn’t undergone half the period of minimum imprisonment
CHARUL SHAH JOSHI / Mumbai
Observing that the right to
bail is not an absolute one, a
special PMLA court on Tues-
day rejected the bail plea of
Anil Khandelwal, Cox and
Kings former Chief Finan-
cial Officer (CFO), who has
been booked for money laun-
dering related to Rs3,642
crore loans taken from Yes
Bank. The whopping amount
was borrowed by Cox and
Kings, which later defaulted
on repayment.
According to the Enforce-
ment Directorate (ED),
Khandelwal diverted the
debt after bypassing the
norms. Khandelwal was ar-
rested in October 2020. In his
bail plea, Khandelwal
claimed that he had no role in
the case, asserting that there
was no occasion to indulge in
money laundering. Further,
CASE DETAILS
n Court was hearing man's petition against his wife
n He alleged that she had absconded with their infant
n Woman was arrested from friend's house in Amritsar
n Court said diary in present case not maintained as per norms
n They were loose sheets scattered throughout file, it added
submitted that her client was
arrested in violation of the
provisions of law as no
notice was issued to her un-
der section 41A of the Crimi-
nal Procedure Code (CrPC)
prior to her arrest. Under the
said provision, the police
first need to issue a notice to
the accused, directing
him/her to appear to give a
statement. The cops can de-
cide on arrest accordingly.
After going through the in-
vestigation papers including
the case diary, the HC noted
that the case diary was main-
on Tuesday. Addressing the Shiv Sena (UBT) conclave,
Raut said Thackeray is a “composed warrior” like Lord
Ram. “He has the strength to fight. Lord Ram’s patience is
Thackeray’s courage,” Raut said.
4 DETAINED FOR MINOR SCUFFLE DURING
RAM TEMPLE EVENT IN PANVEL
Navi Mumbai: Four people have been detained for their
alleged involvement in the scuffle that erupted on the occasion
of the Ram temple consecration event in Panvel. Terming it as a
minor incident, a senior cop said that the cops were already
present on the spot and they brought the situation under
control before it went out of hand.
the Indian Penal Code. has been booked for unlaw-
Another FIR was filed at ful assembly, rioting, wrong-
Malvani police station ful restraint, among other
against a person for remov- sections of the Indian Penal
ing ‘Om’ flags hoisted by Tr- Code.
ishakti Seva Mandal in Mal- The Govandi police,
ad and throwing them on meanwhile, registered a
the ground. The manual case against a 23-year-old
members identified the per- man for allegedly hurting
son through CCTV footage. the sentiments of a
The Malvani police filed a religious group on Monday.
case against him under var- The accused uploaded a sto-
ious sections, including for ry on his WhatsApp with a
causing mischief. picture of Lord Ram with
Additionally, a case was objectionable comments,
filed against 20 unidentified mentioning the Babri
persons at Oshiwara police Masjid demolition.
station on Tuesday. As per The person has been
the FIR, the last car in the booked under section 153-A
Ram rally was blocked near (promoting enmity between
Millat Nagar Society by a different groups on grounds
group of people. The mob of religion, race) and 295A
broke the car’s window and (deliberate and malicious
assaulted the owner and his acts, intended to outrage re-
brother. The accused threat- ligious feelings of any class
ened them, warning that if by insulting its religion or
they returned they would religious beliefs) of the Indi-
face consequences. The mob an Penal Code.
confirm their details. It also
Strengthening requested central agencies
like to help them to conduct
democracy
n 1,01,869 new male
voters
inducement-free elections.
Deshpande said that the
percentage of new voters in
the final rolls has increased
n 3,08,306 female voters
n 572 transgender people
significantly due to the cam-
paigns conducted during the
special summary revision.
n 9.12 crore citizens total “However, we need to focus on
voters first-time voters as they are
still showing apathy towards
female voters and 572 are the electoral process. We will
transgender persons. Due to conduct a special drive at col-
the cooperation of women’s leges and universities to get
self help groups and angan- people enrolled before the
wadi workers, housing soci- Lok Sabha polls,” he said.
eties have witnessed a signifi- Deshpande said he also met
cant increase in registrations political party office bearers
by women this year. and informed them that they
The SEC has appealed to can keep their representa-
citizens to go visit elec- tives at booth levels to moni-
toralsearch.eci.gov.in and tor the numbers of voters.
DELVING DEEPER
Cox and Kings Khandelwal is accused of diverting
defaults on
`3,642 crore loans
loans after bypassing norms
taken from Yes
Bank He contended that he has no role in
financial irregularities
Asserted that had no occasion to indulge in
money laundering
his lawyer Ashok Mundargi right is not an absolute one,
contended that in several the judge said, adding that
other predicate offences, the Khandelwal has yet not un-
agency had filed 'B summary dergone half the period of
report' (submitted when alle- minimum imprisonment.
gations are not found true), Meanwhile, the ED has
which are pending before the been probing 10 more money
courts. The lawyer averred laundering cases against Cox
that Khandelwal is entitled and Kings Group and its di-
for bail as there is no rectors based on cases regis-
progress in trial.
Special judge MG Desh-
tered in Mumbai and Gu-
jarat. Of them, two cases
pande stated that one is enti-
tled for bail right after under-
were registered by the Cen-
tral Bureau of Investigation,
going detention for half the
period for minimum impris-
six by the Mumbai police and
two cases were filed by the
onment. However, such a Gandhinagar police.
tions at the ground level...,” a
division bench of Justices
Ajey Gadkari and Shyam
Chandak said on January 16.
It has directed the DGP to
“imbibe upon all the police
officers the seriousness in
following the directions is-
sued by the highest police au-
thority in the state and to not
take such directions lightly
and/or casually”.
The bench said, “This is a
tained in “utter defiance” of serious matter of concern.
CrPC section 172(1-B), which The diary (in the present)
says that the diary contain- case is maintained not only
ing the day-to-day entry of in the form of loose sheets
the proceedings in the probe but those are scattered
has to be duly paginated. Sev- throughout the file.” It fur-
eral orders have been passed ther asked the DGP to look
by HC and circulars have into the matter personally
been issued by the DGP, di- and adopt necessary legal ac-
recting all investigating offi- tion against the police officer
cers to maintain a case diary concerned. It also expressed
in each and every case. that it was “perplexed” to
“It appears that the direc- note that the notice under
tions issued by the DGP have CrPC section 41A was not
not percolated to the lower served upon the wife, but was
rank of police officers, who served upon a relative of a co-
are conducting investiga- accused in Punjab.

PUNE
DATA THEFT CASE
Court denies
bail
STAFF REPORTER
In the recent case of
data theft at SKS Fasten-
ers Ltd in Chakan In-
dustrial Area, the antic-
ipatory bail application
of Ajit Kumar Tripathi,
a former deputy manag-
er at the company, has
been denied. The case
was registered on De-
cember 31 after the com-
pany's IT team discov-
ered Tripathi allegedly
stole confidential infor-
mation upon leaving.
The rejection came af-
ter strong opposition
from the plaintiff compa-
ny's representative, Adv
Sandeep Mahadev Ghate,
and Public Prosecutor
Pandkar. Ghate argued
that serious crimes like
data theft require thor-
ough investigation, em-
phasising the need for
scrutiny of the collection
of confidential data. He
also insisted that the
plaintiff's lawyer oversee
the technical investiga-
tion. The court, acknowl-
edging the complexity
and severity of the al-
leged data theft, rejected
the anticipatory bail ap-
plication.
JALLOSH SHIKSHANACHA 2024 COMMENCES
The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) is celebrating the accomplishments and
aspirations of its students, teachers, and schools at a two-day event hosted at the Shri Shiv
Chhatrapati Sports Complex in Balewadi
Shaniwar Wada, city’s
iconic landmark, marks 292
years of enduring heritage
STAFF REPORTER
The Shaniwar Wada celebrated its
292nd anniversary on January 22. We
chronicle the remarkable journey of
this iconic landmark in Pune
n The construction of the
Shaniwar Wada was
completed on January 22,
1732, just two years after
Peshwa Bajirao I initiated its
conception. Reportedly,
16,120 was spent on its
construction
n The main entrance is known
as the Dilli Darwaza, while
the others are Mastani
Darwaza, Khidki Darwaza,
Ganesh Darwaza, and the
Jambhul Darwaza
n In its most remarkable state,
the wada sprawled over
6.25 acres, enveloped by
nine bastioned walls. The
architectural ensemble
comprised 22 buildings,
including notable structures
such as the Badami Mahal,
Gokak Diwankhana, Asmani
Mahal, and Aarsa Mahal.
These edifices were
thoughtfully arranged
around 17 courtyards, each
embellished with 14
fountains and water bodies,
BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
Plans underway to expand
Dial 108 ambulance service
GUNWANTI PARASTE
The Dial 108 ambulance serv-
ice has proven to be a crucial
lifeline for the citizens of the
state. Currently, 937 ambu-
lances operate across various
regions under the Dial 108
services, and there are plans
to increase this number to
1,756, as shared by an official
in Pune.
In a bid to enhance emer-
gency response capabilities, 36
new boat ambulances will be
strategically stationed at acci-
dent-prone beaches and
riverbeds. Additionally, 25 am-
bulances dedicated to new-
borns will be introduced, ad-
dressing specific medical
needs. This expansion is ex-
pected to substantially reduce
response times, ensuring
quicker assistance during
Presently, the
government incurs a
monthly expenditure
of ₹33 crore for the
existing fleet of
ambulances. With the
proposed addition of
more ambulances, this
monthly cost is
projected to rise to
₹63 crore
adding a touch of grace to
the complex
n The complex boasted an
impressive lotus-shaped
fountain known as Hazari
Karanje (fountain of a
thousand jets). Constructed
for the pleasure of Peshwa
Sawai Madhavrao, it was
designed as a sixteen-petal
lotus; each petal had
sixteen jets with an eighty-
foot arch, making it the
most complicated and
intricate fountain of its time
n Unfortunately, many of
these structures no longer
exist, as the Shaniwar Wada
experienced several fires
between 1791 and 1828,
with the major one
occurring in 1828. It is said
that the wada burnt for
seven days during that time
n Today, the wada stands as a
popular tourist spot, and
ongoing efforts are being
made to restore its historical
grandeur
emergencies.
Initially launched a decade
ago through a tender that cov-
ered all capital expenditures
by the government, the re-
vised tender now places 51%
of the capital expenditure re-
sponsibility on the service
provider, and this arrange-
ment extends for ten years.
Presently, the government
incurs a monthly
expenditure of ₹33 crore for
the existing fleet of ambu-
lances. With the proposed ad-
PIC: @PCMCINDIAGOVIN
No communal angle: Police
on fire at Modern Dairy Two suffocate to death in sleep
STAFF REPORTER: The terrace
of Modern Dairy, located on
Centre Street in the Pune Camp
area, caught fire around 9pm on
Monday. No casualties were re-
ported in the incident. Accord-
ing to a statement released by
the Pune Fire Brigade, the ter-
race of the two-storeyed build-
ing of Modern Dairy caught
fire. Upon receiving informa-
tion, four fire tenders and two
water tankers were deployed.
Firefighters quickly extin-
guished the flames and conduct-
ed a cooling operation. Fire offi-
cials reported that packaging
material such as paper, card-
board, and thermocol at the site
was burned, but there was no
damage on the first and second
floors of the building. Dairy
owners and local residents told
the fire brigade officials that
firecrackers might have caused
the incident. Meanwhile, a user
on X (formerly Twitter), in a
now-deleted post, claimed that a
"Hindu religious mob" burned
PSY-CON 2024
Conference for young mental health professionals held
STAFF REPORTER
Muktaa Charitable Founda-
tion (MCF) hosted Psy-Con
2024, a transformative con-
ference for young mental
health professionals, includ-
ing psychologists, psychia-
trists, social workers, and so-
ciologists. In collaboration
with SNDT College, the con-
ference attracted over 250
participants, comprising
students, professors, and
practitioners in psychology,
mental health, and sociology.
The conference featured
expert discussions on
crucial topics related to men-
tal health and well-being. Dr
Sadhana Natu, former prin-
cipal of Modern College,
Ganeshkhind, emphasised
dition of more ambulances,
this monthly cost is projected
to rise to ₹63 crore.
The Dial 108 project was in-
augurated on January 26,
2014, by the National Health
Mission and operated by BVG
India Ltd, with the aim of re-
ducing mortality and morbid-
ity by providing free prehos-
pital care during medical
emergencies.
Accessible through the toll-
free number 108 all over the
state, its centralised control
Manoj Jarange’s wax statue unveiled Rotary Int’l honours
STAFF REPORTER
In a symbolic tribute to
Manoj Jarange, the leader
championing the cause of the
Maratha reservation, a fa-
ther-son duo in Karla village
near Lonavala has crafted his
wax statue. Ashok and Rushi
Mhalaskar spent three
months creating the statue,
matching Jarange's height
and clothing style.
Ashok Mhalsakar, the
sculptor, explained, "Jarange
has made significant contri-
butions to the Maratha com-
munity, and we decided to
craft this statue as our contri-
bution to society." Leaders of
the Maratha Morcha, Bhau
Hulawale and Kiran Gaikwad,
expressed their anticipation,
mentioning that they expect
Jarange to visit the museum
during his journey to Mum-
bai.
Meanwhile, Jarange's pa-
down this "Muslim-run busi-
ness." In response, the Pune Po-
lice stated that there was "no
communal angle" in the inci-
dent. "DO NOT spread ru-
mours. Shop owner's name is
Lalchand Shyamdas Bhaktani.
Dairy is located in a chowk
where one mandal was cele-
brating and the fire is purely
accidental. Senior Officers in-
cluding @CPPuneCity have
visited the spot already. There
is no communal angle," read
the Pune Police post.
the pivotal role of intersec-
tionality in mental health.
Arjun Kapoor, a programme
manager and research fellow
with the Center for Mental
Health, Law, and Policy
(CMHLP), delved into legal
frameworks associated with
mental health.
Bindumadhav Khire, an
LGBTQ activist and the di-
rector of the Bindu Queer
Rights Foundation, explored
connections between gender,
sexuality, and mental well-
being. Sachin Chitambaran,
assistant director of
training and development at
Samaritans Mumbai, a sui-
cide prevention helpline, dis-
cussed support for individu-
als dealing with thoughts of
suicide.
room is based in Pune. The
control room, also known as
the Emergency Response
Centre, plays a pivotal role in
coordinating timely respons-
es by taking down the neces-
sary information, including
the name, address, and med-
ical information of the pa-
tient from the caller, and dis-
patching the nearest ambu-
lance to the concerned pa-
tient. The centre operates
24x7, manned by over 200
trained personnel.
dayatra, demanding the im-
mediate implementation of
the Maratha reservation, en-
tered its fourth day on Tues-
day. The march is expected to
reach Mumbai on January 25.
WALHEKARWADI FIRE
PTI: Two persons died appar-
ently of suffocation in their
sleep after a fire broke out in
two adjoining workshops in
Walhekarwadi within the
Pimpri-Chinchwad Munici-
pal Corporation (PCMC) lim-
its, officials said.
The incident occurred at
2.25am on Tuesday.
"The fire broke out at two
workshops located next to
each other. While one unit is
involved in making alumini-
um doors, the other is a pack-
aging workshop," a fire
SNEH Foundation CEO
Shraddha Deo and Ritika
Sarda, an MSc in Clinical
Psychology from Manipal
Academy of Higher Educa-
tion, unraveled aspects of
Campaign for sewage-free
rivers from January 26
HAYAT (NOZIA) SAYYED
In a bid to raise awareness
about the importance of hav-
ing "clean and sewage-free"
rivers, Pune River Revival, a
coalition of over 60 organisa-
tions and individuals, is or-
ganising a three-day cam-
paign from January 26 to Jan-
uary 28.
The coalition, committed
to the ecological well-being of
the city's rivers, has named
the campaign "Rights of
Rivers," with a primary focus
on seven rivers in the Bhima
basin, namely Mula, Mutha,
Ramnadi, Pavana, Indrayani,
Bhama, and Bhima.
Santosh Lalwani, a key or-
ganising member of the event,
stated, “Internationally ac-
claimed river expert
Parineeta Dandekar will inau-
gurate the event, while Rajen-
dra Singh, known as the ‘Wa-
terman of India,’ will be pres-
ent as the chief guest during
the concluding ceremony on
Jarange remains steadfast in
his demand, expressing hope
that authorities will grant per-
mission for protests at Azad
Maidan or Shivaji Park in
Mumbai.
brigade official said.
"As the fire engulfed both
the units, two people sleeping
inside the door-making work-
shop died of suffocation.
Their bodies were found later.
Besides that, the material
stored at these units, an air
compressor and a car were
gutted in the blaze," he said.
People living in adjacent
buildings were evacuated and
the fire was doused, the offi-
cial said.
The cause of the fire is be-
ing ascertained, he added.
Fire breaks out at restaurant in Koregaon Park
STAFF REPORTER: A major
fire erupted at a restaurant in
Pune's Koregaon Park on
Tuesday morning. Fortunate-
ly, no casualties or injuries
have been reported,
according to officials from the
Pune Fire Brigade.
As per an official state-
community mental health.
Dr Arvind Panchanadikar,
a well-known psychiatrist,
provided insights into the
field of psychiatry. Dr
Shirisha Sathe, a qualified
Adani Group initiates setup of 7 e-vehicle charging stations
PUNE: The Adani Group has
commenced the installation of
seven electric vehicle (EV) charging
stations in Pune and PCMC after
securing the tender from PMPML
River expert Parineeta
Dandekar will inaugurate
the event, while Rajendra
Singh, known as the
‘Waterman of India,’ will
be present as the chief
guest during the
concluding ceremony on
January 28. RJ Sangram
will be the guest of honour
January 28. RJ Sangram will
be the guest of honour for the
three-day environmental
event.” Explaining the aim of
the event, Lalwani said, “It
has been organised to spread
awareness among the public
and governmental bodies and
help them understand the
preservation of natural, free-
flowing clean rivers that re-
main untouched by sewage
and pollution.”
During the campaign, “We
also plan to collect water sam-
ples from various locations
Krishnakumar Goyal
for service excellence
STAFF REPORTER
Krishnakumar Goyal, the
founder of Kohinoor Group,
has been honoured with the
Rotary International Service
Excellence Award. This
award is bestowed upon indi-
viduals and organisations
that exemplify Rotary's inter-
national values and goals,
aiming to recognise those
who have made dedicated
contributions to
communities and the world's
betterment.
The award for the year
2023-24 was presented to Goy-
al in a ceremony attended by
Rotary International Presi-
dent Representative Michael
McGovern, District Governor
of Rotary 3131 Manju Phadke,
(L-R) Deepak Shikarpur, Michael McGovern, Krishnakumar Goyal,
Manju Phadke, JP Shroff
ment, the fire brigade re-
ceived information about the
incident at a restaurant in
lane no 7 of Koregaon Park at
8:30am. Responding promptly,
three fire vehicles and one
tanker, along with fire offi-
cers, were dispatched to the
location. The fire was suc-
psychotherapist focussed
on mental and social well-
being, shared perspectives
on mental health through a
psychosocial lens. Pooja
Jain, SafeStories CEO,
with the highest bid. Construction
has started on the charging
stations located at Hinjewadi
Phase 2, with work on the others
set to commence soon.
along the seven rivers as we
also need to educate youth
about climate change and
ecological degradation. For
this event, we have invited
colleges and schools too so
that the message of river
cleanliness reaches future
generations,” he said.
The three-day campaign
will include various
activities, including com-
memorating 700 days of
chain fasting for river rights
through a 24-hour mass fast-
ing initiative at specific loca-
tions along the rivers. Some
participants will be fasting
partially in solidarity with
the chain fasting movement,
Lalwani shared.
Additionally, the event will
feature river-side cleanups,
selfies, vlogs, street plays, and
other artistic displays. There
will be a contest, “Selfie with
the river," as part of the envi-
ronmental campaign aimed
at inspiring the youth, he con-
cluded.
IT expert Dr Deepak
Shikarpur, and former Presi-
dent of CREDAI JP Shroff.
During the ceremony, Mc-
Govern applauded Goyal's
long-standing commitment to
social service. In response,
Goyal expressed his gratitude
to Rotary International for
the prestigious award.
Goyal, through his Krish-
na Kumar Goyal Foundation,
is actively involved in imple-
menting various social proj-
ects in the areas of environ-
ment, education, and health.
On this occasion, he also an-
nounced the intention to im-
plement the
environmentally friendly
"Rotary Green Society" proj-
ect across all Kohinoor
Group projects.
cessfully extinguished within
15 to 20 minutes. However, the
restaurant suffered damages
in the process.
The exact cause of the fire
is yet to be determined. Au-
thorities are investigating the
incident to ascertain the fac-
tors leading to the outbreak.
guided participants on ca-
reer paths in mental
health.
Speaking with The Free
Press Journal, Dr Rupa
Agarwal, Secretary, and
Trustee of MCF, expressed
that the conference was a
"huge success." She men-
tioned that the event aimed
to connect psychology inter-
sectionally to a broad audi-
ence and communities, help-
ing young psychologists
view society from a bio-psy-
cho-social perspective. "The
conference received positive
feedback from participants,
with full 100% attendance
until the end, indicating
their continued interest and
the event's quality," she
added.
GUJARAT
BJP launches campaign blitz
Party launches a robust strategy to win all the 26 Lok Sabha seats in
the state in the upcoming elections
AMIT COWPER / Gandhinagar
Amid the resounding echoes
of the 'Pran Pratistha' cere-
mony at the newly conse-
crated Ram Mandir in Ayod-
hya, Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP) national president JP
Nadda made a fervent call
for retaining power in Gu-
jarat as the party gears up
for the forthcoming general
elections.
Nadda inaugurated the
election office for the Gand-
hinagar Lok Sabha seat,
represented by Union Home
Minister Amit Shah, mark-
ing the launch of a robust
campaign strategy to win
all 26 Lok Sabha seats in the
state.
Nadda emphasized the
transformative impact of
the Modi government, cit-
ing that around 25 crore
people have been uplifted
from poverty, echoing the
vision of Prime Minister
Narendra Modi. He
asserted that it is crucial for
the BJP to remain in power
to fulfil the Prime Minis-
ter’s dream of eradicating
poverty entirely.
"Under the leadership of
the PM, the Modi govern-
ment has significantly im-
proved people's lives. Re-
ports from the IMF indicate
that over 13.5 crore people
were lifted from poverty,
and the latest NITI Aayog
GUJARAT TABLEAU SHINES IN
R DAY DRESS REHEARSAL
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Gandhinagar
The spirit of Gujarat's vi-
brant border tourism blazed
across Kartavya Path today
as the state's tableau rolled
down during the full dress re-
hearsal for the Republic Day
Parade.
Titled "Dhordo: Global
Identity of Gujarat's Border
Tourism", the tableau offered
a captivating glimpse into the
unique charm of the Kutch
desert village, now a UN-
ESCO-recognized "Best
Tourism Village."
As the tableau glided past,
a rotating globe at the fore-
front displayed Gujarat's
strategic location, setting the
stage for the immersive jour-
ney. The iconic "Bhunga"
houses of Dhordo, built in
traditional circular style,
stood tall, their intricate mud-
work and colorful embellish-
ments capturing the essence
of the region. Local artisans,
their hands weaving magic
with textiles and Rogan art,
brought alive the village's
Surat school faces
coconut hazard
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Surat
A coconut fell from a tree lin-
ing the perimeter of Radiant
International School in Ja-
hangirabad, Surat, injuring a
girl.
A shadow of fear hangs
heavy over the sprawling
campus of the school, with
the coconuts on the towering
palms hanging like silent but
ticking time bombs.
The fear came true on
Tuesday afternoon. The par-
ents of the injured girl were
fuming and demanded action
before another such incident
takes place, and , that fear ma-
terialized, leaving a young
girl injured and parents fum-
ing, demanding action before
tragedy strikes.
The incident, according to
concerned parents, was not
an isolated one. Falling co-
conuts have become a recur-
ring nightmare for the school
community.
"This is not the first time,"
said the father of the injured
girl. "Just last month, a co-
conut narrowly missed my
son! How many close calls
does it take for the school to fi-
nally see the danger?"
Their frustration is palpa-
ble, directed at the school
management's apparent in-
BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
report affirms that around
25 crore people have experi-
enced an upliftment. Our
goal is to make India first in
the world under the leader-
ship of Narendra Modi,"
stated Nadda passionately.
Launching the election
offices for all Lok Sabha
constituencies in Gujarat,
Nadda highlighted the
state's precedence in taking
early initiatives. Respond-
ing to questions about the
early kick-off, he stated,
"BJP first, Gujarat first, and
under the leadership of
rich craft heritage.
The tableau pulsated with
the energy of the "Rann Ut-
sav," the annual desert festi-
val. A vibrant tent city, remi-
niscent of the festival's no-
madic charm, housed musi-
cians and dancers
performing Garba, the joyous
folk dance recently awarded
UNESCO's "Intangible Cul-
tural Heritage" status. The
breathtaking spectacle was a
celebration of resilience and
difference. "We've raised this
issue countless times,"
echoed, another parent. "The
school director simply says
they harvest the coconuts
regularly. Harvest or not,
what about our children's
safety?"
Director Ashish Vaghani,
when contacted, offered a re-
sponse that fell short of reas-
surance. "We are harvesting
coconut regularly," he stated,
seemingly unfazed by
parental anxieties. "There is
no question of cutting the co-
conut trees." Pressed about
the safety of students, his re-
ply was curt: "We can't cut the
trees."
Dharmesh Gami, a social
activist has submitted a com-
plaint to the District Collector
demanding immediate re-
moval of the coconut trees for
the safety of the tens of hun-
dreds of students and parents
at the school.
This dismissive attitude
has ignited outrage beyond
the school gates. "Coconut
trees are beautiful, but they
have no place in a school com-
pound," said Darshan Naik, a
prominent social activist.
"Free-falling coconuts pose a
serious threat, not just to chil-
dren but also to parents and
staff," he said.
Narendra Modi, we have to
make India first in the
world."
Nadda underscored the
accomplishments of the
Pradhan Mantri Awas Yo-
jana, noting that four crore
houses are ready for the
poor. "It is the PM's dream
that nobody should live in
huts or shanties but should
have a 'Pukka' house to live
in," he added, underscoring
the commitment to provid-
ing quality housing for all.
The inaugural event saw
the presence of Gujarat
cultural pride, showcasing
Dhordo's transformation
from a remote village to a
thriving tourist destination.
Gujarat's tableau, meticu-
lously crafted and brimming
with cultural vibrancy, prom-
ises to be a highlight of the
Republic Day Parade. It
serves not just as a window
into the state's rich heritage
but also as a testament to the
indomitable spirit of its bor-
der communities.
Cops bust certificate racket
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Surat
The Economic Offence Cell,
or ECO Cell, of Surat Police
has unearthed a nationwide
racket of creating bogus birth
certificates and nabbed a key
accused from Bihar.
The operation, led by Assis-
tant Commissioner of Police
(ACP) VK Parmar, which is
part of a major crackdown on
document forgery, exposed a
scam involving the Surat Mu-
nicipal Health Department
and the Community Health
Centre (CHC) of Mangawana
village panchayat in Kutch
district.
Acting on specific intelli-
gence about the illegal activi-
ty, ECO Cell officials alerted
the Surat Municipal Commis-
sioner.
Subsequently, upon the
Commissioner's directive,
Surat Municipal Corporation
LAST WORD
Child artist with cerebral palsy gets national award
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Vadodara
A 12-year-old from Vadodara,
Hetvi Khimsuriya, made the
state proud when she was be-
stowed with the prestigious
'Prime Minister's National
Child Award' by President
Draupadi Murmu in New Del-
hi.
This remarkable accolade,
aimed at recognizing the out-
standing achievements of chil-
dren across various fields, cele-
brates Khimsuriya's extraordi-
nary journey as a young artist
overcoming the hurdles of
cerebral palsy.
Khimsuriya, an eighth-
grade student at Swami
Vivekananda Primary School
under the Vadodara Nagar
Chief Minister Bhupendra
Patel, BJP state president
CR Paatil, and local legisla-
tors of the party. While
physically inaugurating the
Gandhinagar seat, Nadda
virtually inaugurated the
remaining 25 Lok Sabha
seats in the state, broadcast-
ing the event live to all elec-
tion offices.
As the election fervour
gains momentum, the BJP's
early launch signals an as-
sertive bid to secure a
sweeping victory in Gu-
jarat's Lok Sabha seats.
Woman caught
smuggling gold
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Ahmedabad
A female passenger arriving
from Abu Dhabi was nabbed
at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Pa-
tel International Airport on
Tuesday for smuggling gold
paste, in the third such case
in 10 days.
The woman, who had
meticulously camouflaged
736.36 grams of 24 karat gold
valued at a staggering Rs49
lakh inside a sanitary pad,
was identified as a potential
smuggler through passenger
profiling, according to cus-
toms officials.
"Acting on specific intelli-
gence, we had shortlisted the
passenger for thorough
checks upon arrival," said a
customs official. "During in-
spection, the gold paste, clev-
erly concealed within a sani-
tary pad, was detected."
With this seizure, concerns
have increased about a bur-
geoning gold smuggling rack-
et operating through the
Ahmedabad airport.
This seizure comes in the
Officer Amit Labhubhai
Khaveliya lodged a formal
complaint with the ECO Cell.
A thorough investigation
unveiled a large-scale scam
orchestrated by Shintu Yadav,
a resident of Jhanzwa village
in Bihar. Yadav allegedly op-
erated a website-based net-
work (fastportal.online, fast-
portal.com) through which he
offered bogus birth certifi-
cates from various states for a
minimal fee.
The investigators also sus-
Prathmik Education Commit-
tee (VNPEC), has become a
source of immense pride for
Gujarat with her exceptional
talent in freehand painting and
puzzle solving. Despite facing
the challenges of severe physi-
cal and mental disabilities as-
sociated with cerebral palsy,
Hetvi has not only mastered
her craft but has also demon-
strated unparalleled self-confi-
dence.
Khimsuriya's philanthropic
spirit also shines through as
she dedicates her monthly dis-
ability pension to uplift mental-
ly challenged children. She also
runs a YouTube channel, 'Spe-
cial Child Education Activity-
Hetvi Khimsuriya,' where she
shares her art and influences
Teachers get salary hike as New Year’s gift
Gandhinagar: In a gesture welcomed by educators across
the state, the education department of Gujarat has presented
a New Year's gift to teachers employed on a fixed base salary.
The state government has officially sanctioned a salary
LIONESS HIT
BY TRAIN IN
SHETRUNJI,
SURVIVES
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Amreli
A lioness was struck by a
train in the Shetrunji
Wildlife Division late on Sun-
day evening.
The incident is the third
such in the district in a
month.
Fortunately, unlike in the
previous incidents, the ani-
mal escaped with injuries
and is undergoing treatment
at Junagadh Hospital.
The incident occurred
around 7:30 pm near
Ringaliyana Mota and Doliya
Villages, approximately 17
km east of Rajula town. The
lioness, which was four-to-
five years old, emerged from
a breach in the fencing near
the railway tracks and came
directly onto the path of the
approaching Surat-Mahuva
Express, according to forest
officials.
The loco pilot immediately
applied the brakes but could
not stop the train from collid-
ing with the animal.
The Sunday incident
comes in the wake of a four-
year-old lion being killed by a
speeding goods train near
Amrutvel village
Savarkundla, on January 12.
in
Following the accident, for-
est officials rushed to the
scene and with the help of
veterinary doctors, trans-
ported the injured lioness to
Junagadh Hospital for med-
ical attention.
wake of two separate in-
stances of gold smuggling be-
ing unearthed by customs
personnel last week. One of
these involved concealing
gold in the body, while the oth-
er instance involved using
specially designed belts.
The woman who was
nabbed on Tuesday is under
intensive interrogation, with
officials seeking to unravel
the intricate web of this clan-
destine operation.
A comprehensive probe is
underway to help dismantle
the network facilitating this
illegal activity. The recent
spate of gold smuggling at-
tempts underscores the need
for heightened vigilance and
robust security measures at
the airport to counter such
intricate smuggling tech-
niques.
"This seizure serves as a re-
minder of the ingenuity em-
ployed by smugglers," the offi-
cial said, highlighting the im-
portance of proactive intelli-
gence gathering and meticu-
lous passenger profiling.
pect that other individuals are
involved in this illicit opera-
tion.
"This is a nationwide bogus
birth certificate scam," said
ACP Virjitsinh Parmar. "Shin-
tu Yadav, the mastermind cur-
rently at large, is believed to
have created fake certificates
across different states through
his online portals."
Parmar said that the ongo-
ing probe aims to identify the
extent of the scam and poten-
tial accomplices.
young minds in approximately
30 schools across Gujarat.
Khimsuriya’s journey began
with an entry into the Gujarat
Book of Records in 2023, mark-
Boat tragedy victims’
families move top court
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Vadodara
Families of the victims of the
Harni Lake tragedy have filed
a writ petition in the
Supreme Court, joining
hands with families impacted
by the Morbi bridge collapse.
The petition, filed through
Advocate Utkarsh Dave, de-
mands decisive action
against the officials responsi-
ble for the January 18 disaster
that claimed the lives of 12
children and 2 teachers.
The petition meticulously
outlines the alleged nexus be-
tween the Vadodara Munici-
pal Corporation (VMC) and
the contractor operating the
ill-fated boat. It accuses VMC
of gross negligence and high-
lights that an engine boat was
being operated with a permit
for a paddle boat. The petition
further raises questions
about the role of the Vado-
dara Collector who granted a
no objection certificate (NOC)
Amit Shah
lauds criminal
justice system
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Gandhinagar
The Indian criminal justice
system would be the best in the
world within five years, Union
Home Minister Amit Shah
said on Tuesday during a
one-day visit to his home state,
Gujarat.
Shah attributed this im-
pending transformation to
three significant changes im-
plemented by the Modi govern-
ment in the last five years—the
New Education Policy, the ele-
vation of Gujarat Forensic Sci-
ence University (GFSU) to a
national level, and the intro-
duction of three new laws re-
placing the existing criminal
legislation.
Presiding over the 44th All
India Criminology conference
on Behavioural Science at the
National Forensic Sciences
University (NFSU) campus in
Gandhinagar on Tuesday,
Shah inaugurated the Centre
of Excellence in Digital Foren-
sics at NFSU.
"The first change is the New
Education Policy, rooted in the
traditional Indian teaching
methods. The second is the ex-
pansion of GFSU to NFSU. Af-
ter 150 years, we brought in
three new criminal reforms.
Collectively, these changes
will usher in a transformation-
al shift in the country," Shah
contended.
"After five years, the Indian
Criminal Justice system will
be the best in the world. More
than 9 thousand scientific offi-
cers will be available to the
country," he said.
IFSC expands horizons with
additional financial services
FPJ NEWS SERVICE / Gandhinagar
In a strategic move to enhance
the financial landscape, the
Union government has an-
nounced the incorporation of
additional financial services
within the International Fi-
nancial Services Center (IFSC)
situated in GIFT City.
The development, revealed
through a recent gazette notifi-
cation, marks a significant ex-
pansion of services catering to
bookkeeping, accounting, taxa-
tion, and financial crime com-
pliance. The gazette notifica-
tion, issued under the
authority granted by sub-
clause (xiv) of clause (e) of sub-
section (1) of section 3 of the In-
ternational Financial Services
Centres Authority Act, 2019 (50
ing her as the state's first dis-
abled girl for her achievements
in freehand painting, craft, and
puzzle solving.
The India Book of Records
increase for teachers in secondary and higher secondary
schools, impacting a total of 6,668 educators. The revised
salaries, ranging from Rs4,876 to Rs11,510 per month, will be
applicable from October 2023.
despite the apparent safety vi-
olations.
"The negligence of the offi-
cials has created a man-made
disaster," the petition states,
demanding that heavy com-
pensation be paid to the af-
fected families under the rele-
vant act. VMC Commissioner
Vinod Rao's notarized docu-
ment, presented in the
Supreme Court, adds weight
The petition outlines
the alleged nexus
between VMC and
the contractor
to the accusations.
The Harni Lake tragedy pe-
tition comes on the heels of
the Gujarat High Court's suo
moto petition filed on Sunday.
Chief Justice Sunita Aggarw-
al and Justice Anirudh Mayi-
ni ordered the state home de-
partment to submit an action-
taken report, with the next
Groom ditches designer
dress for divine attire
MELVYN THOMAS / Surat
Amidst the nationwide fer-
vour surrounding the Ram
Temple consecration, a ago, fortuitously aligned with
unique act of devotion unfold-
ed in Surat on January 22. Raj
Monpara, the son of a promi-
nent diamond merchant,
chose to forgo the
conventional groom's attire for
a more divine one — that of
Lord Ram himself.
The guests and family
gasped in awe as Raj entered
the wedding hall, not in a sleek
designer suit, but adorned in
the regal garb of the Hindu de-
ity. A crown graced his head, a
bow and arrow clutched in his
hands, his demeanour echoing
the noble spirit of Ram.
"It was a sight to behold," ex-
claimed Meenakshi Patel, a
guest at the ceremony. "The en-
tire ambiance seemed charged
with devotion, and Raj com-
pletely embodied the essence
of Lord Rama."
This unconventional deci-
of 2019), reflects the govern-
ment's commitment to fortify
the capabilities of IFSCs.
According to the notifica-
tion, these financial services
will be provided by units
within an International Finan-
cial Service Centre, regulated
by the International Financial
Services Centres Authority.
Importantly, these services
are designated for non-resi-
dents whose business is not es-
tablished through the splitting
up, reconstructing, or reorgan-
izing of existing businesses in
India. The notification explicit-
ly states, "The units shall not of-
fer the services by way of
transferring or receiving exist-
ing contracts or work arrange-
ments from their group entities
in India."
2023 bestowed upon her the title
of the "World's First CP Girl
with Extraordinary Skills" in
freehand painting, craft, and
puzzle general knowledge, rec-
ognized by Bravo International
World Records 2023. The Lon-
don Book of World Records
2023 acknowledged her as the
world's first CP girl to solve 100
educational puzzles, a testa-
ment to her unique abilities.
As a CP Girl, Khimsuriya re-
ceived a "Certificate of Com-
mendation" as the best disabled
girl at the district level, an hon-
or presented by the Health Min-
ister of Gujarat. Despite facing
a 75% disability, Hetvi has ac-
cumulated an impressive count
of 110 national and interna-
tional certificates.
hearing scheduled for Janu-
ary 29th.
With both a public interest
petition and a writ petition
now pending before the
Supreme Court, the families
of the Harni Lake victims
hope for a decisive response.
They seek not just compensa-
tion but also accountability
for the tragic loss of their
loved ones.
"We are deeply saddened by
the loss of our children and
teachers. We hope that the
Supreme Court will take swift
action to ensure justice is
served and such tragedies
never happen again," said a
spokesperson for the families
of the Harni Lake victims.
"The negligence of the offi-
cials is clear. We demand ac-
countability and heavy com-
pensation for the families
who have lost everything,"
stated Advocate Utkarsh
Dave, representing the peti-
tioners.
sion wasn't driven by a whim,
but by a confluence of emo-
tions. The wedding date,
meticulously chosen months
the historic consecration in
Ayodhya.
"When the announcement
came, we were overjoyed,"
shared Raj's father, Dinesh
Monpara. "The fact that our
son's wedding would coincide
with such an auspicious occa-
sion felt truly blessed."
However, it was the nation-
wide outpouring of devotion
towards Lord Ram that truly
touched Raj. "Witnessing the
respect and love people had for
Ram, the way the whole coun-
try resonated with his spirit,
ignited a spark within me," he
confided. "I wanted to be a part
of that devotion, not just on a
national level, but also on my
own special day."
Raj originally planned to
wear a designer ensemble, one
befitting the son of a wealthy
family.
This measure ensures that
the newly introduced financial
services within IFSC do not in-
terfere with established busi-
ness structures within the
country.
This strategic expansion
aligns with the government's
vision to position GIFT City's
IFSC as a robust financial hub,
offering a comprehensive suite
of services to international
clients while maintaining reg-
ulatory prudence.
“As GIFT City continues to
evolve as a global financial des-
tination, these additional fi-
nancial services are poised to
attract a diverse range of busi-
nesses seeking a dynamic and
well-regulated financial
ecosystem” said an official of
GIFT City.
Khimsuriya has received ac-
colades from esteemed person-
alities such as the Governor of
Gujarat, Chief Minister, Health
Minister, Social Justice and
Empowerment Minister, Edu-
cation Minister, Sports Minis-
ter, and Home Minister, show-
casing the widespread recogni-
tion of her achievements.
Her dedication extends be-
yond awards and certificates;
her YouTube channel and nu-
merous exhibitions in 50 art
galleries across India have be-
come platforms to inspire chil-
dren to explore the world of art.
Her parents, Kantibhai and his
wife, have been a pillar of sup-
port, dedicating themselves to
special work for disabled chil-
dren and orphans in Vadodara.
India sends 40k litres of Malathion to Afghanistan to combat locusts
Kabul: In its continued efforts to help Afghanistan, India has
supplied 40,000 litres of Malathion, a pesticide used to fight locust
menace, through the Chabahar port. The Taliban-controlled Ministry
of Agriculture has expressed gratitude for this assistance,
21 Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza blast
AGENCIES / Jerusalem
Twenty-one Israeli soldiers
were killed on Monday when
a blast ripped through a Gaza
compound being prepared
for demolition.
The building collapsed on
the soldiers, the Israel De-
fence Forces said on Tuesday
morning.
The blast was caused
when a Palestinain terror
squad fired an anti-tank mis-
sile at the adjoining homes in
the complex. The explosives
being used by the Israeli
forces to demolish the com-
pound detonated and the two
buildings collapsed.
The soldiers were from a
reserve battalion tasked with
destroying structures allow-
ing Hamas to observe and
fire on Israeli forces. The
compound was located in the
area of Al Moazi, about 600
metre from the Israeli border.
"As far as we know, at around
4 p.m., an RPG was fired by
terrorists at a tank securing
the forces, and simultaneous-
ly, an explosion occurred at
two two-story buildings. The
buildings collapsed due to
NZ to send team to Red
Sea to protect shipping
IANS / WELLINGTON
New Zealand Prime Minister
Christopher Luxon on Tues-
day said that his government
will be sending a small de-
fence team to the Middle
East to safeguard Red Sea
shipping, the media report-
ed.
The country will be de-
ploying a six-member New
Zealand Defense Force
(NZDF) team to uphold mar-
itime security in the Red Sea
to ensure global trade, Prime
Minister Luxon said, Xinhua
news agency reported.
"This deployment, as part
of an international
coalition, is a continuation
of New Zealand's long histo-
ry of defending freedom of
navigation both in the Mid-
NY-bound flight cancelled after passenger spots missing screws
IANS / London
Moments before take-off, a New-York
bound Virgin Atlantic flight from
Manchester was cancelled after an
alert passenger spotted missing bolts
on plane's wing, the media reported.
Crossword # 1026
Across
1 Violent confusion
(6)
5 Leap on one foot
(3)
8 Volcanic matter (4)
9 Declare (4)
10 Platitude (6)
11 Vacancy (9)
13 Pale (4)
15 French assent (3)
16 Great deeds (5)
17 Pacific island group
(5)
20 __-de-sac (3)
22 24 hours (3) Down
23 Blunts (5) 1 Reciprocal (6)
24 Oscar winner 2 Young (8)
Sophia (5) 3 Ultimatum
26 Lend a hand (3) conclusion (4)
27 Nimble (4) 4 Extinct woolly
28 Give publicity to (9) elephant (7)
31 Unidirectional (3-3) 5 Caribbean republic
32 A large mass of ice (5)
(4) 6 Physical hurt (4)
33 Full of unresolved 7 Russian novelist (7)
questions (4) 12 A fluid product of
34 Mythical sea inflammation (3)
monster (3) 14 Shout (4)
35 Moderately (6) 18 Synthetic fruit drinks
25 Syzygy, 26 Attic, 29 Ergo, 30 Enya.
12 Pus, 14 Yell, 18 Ades, 19 Manpower, 20 Cuddled, 21 Nods off, 24 LII,
Down: 1 Mutual, 2 Youthful, 3 Else, 4 Mammoth, 5 Haiti, 6 Pain, 7 Tolstoy,
26 Aid, 27 Spry, 28 Advertise, 31 One-way, 32 Berg, 33 Iffy, 34 Orc, 35 Fairly.
13 Ashy, 15 Oui, 16 Feats, 17 Samoa, 20 Cul, 22 Day, 23 Dulls, 24 Loren,
Across:1 Mayhem, 5 Hop, 8 Lava, 9 Avow, 10 Truism, 11 Emptiness,
FPJ - SUDOKU - 28
WHAT TO DO: Fill in the grid so
that every row, every column and
every 3x3 box contains the digits
1 to 9. Every puzzle has only one
correct solution.
This handout picture released by the Israeli army on Monday, shows Israeli soldiers operating in the
Gaza Strip amid continuing battles between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas.
this explosion, while most of
the forces were inside and
near them," said IDF
Spokesman Rear Adm.
Daniel Hagari.
Simultaneously, another
Palestinian terrorist
emerged who emerged from
a tunnel shaft undetected
fired a rocket propelled
grenade at a tank, which was
dle East and closer to home,"
Luxon said.
Almost 15 per cent of glob-
al trade goes through the Red
Sea, and the Houthi attacks
are driving costs higher for
exporters and causing delays
to shipments, he said.
Houthi attacks against
commercial and naval ship-
ping are illegal,
unacceptable and
profoundly destabilising, he
said, adding the deployed
team will contribute to the
collective self-defense of
ships in the Middle East.
No NZDF personnel or
ship will enter Yemen, said
the prime minister, adding it
is part of a continuous New
Zealand defence contribu-
tion to maritime security in
the Middle East since 2013.
The incident occurred on January
15, when Phil Hardy, 41, who was on-
board the flight at Manchester Airport
in the UK, noticed four missing fasten-
ers and informed the cabin crew.
Engineers were promptly called out
to carry out maintenance checks on
(4)
19 Workforce (8)
20 Hugged or embraced
? (7)
21 Falls asleep or doze,
esp. in a sitting
position ? (4,3)
24 Fifty two in Roman
numerals (3)
25 Alignment of three
celestial objects (6)
26 Loft (5)
29 Therefore; hence (4)
30 One-named Irish
singer (4)
Solution
Level: Very easy
highlighting its significance in protecting crops and ensuring food
security in Afghanistan. Malathion, known for its efficacy in arid
regions and minimal water usage, is considered a crucial tool in
locust control.
securing the compound.
Military search and rescue
teams rushed to the scene
worked through the night
looking for survivors.
Hours later, the military
announced that ground
forces had encircled the
southern city of Khan You-
nis, Gaza's second largest,
where dozens of
Sunak’s Rwanda migration
bill suffers blow in Parl
AP / LONDON
The upper house of Britain's
Parliament has urged the
Conservative gov-
ernment not to
ratify a migration
treaty with Rwanda.
It's a largely symbol-
ic move, but signals
more opposition to
come for the stalled
and contentious
plan to send some
asylum-seekers on a one-way
trip to the African nation.
The House of Lords voted
by 214 to 171 on Monday
evening to delay the treaty
that paves the way for the de-
portation plan. The treaty
the Airbus A330 aircraft before its
scheduled takeoff to John F Kennedy
International Airport in New York
City, New York Post reported quoting a
Virgin Atlantic representative.
In a video shared on social media,
an engineer can be seen climbing on to
YOUR DAY By Vinayak Vishwas Karandikar
ARIES: You will be
forced to keep your
feet out of the house
today. Expect
expenditure for tourism and health.
People in fields like shipping and
import-export will do well. A family
tour is indicated. Some people may
suffer from sciatica.
TAURUS: Control your
speech, as it may
affect your profit. You
may pay insurance
premium or spend on repair work.
People in fields like consultancy and
communication will get success.
Help from in-laws is expected. You
may experience muscle pain.
GEMINI: You will see
promotion or a
growth in business or
production. Expect
expenditure for business. People in
fields like education, law or
tourism will get success. You will
successfully manage business and
family life. Some of you may have
knee pain.
CANCER: Today is a
day to earn and
progress in your
career. You may spend
money on court matters. People in
fields like law and education will
benefit. It’s a good day for those
pursuing higher studies. You may
suffer from muscle pain.
LEO: Loss is indicated
today, so proceed with
care. Expect
expenditure on
premiums and travel. People in
fields like law and construction will
get success. You may have a
dispute with children. Some people
may suffer from muscle pain.
VIRGO: Today is a day
for losses, so take
decisions wisely.
Expect expenditure for
business expansion. People in fields
like education and building will get
success. You may attend a
settlement meeting in the family.
You may have indigestion.
Palestinians have been killed
and wounded in heavy fight-
ing in recent days.
Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu mourned the sol-
diers but vowed to press
ahead with the offensive un-
til "absolute victory" over
Hamas. He has also promised
to return over 100 hostages
held captive in Gaza. But Is-
and an accompanying bill are
the pillars of Prime Minister
Rishi Sunak's bid to
overcome a block on the de-
portations by the
UK Supreme Court.
Members of the
Lords, who are ap-
pointed rather than
elected, backed a
motion saying Par-
liament should not
ratify the pact until
ministers can show
Rwanda is safe.
John Kerr, a former diplo-
mat who sits in the Lords,
said the Rwanda plan was
"incompatible with our re-
sponsibilities" under interna-
tional human rights law.
the plane's wing and fixing the issue.
Though Hardly was repeatedly as-
sured by the airline staff that there
was no safety issue, he was panicked
as the incident comes days after one of
the doors of an Alaska Airlines
Boeing 737 9 MAX blew open mid-air.
LIBRA: You will enjoy
commercial stability
today. Expect
expenditure for travel
or communication. People in fields
like education and medicine will be
benefited. Dispute with or ill health
of father or spouse is indicated.
You may have inflammation.
SCORPIO: It’s a day
for meditation. You
may spend money on
children or religious
rituals. People in fields like finance
and share trading will do well.
Dispute among family members is
indicated. Some people may suffer
from throat pain.
SAGITTARIUS: It's a
day for study and
meditation. You
may spend on
house renovation. People in
fields like education and
law will benefit. Ill health or
dispute with family member.
Some of you may suffer from
headache.
CAPRICORN: Keep
your feet outdoors
today. Expect
expenditure for travel
or spouse. People in fields like
tourism and communication will
benefit. Foreign travel or
hospitalisation of family members is
indicated. Ear problems indicated.
AQUARIUS: Today is a
day to celebrate
success. You will see
financial stability.
People in fields like consultancy
and education will be successful.
Maternal relatives may visit your
home. Some people may suffer
from muscle pain.
PISCES: Get involved
personally in your work,
and don’t depend on
others. You may spend
on business expansion and family.
People in fields like counselling will
do well. You will take the initiative
in household activities. Some of you
may suffer because of Weight gain.
raelis are increasingly divid-
ed on the question of
whether it's possible to do ei-
ther, and large numbers of Is-
raeli casualties have pres-
sured Israel's government to
halt past military operations.
A senior Egyptian official
meanwhile said Israel has
proposed a two-month cease-
fire in which the hostages
would be freed in exchange
for the release of Palestini-
ans imprisoned by Israel and
top Hamas leaders in Gaza
would be allowed to relocate
to other countries.
The official said Hamas re-
jected the proposal and is in-
sisting that no more hostages
will be released until Israel
ends its offensive and with-
draws from Gaza.
The official said Egypt and
Qatar, which have brokered
past agreements between Is-
rael and Hamas, were devel-
oping a multistage proposal
to try and bridge the gaps.
Families of the hostages
have called for Israel to reach
a deal with Hamas, saying
time is running out to
bring the hostages home
alive.
"The considerations of in-
ternational law and national
reputation... convince me
that it wouldn't be right to rat-
ify this treaty at any time," he
said. The vote has little prac-
tical impact, because the
House of Lords can't block an
international treaty, and the
government says it will not
delay. However, ignoring the
demand could later be used
against the government in a
legal challenge.
Lawmakers in the House
of Commons approved the
bill last week, but only after
60 members of Sunak's gov-
erning Conservatives re-
belled in an effort to make the
legislation tougher.
Musk advocates for India’s
permanent UNSC membership
ANI / San Francisco
Tesla CEO and Twitter
owner Elon Musk insisted on
the revision of United Na-
tions bodies and said India
not being a permanent mem-
ber of the United Nations Se-
curity Council is 'absurd'.
The American entrepre-
neur highlighted the
problem in the revision of
the UN bodies on Sunday and
said that the countries with
excess power don't want to
give it up, adding that the
Africa collectively should
have a permanent member-
ship in the United Nations.
Taking to X, Musk said,
"At some point, there needs
to be a revision of the UN
bodies. Problem is that those
with excess power don't want
to give it up. India not having
China undergoes rare scrutiny of
rights record at UN meeting
AP / Geneva
Western countries used a
UN-backed review of China's
human rights record on
Tuesday to press Beijing to
do more to allow freedom of
expression, protect the rights
of ethnic minorities and re-
peal a security law in Hong
Kong that is derided by inde-
pendent activists, among oth-
er things.
China's ambassador in
Geneva, Chen Xu, led a dele-
gation from some 20 min-
istries in China for the review
under the UN Human Rights
Council. He stressed China's
progress in poverty eradica-
tion, said citizens engage in
"democratic elections," and
said freedom of religious be-
lief is safeguarded.
BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
Russian missiles target
Kyiv and Kharkiv cities
A man stands among debris in front of a damaged building as a result of a missile attack in Kharkiv
AP / Kyiv
A complex Russian missile at-
tack targeted Ukrainian cities
of Kyiv and Kharkiv on Tues-
day morning, killing at least
six people, wounding dozens
and damaging residential
buildings, officials said.
In the capital of Kyiv, at
least one person was killed,
according to city administra-
tion chief Roman Popko.
Mayor Vitalii Klitschko said
18 people were injured, in-
cluding a 13-year-old boy. Res-
idential infrastructure was
damaged in at least four dis-
tricts.
In Kharkiv, the country's
second-largest city, five people
were killed and 38 were
wounded, mayor Ihor
Terekhov said. An entire sec-
tion of a multi-story residen-
tial building was destroyed,
trapping an unknown num-
NATO ammo deal to help Ukraine
AP / Brussels
NATO signed on Tuesday a
USD 1.2-billion contract to
make tens of thousands of
artillery rounds to replenish
the dwindling stocks of its
member countries as they
supply ammunition to
Ukraine to help it defeat Rus-
sia's invasion.
The contract will allow for
the purchase of 220,000
rounds of 155-millimetre am-
munition, the most widely
sought after artillery shell,
according to NATO's support
and procurement agency. It
will allow allies to backfill
their arsenals and to provide
Ukraine with more ammuni-
a permanent seat on the Se-
curity Council, despite being
the most populous country
on Earth, is absurd. Africa
collectively should also have
a permanent seat imo." UN
Secretary General Antonio
Guterres had also made an
impassioned plea for the UN
to reflect today's world. "How
can we accept that Africa still
lacks a single Permanent
Member in the Security
Council? Institutions must
reflect today's world, not that
of 80 years ago. September's
Summit of the Future will be
"China upholds respect for
and protection of human
rights as a task of impor-
tance in state governance,"
Chen said through an inter-
preter.
"We have embarked on a
path of human rights devel-
opment that is in keeping
with the trend of the times
and appropriate to China's
national conditions and so-
called historic achievements
in this process."
"We uphold the people-cen-
tred philosophy and strive to
deliver a better life for all the
people," he said.
The process, which en-
courages constructive rec-
ommendations over sharp
criticism, nevertheless gave
way to firm, if not scathing,
advice to China from some
WORLD
ber of people. Recent Russian
attacks have tried to find gaps
in Ukraine's defenses by
using large numbers of mis-
siles and drones in an appar-
ent effort to saturate air de-
fence systems. The massive
barrages – more than 500
drones and missiles were
fired between Dec 29 and Jan
2 – are also using up Ukraine's
weapons stockpiles.
Tuesday's missile attack
came a day after Polish Prime
Minister Donald Tusk visited
Ukraine, vowing to keep sup-
porting it against Russia's
nearly 2-year-old invasion and
announcing a new military
aid package that includes a
loan to buy larger weapons
and a commitment to find
ways to manufacture them to-
gether.
Meeting with Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelen-
sky in Kyiv, Tusk said they
tion.
"This is important to de-
fend our own territory, to
build up our own stocks, but
also to continue to support
Ukraine," NATO Secretary-
General Jens Stoltenberg
told reporters.
"We cannot allow Presi-
dent (Vladimir) Putin to win
in Ukraine," he added. "That
would be a tragedy for the
Ukrainians and dangerous
for all of us."
Ukraine was firing around
4,000 to 7,000 artillery shells
each day last summer, while
Russia was launching more
than 20,000 shells daily in its
neighbour's territory, accord-
ing to European Union esti-
an opportunity to consider
global governance reforms &
re-build trust" Guterres had
said in a post on January 21.
India has been a non-per-
manent member of the UN
Security Council for eight
terms (16 years).
The country is a member
of the G4, a group of nations
that back each other to seek
permanent membership of
the UNSC. The countries ad-
vocate for reform in the
UNSC.
Earlier, emphasising on
growing global support for
India's permanent member-
ship at the United Nations Se-
curity Council (UNSC), Ex-
ternal Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar said that some-
times things are not given
generously and one has to
seize it.
leading Western countries.
Leslie Norton of Canada
called on China to end "all
forms of enforced disappear-
ances targeting human
rights defenders, ethnic mi-
norities and Falun Gong
practitioners" and urged the
repeal of the Hong Kong se-
curity law.
Czech Ambassador Vaclav
Balek urged China to "end
the criminalisation of reli-
gious and peaceful civil ex-
pression by ethnic and reli-
gious groups – including
Muslim, Uyghurs and Bud-
dhists, Tibetans and Mongo-
lians – under the pretext of
protecting state security" and
"stop cross-border kidnap-
pings and intimidating Chi-
nese citizens living abroad."
Kozo Honsei, Japan's
had reached "an understand-
ing" to resolve through talks
any differences between
their countries over grain
shipments and trucking.
'Send back our husbands',
Russian women demand
A group of women are pub-
licly criticising the Russian
authorities. Their husbands
are among the 300,000 re-
servists mobilised by Russian
President Vladimir Putin for
the war in Ukraine in autumn
2022. And they want them
home. "When will our hus-
bands be considered to have
discharged their military
duty?" asks Maria. "When
they're brought back with no
arms and legs? When they
can't do anything at all be-
cause they're just vegetables?
Or do we have to wait for
them to be sent back in zinc
coffins?"
mates.
Russia's arms industry far
outweighs Ukraine's and
Kyiv needs help to match
Moscow's firepower.
But the shells will not ar-
rive quickly – delivery on or-
ders takes anywhere from 24
to 36 months, the NATO
agency said.
The European Union plans
to produce 1 million artillery
rounds for Ukraine have fall-
en short, with only about a
third of the target met. Sen-
ior EU officials have said that
they now expect the Euro-
pean defence industry to be
producing around one mil-
lion shells annually by the
end of this year.
6 injured, 47
houses collapse
in China quake
AP / Beijing
Authorities in China's far
western Xinjiang region say
six people were injured and
more than 120 houses were
damaged or destroyed in
Tuesday's earthquake.
The Xinjiang Uygur Au-
tonomous Region govern-
ment posted on Weibo that
two were seriously injured
and four had minor injuries.
In addition, 47 houses col-
lapsed, 78 houses were dam-
aged and some agricultural
buildings collapsed.
The magnitude 7.1 earth-
quake struck Uchturpan
county, called Wushi county
in Mandarin, in Aksu prefec-
ture shortly after 2 am, the
China Earthquake Networks
Centre said. Around 200 res-
cuers were dispatched to the
epicentre, according to state
broadcaster CCTV.
deputy permanent represen-
tative in Geneva, called for
better protections of the
rights of minorities in Tibet
and the western Xinjiang re-
gion.
The hearing offered a
wide-ranging look at the hu-
man rights situation in Chi-
na. Bolivia's envoy com-
mended China's efforts to re-
duce deforestation,
Burundi's representative
urged China to improve ac-
cess to health care in central
regions and to better housing
in Hong Kong and Macao,
and Iran praised China's "na-
tional action plan for human
rights."
An extraordinarily high
number of more than 160
countries registered to take
part in the discussion.
EDIT BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: The power to
question is the basis of all human
progress. — INDIRA GANDHI

FREE PRESS
FOR FREE FLOW OF TRUTH
How will Maha respond to mandir achievement?
been a state that swings one way or and will the BJP get any benefit be- The Maratha agitation over the de- that in urban constituencies the BJP
Fuzzy the other in its voting pattern. But cause of this week's event in Ayod- mand of reservation in education will garner great support on the ba-

Trump’s return Logic

it is not predictable like some other
states. Traditionally the state has
been firm in its voting pattern one
hya?
It is very obvious that the BJP has
been very successful in creating
and jobs is one example but there
are also many other agitations
such as the agitation by onion
sis of the Ayodhya issue but it is
equally unclear about what happens
in rural and underdeveloped con-

as candidate
way or the other. In the 2019 polls
Maharashtra went almost com-
÷Rohit Chandavarkar pletely in favour of the Narendra
Modi-led BJP and gave it a clear
the hype and the atmosphere it farmers in northern parts of the stituencies like those in Vidarbha or
wanted around the Ayodhya event state and the one by sugarcane Konkan's underdeveloped districts.
and that has put the Opposition farmers in the southern part. The BJP and RSS always have
Congress party as well as Sharad Unlike some states from the North had three points on their political

T
hat Donald Trump will be the Republican candidate

A
s the grand consecration
in the November election in the US is almost a cer- ceremony at the Ram
tainty. Whatever be the results of the polling in New Mandir in Ayodhya con-
cluded on Monday and the
Hampshire, where, too, he leads, his comeback is pre-
dictable. His only rival, Indian-American Nikki Haley,
Bharatiya Janata Party seemed
successful in creating an atmos-
hopes to turn the tide in her favour. Even if she accom- phere of jubilation in many parts
plishes this seemingly difficult task, there is no surety that of the country including metro
cities like Mumbai, the question
she can win in other states. Last week, the former
President won the Iowa Caucus with a record-breaking
many political observers are now
asking is about how the Ram
majority. Aware of which way the Republican wind has Mandir issue will affect voters out-
been blowing, his only other rival Ron DeSantis has with- side the north Indian cow-belt
drawn from the contest. More importantly, he has fallen in states. The BJP did very well in Ut-
tar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh
line behind Trump, making him almost unassailable. So
in the last Lok Sabha polls and it is
have Tim Scott and Vivek Ramaswamy. All this suggests obvious that the mandir issue will
that the dice are favourably placed for Trump. work towards consolidating that
An early announcement about Trump as the Republican majority which is crucial for the
nominee would help him to start his presidential party in the 2024 polls, but it is also
very critical for the party to do well
campaign early and in right earnest. As of now, the in large states like Maharashtra
November election looks like a repeat of what America which send 48 seats to the Lok Sab-
witnessed when Joe Biden and Trump fought a neck-and- ha and perhaps is the deciding fac-
neck contest with the Democratic nominee finally making tor in whether the party gets a
clear majority in the house. This is
it to the White House. For the voters, it is a disappointing
perhaps the reason why Prime
scenario as an octogenarian is challenged by a septuage- Minister Narendra Modi is seen re-
narian in a country whose population is relatively young, peatedly visiting this politically
compared to those of European countries. In comparison, key state in the past weeks .
France has just installed a prime minister who is in his Historically Maharashtra has
thirties. Few rule out the possibility that this time next
majority enabling the party to win
over 300 seats in the Lok Sabha but
in the distant past the state has giv-
en favourable voting pattern for the
Congress party. During the Rajiv
Gandhi era and even during Dr
Manmohan Singh's tenure Maha-
rashtra showed a clear tilt in Con-
gress' favour and when in 2019 NCP
founder Sharad Pawar set up the
Maha Vikas Aghadi ( MVA) politi-
cal front, it seemed like the BJP
would face a formidable challenge
in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls in
the state. However after Eknath
Shinde broke away from the Ud-
dhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena and
Ajit Pawar too split with uncle
Sharad Pawar to join the BJP, now
the Lok Sabha equation looks very
unpredictable in the state.
This brings us to the question,
how Maharashtra is likely to polit-
ically react to the Ram Mandir con-
secration. Ram Mandir was one of
the points in the BJP's manifesto
for decades and the party now feels
it deserves the credit for putting it
on a track towards completion of
construction. Will Maharashtra's
48 seats get affected because of this
Pawar's NCP in a bit of a fix. Many or South Maharashtra is now eco- agenda since decades. Firstly re-
leaders of the Congress or NCP nomically and socially a highly frag- moving article 370 in Kashmir, sec-
were seen this week visiting Ram mented state. It houses some of the ondly bringing a uniform civil code
in the country and thirdly building
Maharashtra is now economically and socially a highly a grand Ram Mandir at Lord
Rama's birthplace in Ayodhya.
fragmented state. It houses some of the nation’s most Two out of these three points in the
wealthy people in Mumbai and is also inhabited by agenda have been fulfilled. The
BJP has always said openly that
some of the nation’s most poor in districts like this is party of their long term po-
Gadchiroli and Dhulia. How voters in various parts of the litical plan and the party will obvi-
ously use these achievements in
state will react to the mandir issue is to be watched upcoming elections to gain
political mileage. It is more or less
certain that in the cow-belt states
temples in their own town and put- nation's most wealthy people in of the north the BJP will gain
ting those images on social media Mumbai and is also inhabited by ground over the Ayodhya achieve-
in an attempt to portray that they some of the nation's most poor in ment in in southern states like Ker-
are not "anti-Hindu"! It became districts like Gadchiroli and Dhulia. ala and Tamil Nadu this issue
clear that the BJP was successful This fragmentation also exhibits it- might not resonate much among
in setting the agenda and making self in politics. Maharashtra has voters. Whether this issue gives the
others follow it. However on two had some of the most progressive so- BJP some traction in a large state
fronts the BJP may be unsure cial reform movements and it also like Maharashtra which is neither
about how this will work in their houses the headquarters of part of north nor south is an inter-
benefit in the polls coming in three tradition loving Hindu nationalists. esting matter to watch.
months from now. Firstly it is a This makes the state very politically
challenge for the BJP to keep the diverse and it also makes the state Rohit Chandavarkar is a senior
tempo on about Ram Mandir in the very unpredictable in terms of how journalist who has worked for 31 years
minds of the voters while large ag- it will react to an event like the with various leading newspaper
itations are on in Maharashtra and grand consecration ceremony held brands and television channels in
likely to peak in the coming weeks. in Ayodhya on Monday. It is clear Mumbai and Pune

Reconciling faith and inclusivity in a diverse land

year Trump could be behind the resolute desk once again.
It is a different matter whether the law would allow him to
hold the post because of the many sins he committed while
in office for four years, even refusing to vacate the chair.
Of course, the world will have to come to terms with such
an eventuality, which is being discussed in world capitals.
Mandarins of India’s foreign policy recall that Narendra
Modi had the best relations with Trump. Perchance Modi
returns to power for a third term; it will be the
continuation of Trump-Modi Bhai Bhai. However, a
second Trump presidency would be different from the
first, both because the world is messier and because
celebration of Ram Rajya does not
inadvertently lead to the marginali-
Here, There, sation or exclusion of other faiths
and communities. While the con-
Everywhere struction of the Ram Mandir holds
immense significance for Hindus,
true inclusivity demands that the
÷Sayantan Ghosh veneration of Ram does not come at
the expense of respect for other
promise for India's future. The core
values of this ideal—righteousness,
justice, compassion, and respect for
all—resonate with people of all
faiths and backgrounds. By focusing
on these shared values, we can build
bridges across religious divides and
create a society where every individ-
ual feels valued, respected, and em-
more secular and issues-based polit-
ical discourse would not only
strengthen democracy but also
foster a sense of national unity. As
the BJP charts its course, it must
recognise that a progressive, inclu-
sive agenda resonates more pro-
foundly with the evolving aspira-
tions of a diverse and dynamic
sition must recognise that a united
and diverse India demands policies
that uplift every citizen, irrespective
of their religious or cultural back-
ground. To break free from the
shackles of divisive politics, a para-
digm shift is needed. The responsi-
bility lies not only with the ruling
party but with all political entities.

T
he sacred ceremony of Pran-
Trump is less likely to tolerate official obstruction of his
pratishtha in Ayodhya on Jan-
agenda. For pollsters the world over, exciting days of spec- uary 22, 2024, heralded a his-
ulation, analysis of voting trends, and comparisons of the toric moment for millions, culminat-
doddering candidates are assured. ing in the long-awaited consecration
of the Ram Mandir. As the echoes of
joyous chants and celebratory fer-
Climate quirks vour gradually subside, a profound
question resonates across the
faiths and their right to practice and
flourish.
Moreover, within Hinduism itself,
there exists a spectrum of interpre-
tations and lived experiences. The
ideal of Ram Rajya must be expan-
sive enough to encompass the di-
verse voices and perspectives within
the Hindu fold. This requires a
powered to contribute to the nation's
progress.
With the successful
Pranpratishtha of Ram Lalla in Ay-
odhya, a momentous chapter in In-
dia's religious and cultural history
has unfolded. However, as the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) basks
India. The success of the party
should be measured not just in elec-
toral victories but in its ability to
unite and uplift the entire nation.
India's political landscape
simmers in a toxic brew of polarisa-
tion and religious centrism. The op-
position, too, must shed its age-old
It's time for a new narrative—one
that prioritises the nation's
collective progress over narrow,
short-term gains. In this crucial
juncture, the opposition has a golden
opportunity to lead by example,
demonstrating that politics can be a
force for unity rather than division.
The auspicious occasion of the

O
h, the delightful dance of climate and customs! It's like nation: Can the revered concept of
trying to figure out if customers are related to com- Ram Rajya, often envisioned as a
modities — a puzzling conundrum. Myths and mys- golden age of piety and prosperity,
find harmony with the demands of
teries about climate rival the enigma of why people buy things
inclusivity in a vibrant, diverse na-
they don’t need. Take, for instance, our traditional markers of tion like Bharat? Ram Rajya, at its
seasons. Holi supposedly signals the end of winter, like how core, embodies the principles of
Deepavali marks its grand entrance. In between, we've got righteousness, justice, and compas-
Lohri, or Makar Sankranti, claiming to bid adieu to the bone- sion for all. Revered as the epitome
of dharma, Prince Ram of Ayodhya
chilling cold. According to the calendar, peak winter is from is celebrated for his unwavering
December 15 to January 15. But hold your winter wardrobe — commitment to these values, his re-
this time, everything's gone topsy-turvy. The national capital spect for diverse viewpoints, and his
has been experiencing a cold wave since Lohri, making a dedication to the well-being of his
subjects. These noble ideals resonate
mockery of our cosy traditions. Nights are colder than a polar
with the aspirations of a modern In-
bear's picnic, with temperatures dipping below 3 degrees in dia, aiming to be a beacon of democ-
some spots. Air traffic has taken an unscheduled detour, prov- racy, secularism, and equality.
ing that our age-old methods of predicting seasons are now However, the journey to reconcil-
just as reliable as a chocolate teapot. Why, you ask? Is it Mother ing faith with inclusivity in a nation
as religiously and culturally diverse
Nature throwing a tantrum due to Earth's warming affair? Or as India is fraught with challenges.
perhaps the ozone layer's doing a disappearing act, thanks to The historical weight of religious
the non-stop hum of air-conditioners desperately trying to strife, the emergence of majoritari-
keep us cool in the face of global warming. But who can we an narratives, and the intricate web
of social inequalities often cast a
blame when the real culprit is Mr Greedy Pants, whose insa-
shadow on the pursuit of an inclu-
tiable desires the world can handle, but his boundless greed — sive Ram Rajya. One of the primary
not so much, as Gandhi famously remarked? challenges lies in ensuring that the
It's a climate comedy of errors, with Rajasthan
swimming through floods while Kerala is left high and dry.
Oh, the irony! So, let's not point fingers at nature when it's Nava Graha Nyayam
good ol' human greed playing puppeteer with the weather.
After all, who needs predictable seasons when you can
— Prof S Ainavolu
recognition of the legitimacy of dis-
sent and the fostering of dialogue
rather than the imposition of uni-
formity. The pursuit of an inclusive
Ram Rajya extends beyond mere rit-
uals and ceremonies. It requires the
active embodiment of the values
that underpin this ideal in our daily
lives and interactions. This trans-
lates into actively combating dis-
crimination and prejudice based on
religion, caste, or any other social
marker. It demands the pursuit of
social justice, ensuring equal oppor-
tunities and access to resources for
all citizens, regardless of their faith
or background. Furthermore, an in-
clusive Ram Rajya necessitates the
fostering of interfaith dialogue and
understanding. Engaging with di-
verse communities, appreciating
their customs and traditions, and
recognising the inherent worth of
every individual, irrespective of
their religious beliefs, are crucial
steps towards building a truly inclu-
sive society. Despite the formidable
challenges, the pursuit of an inclu-
sive Ram Rajya holds immense
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
Turning the Ram Mandir into a perennial election issue
risks perpetuating a divisive narrative
in this triumph, it's imperative for appeasement politics to bridge the
the party to transcend religion-cen- widening chasm.
tric politics. Appeasing one community while
While the Ram Mandir holds im- ignoring the anxieties of another fu-
mense significance for many, the els resentment, creating fertile
BJP must evolve beyond leveraging ground for the BJP's narrative. The
religious sentiments as a primary opposition needs to move beyond to-
electoral strategy. The country is kenism and address genuine con-
grappling with multifaceted chal- cerns across the spectrum, focusing
lenges that demand comprehensive on development and shared values.
and inclusive governance. The par- While the BJP must move away from
ty's ability to address issues such as relying solely on religious senti-
economic growth, social justice, and ments, the Opposition, including the
healthcare will define its success. It Congress, must resist the temptation
is crucial to acknowledge that of countering this with a form of
India's diversity extends beyond reli- soft Hindutva. A departure from
gious affiliations. The BJP, as a polit- identity-based politics is essential
ical entity, should prioritise unity for fostering a more inclusive and
and embrace a more inclusive ap- harmonious political landscape. The
proach, reaching across religious electorate deserves a political dis-
and cultural boundaries. Turning course that focuses on substantive
the Ram Mandir into a perennial issues such as economic develop-
election issue risks perpetuating a ment, social justice, and governance.
divisive narrative. A shift towards a Both the ruling party and the oppo-
Furry, misunderstood therapists
overcoming hindrances and appreciating
I n a society clouded by the misconception
that dogs are potential threats, the
heartfelt fondness and affection these
the pure unconditional warmth they offer.
Ram Mandir consecration can serve
as a springboard for this collective
endeavour. Let us move forward, not
merely with joyous celebration but
with a renewed commitment to
building an India that embodies the
true essence of Ram Rajya—a
nation where faith thrives alongside
inclusivity and where the pursuit of
righteousness paves the way for a
just and equitable society for all. In
conclusion, reconciling faith with
inclusivity in a diverse nation like
India is an ongoing challenge. How-
ever, by embracing the core values
of Ram Rajya—righteousness, jus-
tice, compassion, and respect for
all—and actively working towards
inclusivity and social harmony, we
can strive to create a future where
every individual flourishes and
India truly lives up to the ideals of
its rich and diverse heritage.
The author, a columnist and research
scholar, teaches journalism at St.
Xavier's College (autonomous),
Kolkata. He tweets at @sayantan_gh.
Views are
Tanisha Gupta, Ujjain

Cause for joy, not triumphalism

B Commerce on the moon?
have a good laugh at the unpredictability of it all? hanu Shashi Bhumi- one’s mother. animals shower upon humans often goes
Suto Budhascha Gur- Mangala/Mars indicates plus unnoticed. Despite their undeserved

INDIA 75 YEARS AGO

FPJ Archives
JANUARY 24, 1949
INDONESIANS WELCOME DELHI DECISIONS
New Delhi, January 23. The Indonesian Delegation in new Delhi
has expressed "profound satisfaction" at the deliberations of the
Asian Conference. A statement issued by the delegation last
evening states that the resolution adopted at the closing session
vindicates the Indonesian point of view, in so far as it envisages
the creation of conditions in which the Government of the
Indonesian Republic can work and function in freedom.
uscha Shukra Shani and minuses
Rahu Ketave” is the popular Bhatru/siblings. Mars also in-
around T he nation is awash with a religious
fervour never witnessed in recent
years. Call it fate or India's destiny, we
reputation, dogs demonstrate an
incomparable capacity for love and care. A probable lunar-based clash between
science and business is likely to be
Nava-Graha Stotram (extolling dicates one’s courage, use of Behind the veil of stereotypes, innumerable witnessed in the near future over the
are today having to talk of the temple
poem) addressing nine planets. arms, fighting nature, and as something intertwined with the stories emerge about dogs enriching exploration of the moon and its mineral
Our solar system has identifi- “dhairya”. Budha/Mercury is politics of our nation. While on the one human lives with unwavering gentleness resources. The upcoming plans to launch
able star/planets from the the wiser element controlling hand it has made the majority heave and loyalty. These misunderstood creatures, multiple probes to survey the lunar surface
above meaning Sun, Moon, business / communications / a sigh of relief at justice having marked as dangerous, possess an innate will initiate celestial battles. But an
Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, intellect. Nervous system is of- prevailed after hundreds of years, ability to sense human emotions, offering uncontrolled rush to exploit the moon could
and Saturn respectively. Addi- ten said to be deriving energies it has caused a deep political schism solace in times of adversity. Studies divulge cause irreparable damage to important
tional two names are Rahu and from Budha. Guru/Jupiter between the ruling BJP and other that interactions with dogs can reduce scientific and landing sites, gravitational wave
Ketu, the head and torso of the along the Shukra/Venus is political parties, not as much on stress and lift one’s spirit, exhibiting the research, black hole observations etc. Though
Puranic Swarabhanu, report- knowledge lord. Higher knowl- political as on religious lines. One therapeutic power integrated in their the 1967 Outer Space Treaty bars nations from
edly the only demon who tasted edge and wisdom governed by only hopes that post the construction companionship. From therapy assistance to making territorial claims on celestial bodies, it
the nectar that emanated from Guru, and mundane knowledge of the Ram temple, the present government rescue operations, dogs play an essential says nothing about exploration of resources.
churning of the ocean. controlled by Shukra. No won- and those that follow will not make role in enhancing human well-being. In the Lunar industrialisation can be a possibility to
Astrologically there is a der Shukra/Venus is said to de- religion the pole star of governance often unseen interactions between human fuel science to sponsor their research, but
“karakatva” or pinning of termine the comfort and and administration. Neighbouring Pakistan and dogs an impactful lesson emerges; reckless destruction of scientifically important
the responsibilities to each luxuries in one’s life. did exactly that mistake, and the summons to eliminate prejudgements and sites must not be allowed.
of the above nine. So Shani/Saturn is the consequences are all too obvious to state: embrace the unspoken bonds formed Arka Goswami
also the “ownership” of dispenser of justice, dis- Pakistan is a failed state today, propped up through canine companionship. As we Dear reader,
the twelve houses by the likes of China and other Islamic endeavour for a more empathetic society,
of “rashi chakra”
GUIDING LIGHT cerning dharma/right- nations. Let's not take that slippery and recognising the overlooked love and care
We are eager to know your opinions, comments and
suggestions. Write to editor.indore@fpj.co.in Using
are allocated to first seven with eousness or otherwise. Rahu self-defeating path. given by these misunderstood dogs snail mail? Send your letters to Free Press, Free Press
a few of these Grahas getting controls sudden elevations, Avinash Godboley, Dewas becomes a groundbreaking step towards House, 3/54, Press Complex, AB Road, Indore 452008
ownership of two houses. maya/illusion. All the areas of
Surya is mentioned often as the movies, photography, morph-
karaka of the “Atma” or Soul. ings, and deep fakes are con-
MIKA’S MATRIX
This means ones’ overall atti- trolled by its energies. Ketu is
tude and outlook get the “seeker of truth” and
deciphered by the comfort and means associated with such
positioning of Surya/Sun. spiritual path.
Surya is also said to be the giver Any undue act performed by
of benefits/responsibilities as- anyone along the dimensions
sociated with one’s father. mentioned above results in the
Shashi is Chandra or Soma matching “reaction”, and cor-
which means Moon. This con- responding Graha dispenses
nects one with one’s “manas” the justice during its dasha (pe-
or the inner feelings or the soft- riod) is the principle of applied
er aspects. “Karma Siddhanta”. Every ac-
“Chandrama manaso jata” is tion has a matching reaction.
the half-line more often recited Prof S Ainavolu is a Mumbai-
than any other. This means based teacher of tradition and
Moon is the determinant of management. He is with
ones “subtle heart” and moods. VPSM. Views are personal.
Chandra is also inferred to https://www.ainavolu.in/blog
 MONEY
MARKET WATCH Govt raises import duty on gold, silver findings to 15%
SENSEX 70,370.55 t 1,053.10 The government has increased import duty on gold and silver metals', said a notification of the Central Board Of Indirect Taxes
NIFTY 21,241.65 t 330.15 findings and coins to 15% by imposing a 5% Agriculture & Customs. AIDC has been imposed in addition to the basic
USD/INR 83.15 t 0.08 Infrastructure Development Cess (AIDC). An AIDC of 4.35% has customs duty of 10% with an aim to bring the incidence of
GOLD 63,250.00 s 100.00 also been levied on 'spent catalyst or ash containing precious import duty on precious metals at par with bullion. BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
SILVER 75,700.00 s 200.00

BIZ BULLETIN
Bharat Innovate Glass to
invest `1003 crore in TN
Sensex slumps over 1K pts to slip India overtakes Hong Kong to
become 4th-largest stock mkt
Bharat Innovate Glass Technologies
Private Limited on Tuesday inked a
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)
with Tamil Nadu Government to set up a
plant to make cover glass for mobile
phones. Bharat Innovate Glass is a joint
below 71K; HDFC Bank, RIL weigh
Concerns over subdued quarterly performance by cos triggered selling pressure in most of counters
ANI / New Delhi

The Indian stock market has

venture between Optiemus Infracom Ltd
and the US-based Corning International
Corporation, the inventors of
strengthened glass `Corning Gorilla' for
portable devices.
Malaysia Airlines plans
to expand in India
Bullish on the "important" Indian aviation
market, Malaysia Airlines will soon have a
deep codeshare partnership with an
Indian carrier as well as further expand its
operations to the north east and southern
destinations in the country, according to a
top official. Malaysia Airlines, the national
carrier that is part of the Malaysia
Aviation Group, operates a total of 69
weekly flights to nine Indian cities.
S&P revises outlook on
two Adani group cos
S&P Global Ratings has revised the
outlook on two Adani group companies -
Adani Ports and Special Economic Zone
Ltd and Adani Electricity Mumbai Ltd - to
'stable' from 'negative'. S&P cited
"reduced downside risk" for the revised
outlook as most regulatory
investigations into the Adani group gave
no evidence of wrongdoing. The rating
agency also reaffirmed its 'BBB-' rating
for both the Adani group companies.
Global copper mkt deficit
narrows to 130,000 tn
The deficit in the global refined copper
market narrowed to 130,000 tn in Jan-
Nov from 440,000 tn in the same period
of the previous year, the International
Copper Study Group said in a report.
During the period, global output of the
metal rose 5.4% on year to 24.5 mln tn,
and consumption increased 4% to 24.6
mln tn. In November, the deficit in the
copper market surged to 119,000 tn
from 48,000 tn in October.
Samsung brings Galaxy
AI experiences to India
Samsung on Tuesday inaugurated its first
Online-to-Offline (O2O) lifestyle store in
India at the Jio World Plaza Mall in
Mumbai. Customers will be able to
experience and pre-book the latest
Galaxy S24 series at Samsung BKC
(Bandra Kurla Complex) here, starting
January 23. The new store will offer
Samsung's latest AI experiences -- from
'AI for All' for consumer electronics
products to 'Galaxy AI' for mobile devices.
Shree Cement's MD named
as NCCBM's Chairman
Neeraj Akhoury, President -- Cement
Manufacturers' Association and MD,
Shree Cement Ltd -- has been appointed
as the Chairman of the National Council
for Cement and Building Materials
(NCCBM) for a span of two years (2023
and 2024). The decision was taken at a
meeting of the Board of Governors of
NCCBM held on January 10 at Vanijya
Bhawan, New Delhi.
TCG forays into food
technology space
The Chatterjee Group, having interests in
petrochemicals and life sciences, has
forayed into the food technology space
with the launch of Food Technology and
Science Institute (FTSI), a company
statement said on Tuesday. A wing of
the TCG Crest, FTSI will be involved in
developing high-quality, nutrient-rich
food ingredients that is in perfect
alignment with the contemporary health-
conscious consumer trends, the
statement said.
Arms formed pharma
co in Mexico: Cipla
Cipla Ltd's subsidiaries Cipla (EU) Ltd, UK
and Cipla Holding BV, Netherlands jointly
incorporated wholly-owned subsidiary
Mexicip S.A. de C.V on Monday, as per
an exchange filing. Mexicip has been
incorporated with the objective of sale
and distribution of pharmaceutical
products in Mexico, the filing added.
L&T bags 'significant'
orders in India, overseas
Larsen & Toubro (L&T) on Tuesday said
that its arm Heavy Engineering has
bagged 'significant' orders in the
domestic and international markets. The
company did not disclose the value of
orders. However, according to company,
the value of significant order is between
Rs 1,000 crore and Rs 2,500 crore.
TikTok lays off employees
pipped Hong Kong to become the
fourth-highest equity market
globally, Bloomberg reported.
PTI / Mumbai The combined value of shares
Investors' wealth erodes listed on Indian exchanges
Equity benchmark Sensex tumbled 1,053 by `8.50 lakh crore reached USD 4.33 trillion as of
points to close below the 71,000 level on Tues- Monday's close, versus USD 4.29 Seng Index cumulatively
day, dragged down by index heavyweights Equity investors became poorer by Rs 8.50 lakh trillion for Hong Kong, according declined 32-33 per cent over the
HDFC Bank, Reliance Industries and SBI crore on Tuesday as markets came under a bear to data compiled by Bloomberg. past year, data showed.
amid escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Concerns over subdued quarterly perform-
attack, with the benchmark Sensex falling
almost 1,053.10 points.
India's stock market capitaliza-
tion crossed USD 4 trillion for the
Firm GDP growth forecast, in-
flation at manageable levels, po-
ance by corporates triggered selling pressure Following the decline in the benchmark first time on December 5, 2023. litical stability at the central gov-
in most of the counters, according to traders. index, the market capitalisation of BSE-listed The top three stock markets ernment level, and signs that the
After opening with gains of nearly 450 companies eroded by Rs 8,50,820.81 crore to Rs are the US, China, and Japan. central banks the world over are
points, the 30-share BSE Sensex fell 1,053.10 3,65,97,915.97 crore. Cumulatively, the past 12 done with their monetary policy
points or 1.47 per cent to settle at 70,370.55. The The market capitalisation of BSE-listed months have been stellar for in- tightening have painted a bright
index hit the lowest intraday level of 70,234.55. tions in tensions in the Middle East and the companies stood at Rs 3,74,48,736.78 crore on vestors who parked their money picture for India - which many
It also touched an intraday high of 72,039.20. Red Sea, prompted the investors to book profit January 20. in Indian stocks. Though there agencies have termed to be the
Broader Nifty also declined 330.15 points or from the recent rally. Going forward, markets has been some turbulence, the fastest-growing major economy.
1.53 per cent to close at 21,241.65. are likely to witness stock-specific actions (3.23 pc). In contrast, Sun Pharma, Bharti calendar year 2023 gave hand- The strong inflow of funds
"The market witnessed a continuous de- during the ongoing earnings season," said Airtel, ICICI Bank and PowerGrid defied the some monetary dividends to from FPIs lately also supported
cline today, abruptly turning negative despite Vinod Nair, Head of Research, Geojit Finan- trend and closed with gains of up to 3.67 per stock market investors. In 2023 it- the stocks to march towards all-
a positive start, mainly due to substantial sell- cial Services. cent. TCS and Bajaj Finserve were the other self, Sensex and Nifty gained 17- time highs. Notably, foreign port-
ing in heavyweight sectors, particularly fi-
nance. "Selling by FIIs due to reasons like
Among the Sensex firms, IndusInd Bank
was the biggest loser and fell 6.13 per cent, fol-
gainers.
The S&P BSE MidCap fell 2.95 per cent to
18 per cent, on a cumulative basis.
They gained a mere 3-4 per cent
folio investors have again trained
their sight towards India, becom-
high valuation and mixed results for the earn- lowed by SBI (3.99 pc), Hindustan Unilever close at 37,247.84 and the midcap index settled each in 2022. ing net buyers in the country's
ings season so far, along with recent escala- (3.82 pc), Axis Bank (3.41 pc) and HDFC Bank 2.79 per cent lower at 43,378.40. Hong Kong's benchmark Hang stock market.
India's direct tax
‘Coal production to touch Struggling to convey measure of collections leap
1 bn tonne for first time’ risks to investors: Sebi member 160% over 9 yrs
IANS / New Delhi
PTI / Bhopal INFORMIST / Mumbai Narayan cautioned investors
regarding new complex instru- The country's net direct tax
Union Minister for Coal and
Mines Pralhad Joshi on Tuesday
The Securities and Exchange
Board of India is struggling to
ments coming into the securities
market at a brisk pace. "If you
collections have increased by 160.52
per cent from Rs 6,38,596 crore in
said for the first time, the coun- convey the measure of risk and don’t understand something, 2013-14 to Rs 16,63,686 crore in
try's coal production is going to volatility to investors and market don't invest in it," he said. 2022-23, according to consolidated
cross 1 billion tonne. participants, its whole time The SEBI member said the time-series data released by the
India is going to stop the im- member Ananth Narayan G said market regulator has been push- Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT)
port of substitutable coal from coal from next year," Joshi said. today. The SEBI member was Much more needs to be done ing for investment infrastructure on Tuesday.
next year, Joshi said at the second According to him, like petrole- speaking at a retirement plan- to educate investors in areas trusts and real estate investment The gross direct tax collections of
State Mining Ministers' Confer- um and natural gas, the mining ning event organised by Outlook of investment risks and trusts as investment avenues for Rs 19,72,248 crore in 2022-23 have
ence here. ministry is also very important Money in Mumbai. investors. However, investors registered an increase of over
The union minister said there for the country's economy to Narayan said that much more
market volatility. Investors must be conscious of the fact that 173.31 per cent compared to the
are going to be many difficulties grow and become the third needs to be done to educate in- have done a good job these, like any new instrument, corresponding figure of. 7,21,604
in the coming days as the country largest in the world. vestors in areas of investment understanding returns, but carry risks. crore in 2013-14. The direct taxes
will have to do gasification of Further, he said that the min- risks and market volatility. In- they "have not done a good The Nifty 50’s volatility has include personal income tax and
coal. "Along with these things ing revenue of Odisha was Rs vestors have done a good job un- job" in understanding risks, been 17% in the past seven years, corporate tax. The direct tax to GDP
(difficulties), as far as coal is con-
cerned, this time we are going to
5,000 crore in 2013-14 and after the
auction was resumed in 2018, it
derstanding returns, but they
"have not done a good job" in un- says Ananth Narayan G.
Narayan said. But in individual
stocks it can be above 25-30%.
ratio has gone up from 5.62 per cent
in 2013-14 to 6.11 per cent in 2022-
cross production of one billion went up to Rs 25,000 crore. derstanding risks, he said. "We don’t measure gyrations in 23. Meanwhile, the number of tax
tonnes. This is happening for the When the Centre liberalised The SEBI member said that as scribed was a good one. However, the market as much as we payers filing income tax returns has
first time... I am assuring the the policies and clearances, the far as mutual funds were con- it needed to be communicated should," he said. Investors need more than doubled to 7.78 crore in
country that we are going to stop revenue went up to Rs 49,000 cerned, the "riskometer" indica- better to investors by fund dis- to know clearly how much the past 10 years, as per
the import of all substitutable crore in 2022-23, he added. tor that the regulator had pre- tributors and agents, he added. volatility they can handle. government data.
Govt may announce KPMG PVT ENTERPRISE'S 'VENTURE PULSE' REPORT
India Inc confident of achieving $5 tn
steps to promote, make Global VC investments sink in
2023, India still a bright spot economy: Deloitte pre-budget survey
NPS more attractive
PTI / New Delhi
The government may make the AINS / New Delhi
PTI / New Delhi
India could be $5 tn
National Pension System (NPS) more India Inc is confident of achiev- economy by 2025: Puri
attractive by extending tax Global VC investment sank to ing USD 5 trillion economy with
concessions on contributions and $344 billion across 37,808 deals in the central government's support The Indian economy is poised to
withdrawals especially for senior 2023 from $531.4 billion across in infrastructure investments, touch USD 5 trillion next financial
citizens above 75 years. 51,894 deals in 2022 amid geopolit- additional reforms, and year - 2024-25 - and capitalise to
Pension fund regulator PFRDA has ical, macro-economic and other enhanced technology adoption, double to USD 10 trillion by the
sought "parity" with Employees' challenges like high interest rates according to a CXO survey by De- cent) anticipate high growth. end of this decade, said Union
Provident Fund Office (EPFO) on the and inflation, a parched exit envi- The Asia-Pacific region also loitte Touche Tohmatsu India "Government initiatives, in- Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri.
taxation front for contributions by ronment, and ongoing concerns saw quite a slump, with invest- LLP. creased trade collaborations, low- At present, the Indian economy is
employers and some announcements related to startup valuations. ment falling to $18.8 billion in Q4 Stating that business leaders ering of logistics cost, and poli- estimated to be about USD 3.7
in this regard are expected to be The Americas accounted for - the lowest level since Q1 2017, anticipate strong economic cies to increase industrial pro- trillion. We are the fifth-largest
made in the interim Budget. more than half of VC investment said the report. "The Indian econ- growth for the next fiscal year, duction (such as intelligent au- economy and the fourth-largest
FM Nirmala Sitharaman is
expected to present the interim
this year ($183.6 billion), while the
Asia-Pacific region attracted $92.4
omy is quite strong -- capital mar-
kets at an all-time high,
Deloitte in a statement said about
50 per cent of India Inc reflects
tomation in manufacturing and
increased investment towards
stock market... I think that in the
next 1-2 years, we will not only be
Budget on February 1. At present, billion, and Europe $62.3 billion, favourable demographics, strong optimism about the country post- sustainable technologies), will the fourth-largest economy but we
there is a disparity in the employers' according to the KPMG Private GDP and a stable and active cen- ing above 6.5 per cent growth in further this momentum. Chang- will go further ahead," Puri told
contributions in building corpus for Enterprise's 'Venture Pulse' re- tral government. However, the FY25. ing consumer preferences and ANI on Tuesday. "I was somewhere
the employees, wherein contributions port. The fourth quarter (Q4) of VC investments in the last few Amongst industry sectors, au- strong demand in tier-2 and tier-3 told that we would be a USD 5
up to 10 per cent of basic salary and 2023 was a particularly soft quar- quarters have been muted as tomotive (50 per cent), consumers cities are other factors aiding this trillion economy by 2028. I told
dearness allowances by a corporate ter for the VC market, with global compared to quarters before," and retail (66 per cent), technolo- outlook," it said. him that there is no need to wait
are exempt from tax for NPS investment falling to $74.9 billion said Nitish Poddar, Partner and gy, media, and telecommunica- Deloitte said India is poised to until 2028; it will happen by 2024-
contributions, while the same is 12 across 7,572 deals - the lowest lev- National Leader, Private Equity, tion (47 per cent) and energy, re- fortify its position as a global hub 25. We will then be a 10 trillion
per cent in the case of EPFO. els since Q3 2016, respectively. KPMG in India. sources and industrials (44 per for innovation and research. dollar economy by 2030," said Puri.
Govt to achieve 5.4% fiscal deficit ‘Global corporations at WEF view India Gilts end marginally
higher as US yields
target in FY25, says ANZ Research as attractive investment destination’ recover post
INFORMIST / Mumbai spending cuts that played an im- PTI / New Delhi level officials.
portant role in development in re- "At WEF, India's investment overnight fall
With India's growth expected to cent years," ANZ Research said in India was viewed favourably by landscape was being viewed
slow down in 2024-25 (Apr-Mar), its report on Budget expectations. major global corporations attend- favourably," he said. INFORMIST / Mumbai
hasty fiscal consolidation by the While the fiscal deficit target ing the recently concluded World Singh added that some of the
government next year is more of 5.4% of GDP in 2024-25 is not as Economic Forum (WEF) meet at global companies at Davos pro- Prices of government bonds end-
likely to harm than help, ANZ Re- optimal as a consolidation of 70 Davos (Switzerland), a top gov- vided feedback on the implemen- ed off highs as US Treasury yields
search said in a report. Fiscal basis points needed to reach the ernment official has said. tation of a risk-based regulatory recovered after the overnight fall,
consolidation should be on the target of 4.5% by 2025-26, it is Secretary in the Department regime surveillance, aimed at en- dealers said. Traders speculated
back of enhanced revenue and more credible given the expecta- for Promotion of Industry and In- hancing the operational efficien- buying from state-owned banks
not expenditure cuts, it said. As
such, economists at ANZ expect
tion of 10.7% nominal GDP
growth during the year, the
ternal Trade (DPIIT) Rajesh Ku-
mar Singh, who was part of the porations, with an observable
cy of large multinational corpo-
rations with diverse business op-
and private banks kept bond
prices afloat in the latter half of
the Interim Budget for 2024-25 to report said. Indian delegation to WEF, also trend of expansive visions for erations. the day.
set the fiscal deficit target at 5.4% Under the fiscal consolidation said that he met several CEOs at growth in India," Singh told PTI. The government has taken a US yields rose as market
of GDP. roadmap, the government has to Davos and discussed ways to fa- He met Martin Lundstedt, series of measures over the years
"We think India’s ambitions to lower the fiscal deficit to 4.5% of cilitate investments in the coun- President and Chief Executive such as easing FDI norms in cer- participants awaited the
lower its fiscal deficit should re- GDP by 2025-26. The government try. Officer of Volvo; Gernot Doellner, tain sectors, reducing fourth quarter GDP
flect in creating greater fiscal ca- is targeting a fiscal deficit of 5.9% "During the WEF, there was a Chairman and CEO, Audi; and compliance burden and improv-
pacity by mobilising revenue in- of GDP this year, from 6.4% in distinct uptick in the investment Darrell Brown, President and ing ease of doing business to at- growth figure for the US,
stead of undertaking large 2022-23. sentiment regarding major cor- CEO, Ecolab; among other high- tract foreign investments. due on Thursday
MINISTER OF ELECTRONICS AND IT RAJEEV CHANDRASEKHAR SAYS The 10-year benchmark 7.18%,
2033 bond closed at 100.03 rupees,

to reduce costs
TikTok has joined the Big Tech layoffs,
asking a certain number of employees to
go to reduce costs. The job cuts
happened mostly in the sales and
advertising division, according to a
company spokesperson.
Utkarsh SFB unveils 4 new
banking outlets in Maha
Utkarsh Small Finance Bank Limited
(USFBL), on Tuesday announced the
inauguration of its 4 new banking
outlets, including one at Vile Parle in
Mumbai, Maharashtra. With this launch,
the Bank has reached 74 branches in the
state of Maharashtra and 883 in the
country spread across 26 States and
Union Territories. —Agencies
Meity to seek cabinet nod for India AI program entailing `10K cr investments
PTI / New Delhi
The Ministry of Electronics and IT
(Meity) will seek cabinet approval for the
India AI program, which includes the set-
ting up of GPU-based servers in public-pri-
vate partnership mode with an outlay of
over Rs 10,000 crore, Minister of Electron-
ics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said on
Tuesday.
Working groups formed by the govern-
ment on Artificial Intelligence (AI) on Fri-
day recommended setting up a three-tier
compute infrastructure comprising 24,500
Graphics Processing Units (GPUs).
"India AI program is worth over Rs
10,000 crore. It (the proposal) will be taken
with cabinet for approval,"
Chandrasekhar said on the sidelines of
the inauguration of a semiconductor-fo-
cussed software company Synopsys.
The minister said the AI program will
be based on public-private partnership un-
der which computer infrastructure capac-
ity will be built both in private data centres
as well as in data centres that are run by
public firm CDAC.
The demand for GPU-based servers has
increased as it can process data at higher
speed compared to CPU-based servers.
At present, the US and China lead in
computing infrastructure required for the
development of AI technology.
According to Top 500 website, top per-
forming supercomputers are located in the
US, Europe, Japan, China, South Korea,
and Saudi Arabia where purchasing
power parity is high. As per the Top 500 list
issued in November 2022, China had 162
supercomputers, followed by the US with
127, while India has three.
According to industry estimates,
NVIDIA dominates the GPU market with
about 88 per cent market share and there is
a lag of 12-18 months in getting GPUs from
the company due to its high demand
across the globe.
The AI working groups have recom-
mended setting up best-in-class AI com-
pute infrastructure at five locations with
3,000 AI Petaflops computing power, with
15 times more capacity than the highest ca-
pacity installed at present.
The groups have recommended setting
up an Inference Farm (2,500 AI PF) and
Edge Compute (500 AI PF) systems.
The government has already spent Rs
1,218.14 crore in the last eight years to set
up 24 PetaFlops compute capacity under
the National Supercomputing Mission.
or 7.18% yield, compared with
100.00 rupees, or 7.18% yield, on
Friday. Money markets were shut
on Monday.
The 10-year US Treasury yield
rose to 4.13% from the day's low of
4.09%, which had spurred India's
gilt prices higher. A rise in US
yields narrows the interest rate
differential between the safe-
haven asset and emerging market
debt, making the latter less ap-
pealing to foreign investors.
US yields rose as market partic-
ipants awaited the fourth quarter
GDP growth figure for the US, due
Thursday, followed by the US com-
merce department's closely
watched personal consumption
expenditures price index for De-
cember, due Friday.
 BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024 MONEY
BIZ BULLETIN
Mahanagar Gas Q3 PAT
rises 84.3% to `3.17 bn Axis Bank Q3 PAT rises to `6,071 cr; Local stores vs online giants:
Who's winning the battle?
flags concerns on deposit growth
Mahanagar Gas Ltd's net profit for the

December quarter surged 84.3% year-on-
year but fell 6.3% sequentially to 3.17
bln rupees. Revenue from operations--net
of excise duty--for the quarter fell 6.1%
on year and fell 0.1% sequentially to
15.69 bln rupees. The company's other
income rose to 480.7 mln rupees from
322.5 mln rupees a year ago.
Karnataka Bank Q3 PAT
rises 10% to `331 crore
Private sector lender Karnataka Bank on
Tuesday reported a 10 per cent rise in
net profit to Rs 331 crore for the third
quarter ended December 2023. The bank
had earned a net profit of Rs 301 crore
in the October-December quarter of
2022. The total income increased to Rs
2,439 crore in the third quarter of the
current fiscal compared to Rs 2,055 crore
in the year-ago period.
Tata Elxsi Q3 PAT rises
3.1% QoQ to `2.06 bn
Tata Elxsi Ltd's net profit for the
December quarter rose 3.1%
sequentially to 2.06 bln rupees. Revenue
from operations for the quarter rose
3.7% to 9.14 bln rupees. On a year-on-
year basis, the net profit rose 6% and
PTI / Mumbai
Axis Bank on Tuesday reported a 4.91 per cent
growth in its consolidated net profit to Rs
6,491.66 crore, dragged down by higher operat-
ing expenses.
On a standalone basis, the third largest pri-
vate sector lender's net profit for the October-
December period grew less than 4 per cent at
Rs 6,071 crore.
Its core net interest income grew 9 per cent
to Rs 18,087 crore, while non-interest income
was up 22 per cent to Rs 5,555 crore.
The total assets grew 14 per cent, while the
net interest margin narrowed to 4.01 per cent
from 4.26 per cent in the year-ago period, and
4.11 per cent in the preceding quarter.
Its Chief Financial Officer Puneet Sharma
said the bank aspires to maintain the cushion
it has generated on the Net Interest Margin
(NIM) front, where they aspire for the number
to be above 3.8 per cent from a structural per-
spective.
REC PAT rises 13.5% to Byju's operational loss
The overall operating expenses grew 32 per
cent to Rs 8,946 crore during the quarter, driv-
en largely by non-staff spends, and the bank
management said these are investments being
done for the future.
The bank's credit-to-deposit ratio went up to
a high 92 per cent during the quarter, despite
an overall deposit growth of 18 per cent, and
Sharma clarified that the Reserve Bank of In-
dia (RBI) has not prescribed any level for the
ratio. He said in the future, the bank fears that
the deposit growth will put a "constraint" on
the loan growth, but added that he is confident
of the loan growth and deposit growth num-
bers converging. It is a "war for deposits", a
bank executive told reporters.
The cost of deposits will continue to grow,
he said, adding that there will be a spill-over of
the hikes into the first quarter of the next fis-
cal. In the reporting quarter, the bank seems
to have had to resort to booking bulk deposits,
as the non-retail term deposits were up 12 per
cent quarter-on-quarter.
The bank has a Rs 207 crore investments in
Alternative Investment Funds (AIFs)and had
to take a 100 per cent provision on it as per the
RBI mandate, Sharma said.
T
he rise of e-commerce giants
such as Amazon and Flipkart,
alongside the emergence of
Direct-to-Consumer (D2C) brands,
led many to believe that traditional
brick-and-mortar companies were
facing unprecedented challenges.
The prevailing sentiment was that
the future belonged exclusively to like Zudio, Pantaloons, D-Mart,
online platforms. However, a closer
examination reveals a more
Reliance Trends, and others are not
only surviving but thriving. Sales
nuanced reality. In this article, we growth for these retail chains has
aim to explore whether the e- been impressive in recent years,
commerce revolution is genuinely with expansion plans in full swing.
disrupting traditional retail According to analysts at Motilal
businesses and what implications Oswal, Trent Limited is expected to
this holds for investors. surpass Rs 10,000 crore in sales
within the next year, growing at a
What’s Happening? CAGR of approximately 31% for
A decade ago, tech VC investor the foreseeable future. Similarly,
Marc Andreessen boldly said, the D-Mart chain continues to
“Retail guys are going out of attract investors due to its
business, and e-commerce will remarkable and consistent sales
become the place everyone buys.
You are not going to have a
growth. While these traditional
brands have a limited online
choice. I'd bet on the pure plays in presence, it is noteworthy that this
e-commerce. Software eats retail”. segment forms only a fraction of
However, the current landscape their total sales.
presents a contradiction.
What’s in it for Investors?
Renowned D2C brands are not
only maintaining an online
presence but are also establishing
The coexistence of online and
traditional retail models implies

`3,308.42 crore in Q3 widens to `6,679 crore

revenue rose 11.8%.
Pidilite Ind Q3 profit
rises 66% to `510.9 crore
Pidilite Industries on Tuesday posted a
66 per cent jump in its consolidated net
profit at Rs 510.92 crore in the
December 2023 quarter. The company's
net profit stood at Rs 307.74 crore in the
year-ago period, according to a
regulatory filing.
JSW Energy jumps 28%
to `231 crore in Q3
JSW Energy on Tuesday reported over 28
per cent rise in its consolidated net profit
to Rs 231 crore in the December 2023
quarter on the back of higher revenues.
"Profit After Tax for the quarter (October-
December 2023) increased by 28 per
cent YoY to Rs 231 crore, compared to
Rs 180 crore in the corresponding period
of the previous year.
BigBloc Construction
posts higher profit in Q3
BigBloc Construction Ltd on Tuesday
reported a 12 per cent rise in consolidated
net profit at Rs 8.6 crore for the quarter
ended December 2023. The company
had posted consolidated net profit of Rs
7.7 crore in the year-ago period. The
consolidated revenue in the third quarter
increased to Rs 61.5 crore over Rs 49.5
crore in the year-ago period, it said.
PTI / New Delhi
State-owned REC Ltd on Tuesday
posted about 13.5 per cent rise in
its consolidated net profit to Rs
3,308.42 crore for the December
2023 quarter, mainly on the back
of higher revenues.
Its consolidated net profit was
Rs 2,915.33 crore in the quarter
ended December 2022, a BSE fil-
ing showed. The total income
rose to Rs 12,071.54 crore in the
quarter from Rs 9,795.47 crore in
the same period a year ago.
The board, in its meeting on
Tuesday, also approved the incor-
poration of a project-specific spe-
cial purpose vehicle as a wholly-
owned subsidiary of REC Power
Development & Consultancy
Limited (a wholly-owned sub-
sidiary of REC Ltd) for the selec-
tion of a successful bidder as
Transmission Service Provider
(TSP) for Eastern Region Expan-
sion Scheme- XXXIX project allo-
cated by the Ministry of Power
through tariff based competitive
bidding process.
Besides, it also approved the
sale and transfer of the entire
shareholding of six subsidiaries
(power transmission projects),
presently held by REC Power De-
velopment and Consultancy Lim-
ited (RECPDCL) to the successful
bidders selected through a tariff-
based competitive bidding
process. RECPDCL is a nodal
agency for conducting tariff-
based bidding of power trans-
mission projects in the country.
These six projects are Dhule
Power Transmission Ltd, Bidar
Transmission Ltd, Siker Khetri
Transmission Ltd, Pachora Pow-
er Transmission Ltd, Karera
Power Transmission Ltd and Is-
hanagar Power Transmission
Ltd. An official statement said
that owing to the improving asset
quality, increase in lending rates
and effective management of fi-
nancing cost, REC is able to
record its highest-ever nine-
month (April to December) profit
of Rs 10,003 crore.
PTI / New Delhi
Edtech major Think and Learn,
operating under brand BYJU'S,
on Tuesday said its operational
loss widened to Rs 6,679 crore in
FY22, mainly due to losses in-
curred by subsidiaries White Hat
Jr and Osmo.
Think and Learn posted an op-
erational loss (EBITDA) of Rs
4,143 crore in FY 2021, the compa-
ny said in a regulatory filing.
Its revenue more than doubled
to Rs 5,298.43 crore in FY22 from
Rs 2,428.39 crore in FY21.
"Underperforming assets were
primarily White Hat Jr (WHJ)
and OSMO (Tangible Play),
which amounts to 45 per cent of
the losses at around Rs 3,800
crore," BYJU'S said.
Excluding WHJ and Palo Alto-
Airtel prepays
`8,325 cr to clear
deferred liabilities
for spectrum
acquired in 2015
PTI / New Delhi
Its revenue more than
doubled to `5,298.43
crore in FY22 from
`2,428.39 crore in FY21
based edtech start-up OSMO,
BYJU'S recorded three-fold
growth year-on-year in its total
income in FY22.
BYJU'S subsidiaries Aakash
and Great Learning grew 40 per
cent and 77 per cent, respectively,
immediately after the acquisi-
tion.
Aakash revenue increased by
40 per cent to Rs 1,491 crore in
FY22 from Rs 1,065 crore in FY21.
Great Learning posted an 80
per cent rise in revenue to Rs 628
crore in FY22 against Rs 354
crore in the preceding fiscal.
ONGC gets govt nod for green energy, gas unit
PTI / New Delhi
State-owned Oil and Natural Gas
Corporation (ONGC) will set up a
new unit to house its gas
business and clean energy proj-
ects such as green hydrogen, as it
looks to fast-track foray into new
areas.
physical stores.
Return to Physical Retail
While online channels provide easy
access to India's vast population of
1.44 billion, many brands are
revisiting the traditional brick-and-
mortar model. Several factors
contribute to this shift. Firstly, the
income distribution in India, as per
a Goldman Sachs report titled
‘Affluent India’, indicates that only
6 crore Indians earn an annual
income exceeding Rs 8.3 lakhs,
making it crucial for brands to tap
into the remaining population
strategically.
The Resilience of
Traditional Retail
Contrary to predictions, well-
established brick-and-mortar stores
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.
ONGC board approves
formation of JV with
that investors should not dismiss
one in favour of the other. For
investors eyeing online-only
brands, the focus should be on
their journey toward sustainable
profitability. Metrics such as
Average Order Values (AOVs),
repeat customer visits, and
Customer Acquisition Costs (CACs)
are pivotal considerations.
On the other hand, traditional
retail investments should be
assessed based on the consistency
of sales growth and industry-
leading profit margins.
In conclusion, opportunities
abound in both the evolving e-
commerce landscape and the
resilient traditional retail sector.
Investors stand to gain by
navigating the intricacies of these
diverse business models.
newable energy (solar, wind and
hybrid), biofuels/ biogas busi-
ness and LNG, ONGC said.
ONGC plans to spend Rs 1 lakh
crore on installing 10 GW of re-
newable energy capacity, and set-
ting up two million tonnes of
green ammonia annual produc-
tion capacity by 2035 as part of its

Zee on the brink of facing multiple legal proceedings
IANS / New Delhi
Zee Entertainment Enterprises
(ZEEL) could see a hit from related
penalty/legal proceedings due to its
battle with Sony over the non-com-
pete fee, ongoing legal proceedings
by various creditors of the Essel
Group (Axis Finance, IDBI Bank
etc.), and dishonouring of contract
with Disney, Elara Securities said
in a report.
"Zee had signed a contract with
Disney for sub franchise of sports
rights (ICC tournaments) in linear
TV. We had estimated related annu-
al losses of Rs 15.2bn in FY25E and
beyond, given hefty content cost,
lower sports ad revenue and cricket
content being available free on
OTT," the report said.
Zee may now not fulfil this com-
ACME Group inks pact to supply green ammonia to Japanese firm IHI Corp
PTI / New Delhi
Indian renewable energy firm
ACME Group has signed an agree-
ment with Japanese heavy indus-
try major IHI Corporation to sup-
ply green ammonia to Japan.
The term sheet was signed by
Acme Group founder and Chair-
man Manoj Upadhyay and IHI
Corporation president and CEO
Hiroshi Ide in the presence of
Union Minister for Power and
New & Renewable Energy RK
mitment (cash balance of mere Rs
6bn, versus potential contractual
obligation of Rs 40bn per year) as it
was entered into given its strategic-
synergistic contiguity with the Zee-
Sony merger.
Zee may see a sharp de-rating in
P/E valuation of its broadcasting
business to at least 10x one-year for-
ward or lower, due to the unfinished
merger, as: linear TV growth has
converged sharply, Zee may not
have any potential to scale-up OTT
Singh and Ambassador of Japan
to India Hiroshi Suzuki, the min-
istry said a statement.
ACME Group, a leading renew-
able energy company in India, and
IHI Corporation, a Japanese inte-
grated heavy industry group,
signed an offtake term sheet for
the supply of green ammonia
from Odisha, India, to Japan, ac-
cording to the statement.
The term sheet between IHI and
Acme covers the supply of 0.4
MMTPA (million metric tons per
offering in a highly-fragmented
market, lower profitability - EBIT-
DA margin, ex-sports losses, could
converge to 14 per cent and any fur-
ther write-offs on the inventory side
or matters pertaining to related
parties' creditors or not honouring
the sports contract with Disney
(ICC tournaments - Z could have po-
tentially paid half of the $3bn value
for TV rights).
Merger with Sony was the key
valuation driver to move up in the
past two years, the report said.
Meanwhile, shares of ZEEL
nosedived up to 33 per cent on Tues-
day after Sony called off the pro-
posed merger of its India unit with
the media group. The market capi-
talisation of the company, tumbled
by Rs 7,285.53 crore to Rs 14,974.50
crore on the BSE.
annum) of green ammonia from
Phase-1 of the Odisha project in
Gopalpur on a long-term basis.
Bharti Airtel has prepaid Rs
8,325 crore to the Department of
Telecom towards part prepay-
ment of the deferred liabilities
pertaining to spectrum
acquired in the 2015 auction, the
company said on Tuesday.
Bharti Airtel won spectrum
worth Rs 29,129.08 crore in the
auctions that were held in
March 2015.
The company had paid Rs
11,374.7 crore, while the upfront
amount due was Rs 7,832.20
crore.
"Bharti Airtel has prepaid Rs
8,325 crores to the Department
of Telecom (Government of In-
dia) towards part prepayment of
the deferred liabilities pertain-
ing to spectrum acquired in the
auction of the year 2015, which
were at an interest cost of 10 per
cent," the company said in a
statement.
Both companies wish to partner
across the value chain, starting
from production to logistics, sup-
ply to the Japanese customers and
create a market for green ammo-
nia for use in a range of applica-
tions in power generation and var-
ious industrial uses in Japan to re-
duce the overall emissions.
Speaking on the occasion, Singh
said this is one of the first and
largest agreements in the world in
the field of green hydrogen and
green ammonia.
In a stock exchange filing, the
firm said it last month received
approval of the Ministry of Pe-
troleum and Natural Gas for for-
mation of a wholly-owned sub-
sidiary company for gas business
and clean energy projects.
"The proposed name of the
company is 'ONGC Green Limit-
ed' subject to approval of the
Ministry of Corporate Affairs,
Government of India," it said,
China weighs stock mkt rescue
package backed by $278 billion
FPJ BUREAU / Mumbai
Chinese authorities are consider-
ing a package of measures to sta-
bilise a slumping stock market,
Bloomberg News reported on
Tuesday, citing people familiar
with the matter. After earlier at-
tempts to restore investor confi-
dence fell short and prompted
Premier Li Qiang to call for
“forceful" steps, the report said.
Policymakers are seeking to
mobilise about 2 trillion yuan
($278 billion), mainly from the
offshore accounts of Chinese
state-owned enterprises, as part
of a stabilisation fund to buy
shares onshore through the
Hong Kong exchange link, the re-
port said, citing people familiar
with the matter. They have also
earmarked at least 300 billion
yuan of local funds to invest in
NTPC Green Energy Ltd
adding the company board at its
meeting on Tuesday approved
the formation of the wholly-
owned subsidiary for green ener-
gy and gas business.
The wholly-owned subsidiary
company will be for value-chains
of energy business such as green
hydrogen, hydrogen blending, re-
onshore shares through China
Securities Finance Corp. or Cen-
tral Huijin Investment Ltd.
Officials are also weighing oth-
er options and may announce
some of them as soon as this
week if approved by the top lead-
ership. The plans are still subject
to change. The China Securities
Regulatory Commission didn’t
respond to a request for com-
ment, the people told Bloomberg.
The deliberations underscore
the elevated level of sense of ur-
gency among Chinese
authorities to stem a selloff that
sent the benchmark CSI 300
Index to a five-year low this week.
Calming the nation’s retail in-
vestors, many of whom have
been bruised by the protracted
property downturn, is also seen
as key to maintaining social
stability.
decarbonisation strategy.
ONGC had in February 2021
proposed a separate unit for im-
porting LNG and trading in gas.
In the filing, the company also
stated that its board has accorded
in-principle approval for forma-
tion of a joint venture company
either directly or through an af-
filiate with NTPC Green Energy
Ltd (a wholly-owned subsidiary
of NTPC Ltd).
Cement industry
to add 150-160 MT
capacity by FY28
PTI / Mumbai
To cash in on rising demand from
infrastructure and housing sectors,
the cement industry is on course to
add capacity by 150-160 million
tonnes from FY25 to FY28, a Crisil
Ratings report said on Tuesday. In
the past five fiscals, the industry has
added capacity by 119 million
tonnes (MT) per annum to reach a
total of 595 MT now, according to
the report. The capacity addition is
for the purpose of meeting the rising
demand as well as to consolidate
market share in a highly fragmented
and competitive industry, the report
added. Cement demand grew 8 per
cent in fiscal 2022 and 12 per cent
in FY23. As much as 70-75 MT
capacity addition is expected to be
commissioned in next fiscal, with 50-
55 per cent concentrated in the
eastern and central regions.

Mahindra Logistics
to invest `170 crore
on warehousing
facility in Phaltan
PTI / New Delhi
Mahindra Logistics Limited (MLL) on
Tuesday announced the construction of its
warehousing facility in Phaltan, near Pune
with an investment of Rs 170 crore.
Spread over 6.5 lakh square feet (sq ft),
the new facility will be developed in two
phases. The first phase, comprising 3.5
lakh sq ft, is scheduled to be operational
by the end of 2024, the company said in
a statement.
The company and its partners are set to
invest Rs 170 crore across multiple phases
for the development of the new facility
and related infrastructure. "To enhance our
capabilities and meet the rising demand,
we are expanding our multi-client
warehousing network across India. Our
latest facility in Phaltan is strategically
located to augment the overall business
ecosystem for our valued clientele in the
region," said Rampraveen Swaminathan,
Managing Director and Chief Executive
Officer, Mahindra Logistics Ltd (MLL).
Maruti Suzuki introduces ‘Rock Japan Festival held at World
N’ Road SUV Experiences’ Trade Centre on Jan 20-21
Get ready to rev up
your engines as
Maruti Suzuki India
Limited (MSIL)
launches ‘ROCK N
ROAD SUV
Experiences’ – a
range of experiential
and competitive drive
events, designed to
revolutionize the
Maruti Suzuki SUV
ownership
experience. As an extension of the
company’s commitment to
delivering unforgettable experiences,
‘Maruti Suzuki ROCK N ROAD SUV
Experiences’ aims to meet and
exceed the evolving aspirations of
SUV enthusiasts who seek more
than just the functional aspects.
‘ROCK N ROAD SUV Experiences’
will offer multiple opportunities for
customers to connect with their
vehicles beyond the ordinary and
fuel them with the spirit of
adventure. Shashank Srivastava,
Senior Executive Officer, Marketing &
Sales, Maruti Suzuki India Limited
said, “With the ‘ROCK N ROAD SUV
Experiences’, we aim to unlock new
dimensions in SUV ownership by
offering our customers engaging
and exhilarating experiences. We
understand that SUV owners seek
thrill, adventure, and a connect with
their vehicles that goes beyond the
everyday commute. The ‘ROCK N
ROAD SUV Experiences’ is carefully
curated to fulfil these aspirations by
enabling them to embrace the thrill
and capability that comes with a
Maruti Suzuki SUV.”
HPCL shines with three
prestigious SCOPE Awards
The year 2024
marks the 70th
Anniversary of the
The Indo Japanese
Association
Mumbai. To
celebrate this
momentous year,
The Indo Japanese
Association Mumbai
organized two days
Japan cultural
Festival on 20th and
21st January 2024,
at the World Trade Centre. Consul This is one of the biggest festival
General of Japan Dr. Yasukata conducted by IJA bringing Japanese
Fukahori was Chief guest along with culture, food and products closer to
special Invitees such as Mangal India. At the festival there were live In a momentous ceremony, Pushp HPCL's outstanding achievements
Prabhat Lodha (Minister of performances by Japanese Kumar Joshi, HPCL’s esteemed in various domains. The
Entrepreneurship and Skill performers such as Kathak dance by Chairman and Managing Director, distinguished awards bestowed
Development), Harshita Narvekar, Hiroko Sarah along with her musical and Ritwik Rath, Executive Director upon HPCL were:
MLA Colaba, Yoshiro Sato, Principal performance with Ibex, Violin (I/C) - ERP, on behalf of HPCL, SCOPE Eminence Award for Human
of Japanese School of Mumbai musical solo performance by Mika proudly received three coveted Resource Management,
Powai, Tatsumi Kondo Chairman- Nishimura as well as Folk tales of awards from the Vice President of SCOPE Eminence Award for Digital
Japanese Association of Mumbai, India-Japan by Anita Salim. Visitors. India, Jagdeep Dhankar. The Transformation and
Mehool N Bhuva, President of IJA came to see demonstrations of awards ceremony, organized by the SCOPE Meritorious Award for the
Mumbai along with Trustees of IJA various Japanese martial arts such Standing Conference of Public effective implementation of the RTI
Suresh Kotak and Shaunak Thacker. as Judo, Karate and Aikido. Enterprises (SCOPE), celebrated Act.
SPORTS BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
ENGLAND BATTERS ALSO NEED TO WATCH OUT FOR THE NON-TURNING BALL
Anticipating raging turners
After the loss in
the opening Test,
the Indian think
tank went for raging
turners in the next three
games in the 2021 series, and
got the desired results. R Ashwin
got the most wickets in that four-
match rubber with 28 scalps and
left-arm spinner Axar Patel more
than made up for Ravindra
Jadeja’s absence by running
through the England line-up in
his debut series, collecting 27
wickets in three games at a
staggering average of 10.59
NEW DELHI
The best of preparations
are not enough to counter
the rank turners in India
and over the course of the
upcoming five Tests, Eng-
land batters will also have
their task cut out while
dealing with the odd ball
that doesn’t spin, some-
thing that contributed to
their dramatic downfall in
their previous trip three
years ago.
While the clueless Eng-
land batters anticipated
every ball to turn square,
Axar got a major chunk of
his wickets by darting the
ball into the stumps, re-
sulting in 13 bowled and
lbw dismissals.The low
bounce on those pitches
also helped his cause as
the batters had no answer
to the skidding delivery.
The approach of the Eng-
land batters is expected to
be completely different in
the upcoming series, and
SIX INDIANS FEATURE IN SQUAD
Rohit captain of Men’s
ODI Team of the Year
DUBAI
India skipper Rohit Shar-
ma was named captain
with five other Indians
making the cut for ICC
Men’s ODI team of the
year released on Tuesday.
Joining Rohit in the ODI
team of the year are Shub-
man Gill, Virat Kohli, Mo-
hammad Siraj, Kuldeep Ya-
dav and Mohammad Sha-
mi, with Travis Head (Aus-
tralia), Daryl Mitchell
Shastri, Engineer honoured with Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award
HYDERABAD: Former India captain
and head coach Ravi Shastri said on
Tuesday that it was a touching mo-
ment for him to get bestowed with the
Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achieve-
ment Award.
In a glittering ceremony here, the
BCCI awarded a host of top men’s and
women’s performers from the 2019-20
season. Former India wicketkeeper
Farokh Engineer too was honoured
with the Lifetime Achievement
Award. Shastri was part of India’s
World Cup winning squad in 1983 and
was the Player of the Series when
they bagged the World Series in 1985.
LIST OF AWARDS
Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement
award: Ravi Shastri, Farokh Engineer (2019-20).
Polly Umrigar Award for Best Men’s
Cricketer of the Year: Shubman Gill (2022-23),
Jasprit Bumrah (2021-22), Ravichandran Ashwin
(2020-21), Mohammed Shami (2019-20).
Best International Cricketer, Women:
Deepti Sharma (2019-20, 2022-23), Smriti
Mandhana (2020-21, 2021-22).
Best International Debut, Men: Mayank
trust them to take
the attack to Ash-
win and Co. But
will that be
enough to negoti-
ate the non-turn-
ing ball? “It is go-
ing to be difficult against
our spinners, hope it is a
well contested series. I can
only advise the England
batters to play with a
straight bat,” said former
India skipper Dilip
WON’T BE ULTRA-ATTACKING: DRAVID
H
ead coach Rahul Dravid did
not see Indian batters reply-
ing to England’s ‘Bazball’ in
kind but he said they will not be
taking a backward step in the five-
match Test series beginning here
from Thursday.
Dravid said India will formulate
their game plans as per the situa-
tions that the match throws up at
them in the rubber.”I don’t think
we are going out there to try to be
ultra-attacking. I think we look to
(New Zealand), Heinrich
Klaasen (wk) (South
Africa), Marco Jansen
(South Africa), Adam Zam-
pa (Australia) also making
the cut.Rohit continued his
remarkable record in ODI
cricket with yet another
sensational year in 2023
with the bat as he amassed
a whopping 1255 runs at an
average of 52. He was at his
brilliant best throughout
much of the ICC Men’s
Cricket World Cup, with
Former Indian cricketers Ravi Shashtri, Farokh Engineer and Dilip Vengsarkar during
during the BCCI Annual Awards, in Hyderabad, Tuesday PTI
Agarwal (2019-20), Axar Patel (2020-21), Shreyas
Iyer (2021-22), Yashasvi Jaiswal (2022-23).
Best International Debut, Women: Priya
Punia (2019-20), Shafali Varma (2020-21), S
Meghna (2021-22), Amanjot Kaur (2022-23).
Dilip Sardesai Award (2022-23): Highest
Runs: Yashasvi Jaiswal; Highest Wickets: R
Ashwin.
Most Runs in ODIs - Women: Punam Raut
(2019-20), Mithali Raj (2020-21), Harmanpreet
Kaur (2021-22), Jemimah Rodrigues (2022-23).
Most Wickets in ODIs - Women: Poonam
Vengsarkar, who was a
master at playing spin.
A tight defence did won-
ders for Kevin Pietersen in
2012, the last time an away
team won a series in India,
but one is not sure if the
play what’s in front of us, what
the situation demands. But by
nature, if you look at our top
six-seven batsmen, there are
a lot of guys who are
naturally positive and look to
take the game on.
“So, they’re not go-
ing to be looking to
change that in any
particular way.
There’ll be some
different situa-
his magnificent knock of
131 against Afghanistan in
Delhi a clear highlight.
Gill established himself
as Rohit’s preferred part-
ner at the top of batting or-
der at the start of 2023
when he smashed a won-
derful 208 from just 149 de-
liveries against New
Zealand in Hyderabad.It
was one of five occasions
that Gill managed to reach
triple figures in 50-over in
2023 and no player finished
with more runs (1584) than
the star right-hander com-
piled during the calendar
year.
Kohli compiled yet anoth-
er consistent 12 months in
2023 and only teammate
Shubman Gill bettered his
total of 1377 runs during
the calendar year.The ex-
citing right-armer, Siraj,
collected a total of 44 wick-
ets during 2023, with his
most impressive perform-
ance coming in the final of
the Asia Cup as he single-
handedly destroyed Sri
Lanka’s strong batting
line-up.
Yadav (2019-20), Jhulan Goswami (2020-21),
Rajehwari Gayakwad (2021-22), Devika Vaidya
(2022-23).
Best Umpire in Domestic Cricket: KN
Ananthapadmanabhan (2019-20), Vrinda Rathi
(2020-21), J Madangopal (2021-22), Rohan
Pandit (2022-23).
Best performance in domestic
tournaments: Mumbai (2019-20).
Lala Amarnath Award: Best all-rounder in
domestic limited-over competitions: Baba
Aparajith (2019-20), Rishi Dhawan (2020-21,
State of affair in Pakistan cricket is really sad: Miandad
KARACHI: Batting great Javed Miandad has lamented the way cricket is being run in the country, saying
frequent appointments and changes in the Pakistan team has shaken the confidence of the players.”I have
not seen cricket governance anywhere in the world like we see in Pakistan and these state of affairs are
really sad,” Miandad told media during a ceremony held here to launch the Sindh Premier League.
Bumrah relishes upcoming
challenge against England
Rahul will not play as wicketkeeper
‘Bazball’ can fetch me
heaps of wickets
PACERS, ‘SMART’
R ahul Dravid said KL Rahul will not be keeping wickets in the five-
match Test series against England, and it will be a toss up between CAPTAINS
KS Bharat and Dhruv Jurel for the wicketkeeper-batter role.
Rahul had kept wickets in the two-match series against South Africa re- O n his thoughts about
captaining India, the
cently, and produced a rather nimble effort behind the stumps. “Rahul
will not be playing as a wicket-keeper in this series and we are clear about
36-year-old said: “I did one
game and it was the ut-
that in the selection itself. We have picked two other wicket-keepers most honour.” Drawing
and obviously Rahul did a fantastic job for us in South Africa and inspiration from Pat Cum-
really played a big part in helping us draw the series,” Dravid said. mins, who has excelled as
a seam-bowling captain
is to hit any ball, wherever turn, Axar probably sets for Australia, Bumrah is
it pitches, through the off the batter up for the non open to the idea of taking
side. I’d spend time in the turning delivery. I feel Eng- on the leadership mantle
nets just defending; it’s ac-
tually not negative to de-
land will have to go after
Axar.”If England meet ag-
in future.
fend. The ability to defend gression with aggression TEST CRICKET IS
gives you the confidence to they set the intensity. Try
be able to attack. to hit a few boundaries, a THE PINNACLE
“Defend; play straight
lines, don’t plant your
front foot; wait for the ball;
few reverse sweeps, it will
be interesting to see what
Axar does next.”His
D espite breaking into
the Indian team with
solid performances for
don’t play just with your record is phenomenal at HYDERABAD five-time IPL champions
hands. If you can do that
and you have the where-
home and he is yet to be
put under pressure. It will Jasprit Bumrah cannot
Mumbai Indians, Bumrah
considers Test cricket as
withal to be able to commit be good to see how he re- really relate to the term the king of formats. “I am
‘Bazball’-influ- to a solid defence and trust acts when the England bat- “Bazball” but the linchpin of that generation where
enced side will it, then it allows you to ters go after him,” said of India’s pace attack says Test cricket is king,” he
rely too much on loosen up,” that was Panesar. the much-hyped ultra-ag- said. “I will always judge
defense.”Getting Pietersen’s advice to gressive approach that myself on it. Yes I started
runs is just going Stokes’ men. Besides INDIA TRAINING England have pioneered with IPL but I learned to
to be a fluke with- Pietersen, another Eng- could end up working to bowl through first-class
out a defence,” lishman who plotted In- Indian players hit the his advantage and fetch cricket; that’s where I de-
Pietersen told dia’s downfall back then ground and sweated out him “heaps” of wickets in veloped my skill, the art
the Times re- was Monty Panesar, who, earnestly here on Tuesday the upcoming five-match of taking wickets. In Test
cently. “It’s about learning alongside Graeme Swann, despite the training ses- Test series. cricket you have to get the
not to commit yourself on got more out of the Indian sion being an optional England’s offensive batsman out and that chal-
to the front foot; about conditions than their one.All the squad mem- game-plan under coach lenges you as a bowler,” he
waiting to pick the length counterparts. “The Indian bers, except pacer Jasprit Brendon McCullum of asserted.
of the ball, so you are not spinners all complement Bumrah, attended the nets New Zealand and skipper Bumrah said Test
playing only with your each other well. Jadeja that lasted a little over two Ben Stokes will be up format eliminates the
hands.“To do that, the drill bowls quick, gets sharp hours. against a massive chal- luck factor to a large ex-
lenge when the side faces tent. “T20s, ODIs, some
India in a seven-week
tour. The series-opener is
slated to start here on
days you might send down
five slower balls and get
five guys out, when in a
tions in which we may need to not have much doubt that England Thursday.”I don’t really Test match they wouldn’t
look to push the game along would come hard at the hosts in the relate to the term have taken one. There is
or we might have to bat for series, and the head coach hoped Bazball,” Bumrah, who no luck in Test cricket, the
long periods.”But I can’t that his team would use the experi- boasts of 41 wickets in 10 better team wins, you can-
see any of my batsmen tak- ence in these conditions to respond Tests against England, not take 20 wickets
ing a backward step or positively to the challenge. “It’s told ‘The Guardian’ in an through luck,” he pointed
look to be defen- been exciting to watch them play interview. out.
sive,” Dravid said and you know they’ve had success “As a bowler, what I
in an interac- playing like that. They’ve done well think is that it keeps me ets). I always think about
tion here on in Pakistan. They’ve won in New in play. And if they’re go- how I can use things to my
Tuesday. Zealand and they had a really excit- ing for it, playing so fast, advantage. Kudos to them
However, ing series against Australia in the they won’t tire me out, I but, as a bowler, you’re in
Dravid did Ashes as well. could get heaps (of wick- the game,” he added.”
KEMAR ROACH WORDS OF WISDOM TO YOUNG SHAMAR JOSEPH
Build your own legacy
NEW DELHI
West Indies bowler
his own legacy,” Roach
said to ESPNcricinfo.
“Understand what you
Kemar Roach has of- want from cricket.
fered words of wis- That’s up to him to de-
dom to the young tal- termine, if it’s mone-
ent Shamar Joseph tary, or if it’s just stats
encouraging him to and statistics or what-
“build his own lega- ever. There’s going to
cy” in the red-ball be a lot of distrac-
cricket with growing tions… he’s a hot com-
ASHWIN, JADEJA NAMED IN franchise cricket.
Joseph announced
modity right now. So
he needs to choose
his arrival in the Test what he really wants
ICC TEST TEAM OF THE YEAR cricket in Adelaide
with a sensational de-
and what he thinks is
best for his career go-
DUBAI: Ace Indian spinners Ravichandran Ashwin but. His remarkable ing forward. So it’s up
and Ravindra Jadeja have been named in the ICC performance included to him, as a young
Men’s Team of the Year led by Australia skipper Pat a stunning first-ball man, but I definitely
Cummins released on Tuesday. dismissal of Steven give him that advice.”
Ashwin and Jadeja joined Usman Khawaja (Australia), Smith and a five-wick- “I had that when I
Dimuth Karunaratne (Sri Lanka), Kane Williamson et haul (5 for 94 ), not started. Jerome
(New Zealand), Joe Root (England), Travis Head (Aus- to mention his prom- Taylor, Daren Powell,
tralia), Ravindra Jadeja (India), Alex Carey (wk) (Aus- ising batting skills Fidel Edwards (were)
tralia), Mitchell Starc (Australia), Stuart Broad (Eng- that hinted at a some guys around to
land) in the Test Team of the Year.Ashwin was the lead- higher position than help me when I started
ing wicket-taker for India in the Border-Gavaskar series, his current No. 11 my career,” he said. “I
finishing with 25 wickets in four matches. In the very spot.Roach, with 80 Test caps to his name, took knowledge and learning from it. So
first Test, Ashwin bagged a five-for in the second innings acknowledged the distractions that suc- obviously for me now, it’s all about passing
to go with handy contributions with the bat in each in- cess can bring, especially for a rising star on the mantle now to the youngsters. He’s
nings. His all-round showing fetched him the Player of like Joseph. The senior figure in West In- got a very good career ahead of him. At
the Series. Despite the stellar showing, Ashwin did not dies’ bowling attack emphasized the im- this stage, he’s willing to learn. We have a
find a place in India’s XI for the WTC23 Final against the portance of understanding one’s goals in lot of conversations. So, I think once he
same opponent but made a mark on his comeback into cricket, whether it be financial rewards, keeps doing that, not just coming from me
the Test team with 12 wickets (5/60 and 7/71) in the first statistical achievements, or personal but anyone who he thinks can help him in
game against West Indies followed by fifty and three growth. his career, he can take a lot of knowledge
wickets in the next game. “The best advice I can give him is to build on board and become a better cricketer.”
MOHAMMAD AMIR BELIEVES
2021-22), Riyan Parag (2022-23).
Arshdeep can be India’s
Lala Amarnath Award: Best all-rounder in
Ranji Trophy: Manishankar Mura Singh (2019-
20), Shams Mulani (2021-22), Saransh Jain
dependable left-arm pacer
(2022-23). NEW DELHI: Former
Madhavrao Scindia Trophy: Highest run- Pakistan pacer Mo-
getter in Ranji Trophy: Rahul Dalal (2019-20), hammad Amir be-
Sarfaraz Khan (2021-22), Mayank Agarwal lieves that the emer-
(2022-23). gence of Arshdeep
Madhavrao Scindia Trophy: Highest wicket- Singh could bring an
taker in Ranji Trophy: Jaydev Unadkat (2019-20), end to India’s pro-
Shams Mulani (2021-22), Jalaj Saxena (2022-23). longed search for a re-
MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest wicket- liable left-arm pacer.
taker in U19 Cooch Behar Trophy: Harsh The Indian selectors
Dubey (2019-20), AR Nishad (2021-22), Manav have tried out several
Chothani (2022-23). left-arm pacers over
MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest run- the years. But the lack of a consistent been Mohammed Siraj. The way he
getter in U19 Cooch Behar Trophy: P. performer has not allowed the team to has improved in white-ball cricket, it’s
Kanpillewar (2019-20), Mayank Shandilya (2021- field a more versatile and well- a good sign for Indian cricket. The way
22), Danish Malewar (2022-23). rounded pace attack.”Arshdeep can be (Mohammed) Shami, (Jasprit)
MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest wicket- a very good left-arm pacer. India needs Bumrah are performing after injury.
taker in U23 Col Cok Nayudu Trophy: Ankush one who can consistently bowl at 135- “Indian cricket is growing every day.
Tyagi (2019-20), Harsh Dubey (2021-22), Vishal 140,” Amir said during a virtual media Their set-up, their leadership, whenev-
Jayswal (2022-23). interaction on the sidelines of the In- er they bring one youngster, they give
MA Chidambaram Trophy: Highest run- ternational League T20 in Dubai. full time, which is very good,” he
getter in U23 Col Cok Nayudu Trophy: Parth Amir acknowledged the impressive added. Amir praised the rotation poli-
Palawat (2019-20), YV Rathod (2021-22), Kshitij growth of Indian pacers, particularly cy adopted by the Indian team to keep
Patel (2022-23). Mohammed Siraj.”From last two- its pace bowlers fresh to meet the de-
three years, the most impressive has mands of international cricket.
Roshibina named female wushu sanda player of year
NEW DELHI: Two-time Asian Games medallist Naorem Roshibina Devi was on Tuesday named International
Wushu Federation’s (IWUF) female athlete of the year in sanda category after a month-long public voting.The
23-year-old Roshibina, who won a bronze and a silver in the 2018 and 2022 Asian Games, polled 93545 votes
to beat Shahrbano Mansouriyan Semiromi (88179) of Iran and Wu Xiaowei (46753) of China. INDORE / BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024
SPORTS
SPORTS DIGEST AUSTRALIAN OPEN INDONESIA MASTERS

Kiran George
Gauff to play Sabalenka in semis
Satwik-Chirag pair regains
world no. 1 ranking

enters main draw

MELBOURNE
The 19-year-old US Open winner overcame 51 unforced
Coco Gauff hopes she’s
got her “bad” match out errors, nine double-faults and had just 17 winners to
of the way at the Aus-
tralian Open before meet-
beat Marta Kostyuk 7-6 (6), 6-7 (3), 6-2 Tuesday in a
ing defending champion
Aryna Sabalenka in the
quarterfinal match that lasted three hours, eight minutes
semi-finals.
That long three-setter
NEW DELHI: Riding on a stellar show in the last two had a knock-on effect that
weeks, India’s Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty made for a light, but long
on Tuesday reclaimed the top spot in the BWF men’s night at Melbourne Park.
doubles rankings. The Asian Games champions reached It took Novak Djokovic 3
the world no. 1 ranking for a second time after successive & 3/4 hours to hold off
runner-up finishes in the Malaysia Open super 1000 and Taylor Fritz 7-6 (3), 4-6, 6-
India Open super 750 badminton tournaments.The Indian 2, 6-3 and reach the Aus-
duo had achieved its numero uno status for the first time tralian Open semi-finals
after claiming the historic gold medal at the 2022 Asian for the 11th time.The first
Games in Hangzhou last year.Satwik and Chirag, who had game took 16 minutes, the JAKARTA round matches. Against
entered the India Open as the world no 2, lost a tense first set lasted an hour Rhustavito, Kiran took
final against world champions Kang Min Hyuk and Seo and 24 minutes. In the India’s Kiran George pro- time to get off the groove as
Sang Jae here on Sunday. Among other Indians, HS end, top-ranked Djokovic duced a gritty show, notch- he recovered from a 0-3
Prannoy moved a place to reach world no 8, while extended his winning ing up two narrow wins in deficit to keep pace with his
Lakshya Sen, Kidambi Srikanth and Priyanshu Rajawat streak at Melbourne Park the men’s singles rival. He then took six
stayed at 19th, 25th and 30th spots respectively. to 33 matches, a tourna- qualifying round to make it straight points from 13-12 to
ment record he shares to the main draw of the In- pocket the first game.Rhus-
Madrid to start hosting with Monica Seles. donesia Masters Super 500 tavito came back strongly,
Sabalenka’s title badminton tournament jumping to 10-2 lead and
Formula One race in 2026 defence has been gather- here on Tuesday. kept his nose ahead to take
ing momentum and her 6- The 23-year-old from the match to the decider.
2, 6-3 win over No. 9-seed- Kochi, who has so far won The Indian, however, re-
ed Barbora Krejcikova two Super 100 titles at 2022 grouped and from 8-7, he
was her fifth straight-sets
victory in a row. Gauff has
Djokovic holds off Fritz to Odisha Open and 2023 Den-
mark Masters, showed
reeled off five points on the
trot to leave his opponent
won 12 consecutive match-
es in Grand Slams and is reach semis for 11th time great resolve as he eked out
a 21-17 12-21 21-15 win over
behind. In the second
match of the day, Kiran

N
two victories from win- ovak Djokovic held off Taylor Fritz 7-6 (3), 4- Indonesia’s Shesar Hiren slipped to 0-7 deficit and
ning back-to-back major 6, 6-2, 6-3 in 3 3/4 hours to reach the semi-fi- Rhustavito before defeating conceded the opening game
titles, but she had a close nals for the 11th time on Tuesday. When he France’s Alex Lanier 12-21 but he managed to take 8-5
MADRID: A Madrid Grand Prix will join the Formula call against first-time gets through the quarterfinals in Australia, 21-18 22-20 in the qualifying lead in the second.
One calendar from 2026 on a track that will include street quarterfinalist Kostyuk. Djokovic is unbeaten. The 24-time major champion
and non-street sections around the city’s exhibition “Today was definitely a has won all 10 semifinals he’s contested at Mel-
centre. F1 president Stefano Domenicali was in Madrid for
the official announcement on Tuesday of the multi-year
deal that will bring the series back to the Madrid region
C game,” Gauff said.
“Didn’t play my best ten-
nis, but really proud that I
bourne Park and all 10 finals. In his record-extend-
ing 48th Grand Slam semi-final, he’ll play No. 4-
seeded Jannik Sinner or No. 5 Andrey Rublev. Fritz
Dunlap grabs historic
more than 40 years after it last hosted F1.The Spanish
capital signed a contract with F1 until 2035. The city
announced a lavish ceremony at the exhibition
was able to get through.
Hopefully, got the bad
saved the first 15 break-points he faced, an un-
heard-of stat against one of the best returners ever. PGA Tour title
match out of the way and After Fritz held in the 11th game, Djokovic was ag- CALIFORNIA: The American Ex-
centre.Barcelona’s current contract with F1 ends in 2026. I can play even better.” itated and gesturing to get the attention of his sup- press tournament was
The Barcelona-Catalunya track has been hosting the Gauff ’s forehand was par- port team, calling for salts.But, after holding and sensationally won by 20-year-old
Spanish Grand Prix since 1991. ticularly vulnerable and taking the set to a tiebreaker, Djokovic finished a Nick Dunlap, who became the first
Kostyuk took full advan- 21-shot rally with a stunning backhand crosscourt amateur since 1991 to win a PGA
Pakistan hockey coach blamed poor tage, racing to 5-1 only to winner to get five set points. He put his finger to his TOUR tournament as he ground out
show her fragility with ear, nodded his head and blew a kiss toward a com- a 70 to edge South Africa’s Christi-
umpiring for loss against NZ two double faults to hand mentary box at the rear of the court. aan Bezuidenhout by a single stroke
KARACHI: Pakistan hockey team head coach Shahnaz back one of the with his 29-under winning total.
Sheikh has blamed “biased” and “poor” umpiring for the breaks.She recovered to but Gauff won it.The mis- was two points from vic- said she was pleased to Chinese Taipei’s Kevin Yu flirted
defeat against New Zealand in the FIH Olympic qualifiers save a set point at 5-3 be- takes continued to flow, tory at 6-5, 40-40, but have made the quarterfi- with a maiden PGA Tour victory
which ended fore levelling at 5-5. and though she led 5-3 in Kostyuk held and took the nals at a Grand Slam with a scintillating final round of 9-
their chances of Kostyuk had another set the second set, Gauff tiebreak 7-3 to level. tournament for the first under 63 before settling a career-equaling best finish of tied third
making it to the point in the tie-breaker, could not close it out. She The Ukrainian player time. at The US$8.4 American Express.
Paris Games.
Olympian
Shahnaz Sheikh,
who also
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because of the inapt umpiring. “If it had not been for the
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dominance in Rhythmic medals in Rhythmic All-
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the 6th Khelo India Youth category and a bronze medal
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MADRID: Álvaro Morata scored his 13th goal of the Games 2023, Tamil Nadu, by in Individual Hoop. Maha-
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in the Spanish league. Second-from-last Granada individual Clubs category at who had won the All-Round LQWHUHVWDFFUXHGEXWQRWGXHRQXQVHFXUHGORDQVIURPUHODWHGSDUWLHVDQGVXERUGLQDWHGGHEW &DVKDQG%DQN%DODQFHV±
dominated the early part of the match but the hosts could the SDAT Aquatic Complex, gold on Monday, added two )L[HG'HSRVLWV±/LTXLG,QYHVWPHQWVGLYLGHGE\(TXLW\VKDUHFDSLWDODQG6XERUGLQDWHGGHEW
not turn their possession into goals and Atletico came here on Tuesday. more gold medals to her K 7KHDERYHUHVXOWVKDYHEHHQUHYLHZHGE\WKH$XGLW&RPPLWWHHDQGWKHUHDIWHUDSSURYHGE\WKH%RDUGRI'LUHFWRUVLQWKHLU
more into the game as it went on.Atletico coach Diego Muskan finished on top tally in Ball and Ribbon cat- UHVSHFWLYHPHHWLQJVKHOGRQ-DQXDU\
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both players were introduced in the second half, and it clinch Jammu and Kash- Kimaya Karle clinched the
was De Paul who started the move that gave Atletico the mir’s first gold medal of the Hoop gold to take their state
lead.He pushed the ball out wide to Antoine Griezmann Games with Maharashtra’s to the top of medals tally for 3ODFH0XPEDL VG
after 56 minutes and his inviting cross was headed home Parina Madanpotra (22.95) the first time in this edition 'DWH-DQXDU\ 6KLOSD7RGDQNDU
by an unmarked Morata. and Haryana’s Life Adlakha of the Khelo India Youth ,5%.DXWLO\D 'LUHFWRU
(22.80) bagging the silver Games.
 Goa University to T he state government will introduce a degree
course in Fisheries Science at Goa University soon
as a career option.
"We will introduce a bachelor course in Veterinary
given the burgeoning 'blue economy', Chief Minister Science from the coming academic year (at Goa
have degree course Pramod Sawant said on Tuesday. University). We will also introduce a Bachelor in
Addressing an event ahead of the Goa Aqua Fisheries course so that students can benefit from
in fisheries: CM Mega Fish Festival starting Feb 2, Sawant said
students should be encouraged to take up fisheries
the growing blue economy in the country", he said.
– PTI/Panaji
BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

ASER 2023

Student visa: Canada announces Indian youth lacks

2-year cap; likely to impact Indians
PTI / OTTAWA
career clarity
their jurisdictions. work permit. KRISHA BHATT/MUMBAI While for

Canada has announced that it
is imposing an immediate
two-year cap on new interna-
tional student visas to tackle
a housing crisis and target in-
stitutional "bad actors", a
move that is likely to impact
Indians planning to study in
the country.
Immigration Minister
Marc Miller said as part of
the cap there will be a 35% re-
duction in new study visas in
2024. The cap is expected to re-
sult in 364,000 new approved
permits in 2024. Nearly
560,000 such visas were issued
last year.
The cap will be in place for
two years; the number of per-
mits to be issued in 2025 will
be reassessed at the end of
this year, he said.
“To maintain a sustainable
level of temporary residence
in Canada, as well to ensure
that there is no further
growth in the number of in-
ternational students in Cana-
da for 2024, we are setting a
national application intake
cap for two years from 2024”,
Global News quoted Miller as
saying.
The move comes amid
pressure on the federal gov-
ernment from provinces on
the increasing numbers of
non-permanent residents en-
tering Canada while the
country struggles with a
Marc Miller
housing crisis, CBC News
said.
Miller, earlier this month,
said that a cap on internation-
al students would not be a
“one-size-fits-all solution” to
housing shortages across
Canada.
More than 800,000 interna-
tional students were issued
temporary study visas in
2022. Miller said last fall that
2023's numbers were on track
to be more than triple the
number accepted 10 years
ago.
The move is expected to im-
pact students from India who
see Canada as a preferred des-
tination for higher studies.
India was the first among
the top ten origin countries of
study permit holders in 2022
in Canada, with a total of
319,000 students.
Miller said that by impos-
ing the cap, the federal gov-
ernment is taking action
against some small private
colleges.
The move will help the gov-
ernment to target institution-
al "bad actors", he said.
"It's unacceptable that
some private institutions
have taken advantage of in-
ternational students by oper-
ating under-resourced cam-
puses, lacking supports for
students and charging high
tuition fees all the while sig-
nificantly increasing their in-
take of international stu-
dents", Miller said.
In some provinces, Miller
said, the total reduction in
permits will be approximate-
ly 50%.
Provinces and territories
will be left to decide how per-
mits are distributed among
universities and colleges in
REPRESENTATIVE /PIXABAY/ELUJ
In an interview with CBC Graduates of master's and
News on Monday, Miller other "short graduate-level
some
spoke of "degree-granting in- programmes" will "soon" be Nearly 20% of India’s youth students, a lot
stitutions that are giving fake able to apply for a three-year are disarrayed over their ca- of available
business degrees" to students work permit, the government reer choice, the Annual Sta- career options
who hope to stay in Canada. says. Open work permits will tus of Education Report
The minister said there could also be made available to the (ASER) 2023 report, revealed. confuse them,
be "hundreds" of such spouses of international stu- The ASER 2023 report for others, it’s
schools operating in Canada dents in master's and doctoral shows that one in every five the lack of
and that the number has "ex- programmes. youths couldn't identify a
ploded in the last couple of The changes announced specific career or job they
options
years”. Monday come a little over a aim to pursue.
In addition to the cap, the month after Miller first an- Additionally, only 11.5% of lack knowledge about the days are infatuated by the
federal government will also nounced measures intended the young people surveyed available career options. thoughts by childhood
require international stu- to target what the minister were acquainted with a peer "After 12th, I was confused dreams and just decide to
dents applying for a permit to described as "the diploma at their school or college who in deciding my career as I pursue something without
provide an attestation letter equivalent of puppy mills". was engaged in comparable didn't have much knowledge proper knowledge and un-
from a province or territory. In a media statement, On- work. In comparison, just about different fields and derstanding it."
"These measures are not tario's Minister of Colleges 15.7% of the adolescents even the internet only helped He further emphasised
against individual interna- and Universities Jill Dunlop were familiar with a family to a certain point but even on that with exposure to more
tional students", Miller said. said her government recog- member pursuing the same the internet there is so much career opportunities, the stu-
"They are to ensure that as nises that "some bad actors career they hoped to enter. misleading information", dents get confused more of-
future students arrive in are taking advantage of these The ASER report also Shah told the FPJ. ten.
Canada, they receive the qual- students with false promises shows that 48.3% of females Highlighting the impor- "A decade back there were
ity of education that they of guaranteed employment, and 42.5% of males do not tance of critical thinking not many choices given to a
signed up for and the hope residency and Canadian citi- have role models for their as- and proper guidance, Shreya student to choose their ca-
that they were provided in zenship". pired careers. Desai, a student at Thakur reer from but now that has
their home countries." The minister said Ontario These findings have shed College of Science and Com- changed. This is one of the
Miller also announced has been engaging with the light on a concerning matter merce, Kandivali, said, reasons the youth today can-
changes to the post-gradua- federal government on "ways related to India’s youth. "Wrong career guidance by not decide what they want to
tion work permit pro- to crack down on these prac- "There are so many career teachers was what made me do with their life because
gramme. tices, like predatory recruit- opportunities that it makes so confused that till now I they get strongly influenced
Starting in September, in- ment." me confused because seeing cannot figure out what field I by other people", Sheth
ternational students who be- A statement issued by someone else succeed in a want to build my career in added.
gin a programme that's part Nova Scotia's Department of particular field influences us and what job to pursue." Focusing on the youth of
of a curriculum licensing Advanced Education said the the most", Ria Mehra, a stu- Talking about the most the age group 14-18 years, a
arrangement (one where a province "will need to assess dent at Sophia College, Grant common issues that the stu- survey was conducted in 28
private college has been li- the impacts of the changes Road, told The Free Press dents face that confuse them districts across 26 states with
censed to deliver the curricu- made by the federal govern- Journal (FPJ). while choosing a career for the data collected based on
lum of an associated public ment once we have more de- However, Vidhi Shah from themselves, Kamlesh Sheth, information obtained from
college) will no longer be eli- tails, including provincial al- KES Shroff College, Kandi- a career counsellor at Brain- 34,745 youngsters of the
gible for a post-graduation locations." vali, thinks that the students ography, said, "Kids these aimed age group.

MEDICAL EDUCATION
Closure of schools: Delhi : 12-year-old

Patna DM writes to
Education Dept
PTI / PATNA
The Bihar Education De-
partment's diktat to ensure
schools remained open
across the state on Tuesday,
despite orders of closure at
many places in view of the
cold wave, has evoked a
strong reply from the Patna
district administration.
the department to "seek
legal opinion" about its mis-
sive.
Singh shot off his reply on
Monday, within hours of re-
ceipt of the letter from the
Director of Secondary Edu-
cation. Both letters are in
possession of the PTI.
Further, the DM in his let-
ter said, "The letter written
Regulator asks States, UTs to end
seat-leaving bond in medical colleges
PTI / NEW DELHI
The National Medical Commission
(NMC) has urged the States and UTs
to do away with the seat-leaving
bond policy in medical colleges to
create a supportive environment for
students and help address their
mental health concerns.
The NMC's Anti-Ragging Com-
mittee recently recommended that
instead of imposing a heavy seat-
PIC: CREDIT NMC WEBSITE
Vanikar said.
"A noteworthy impediment hin-
dering affected students from seek-
ing relief is the imposition of a hefty
seat leaving bond. Such exorbitant
amounts not only exacerbate the fi-
nancial strain on students but also
act as a deterrent for seeking neces-
sary mental health support from the
family", Dr Vanikar said in the letter
on Jan 19.
nificance in view of the increased
number of medical seats. Another
issue of seat blocking is valid till the
counselling is going on and after the
session has started and the last date
of admission is over the negative ef-
fect of lower merit candidate being
benefitted by leaving of the seat does
not arise", Dr Vanikar stated.
She also highlighted some case
studies which she said underscores
the challenges
the well-being of medical profession-
als and the quality of patient care, it
stated.
Considering the gravity of the sit-
uation, the NMC's Anti-Ragging
Committee in its meeting held on
Jan 9 decided to take action to ad-
dress this pressing issue.
The committee has recommended
that state and UT governments should
review the seat leaving policy in med-
ical colleges/institutions and do away
boy dies days
after being
thrashed in school
PTI / NEW DELHI
A 12-year-old boy died at a hospital days
after he was allegedly thrashed by his
seniors in a government school in
Shastri Nagar area of north Delhi, po-
lice said on Monday.
The incident took place on Jan 11
and the child died on Jan 20 during
treatment, they said.
The victim's father, Rahul Sharma,
said his son was assaulted by his sen-
iors in the school and he received in-

Furious over the Patna
District Magistrate Chan-
drashekhar Singh's order
(dated Jan 21) for
suspending classes up to
class 8 till Jan 23 due to cold,
the Director of Secondary
Education, Kanhaiya Prasad
Shrivastav, wrote a letter to
the district education officer
(Patna) asking him to ensure
that all schools in the district
remain open.
The director in his letter
(dated Jan 22), categorically
said that the DM did not take
"permission from the Educa-
tion department before or-
dering suspension of classes
up to class 8".
Terming the letter "con-
trary to rules" and "irrele-
vant, Patna DM Chan-
drashekhar Singh advised
by the director secondary ed-
ucation is beyond his au-
thority. His letter is contrary
to the rules and irrelevant. If
required, the officer/educa-
tion department may take le-
gal opinion into the matter".
"The order, pertaining to
suspension of classes up to
class 8 till January 23, was
passed by the 'court' of the
District Magistrate (Patna)
under Section 144 of the
CrPC. Neither there is any
provision of taking permis-
sion from the concerned de-
partment before passing
such an order, nor the order
of the DM's court can merely
be changed by a letter or
non-judicial order. Only a
competent court can review
this order of the DM's court",
said Singh in his letter.
leaving bond, States may consider
debarring students who wish to
leave their seat from admission in
their state for the next year.
In a letter addressed to the Princi-
pal Secretary of Health and Medical
Education of all States and UTs, the
president of the Under Graduate
Medical Education Board of the
NMC, Dr Aruna V Vanikar said the
Commission has received griev-
ances about the "alarming levels of
stress, anxiety, and depression"
faced by medical students, especially
PG students across various institu-
tions.
These mental health challenges
are primarily due to the inability of
the individual to acclimatise with a
different environment prevailing
within their new colleges/institu-
tions as compared to the one in
which they had grown up or com-
pleted undergraduate education, Dr
The concept of seat-leaving bond,
a common practice for medical stu-
dents, especially PG students, was
started to secure commitment, dis-
courage abrupt resignations, and ad-
dress the issue of seat blocking and
wastage of medical seats.
However, in the last 10 years med-
ical seats, including PG seats, have
increased substantially and even re-
main vacant.
"Therefore, the issue of seats be-
ing going waste is not of much sig-
faced by students, with the same, Dr Vanikar stated.
particularly in "The committee also recommends
terms of mental that instead of imposing heavy seat
health issues and leaving bond, states may consider
payment of seat debarring the student from admis-
leaving bonds. sion in their state for the next one
While some par- year", she said.
ents can support "On behalf of the NMC's Anti
their wards by Ragging Committee, I am requesting
bearing financial you to kindly review the seat leaving
constraints, the bond policy in medical colleges in
unlucky ones "may commit suicide your state at your level and do away
in such mental health condition", with the seat leaving bond. Your ef-
she said. forts in this regard will go a long way
The elimination of seat-leaving in creating a supportive and nurtur-
bonds is a strategic move to priori- ing environment for medical stu-
tise the well-being of resident doc- dents. This, in turn, will foster their
tors, empowering them to provide mental health and enhance their
optimal patient care, the letter said. overall well-being leading to a posi-
A supportive and stress-free work tive transformation in the medical
environment for resident doctors education system (sic)", Dr Vanikar
translates directly into improved stated. The NMC has also sought an
healthcare outcomes, re-enforcing action taken report by state govern-
the symbiotic relationship between ments on the issue.
juries on his leg.
"On Jan 11, when my son, a student
of class 6, returned home from the gov-
ernment school, he was limping and
was in extreme pain. I asked him about
the matter, but he kept mum", Sharma
told PTI over the phone.
"We took him to a hospital where he
was given some medicines and asked to
rest for a few days. But his health condi-
tion deteriorated and then we took him
to a hospital in Rohini", Sharma said.
Sharma further said that on Jan 20,
he died during treatment in the hospi-
tal. "We didn't know why he was at-
tacked. He wanted to join the armed
forces. All of his dreams shattered", the
father said.
When contacted, Deputy Commis-
sioner of Police (north) Manoj Kumar
Meena confirmed the incident and
said, "We are getting postmortem done
through a board of doctors. Legal ac-
tion would be taken accordingly."

A PAWSITIVE CHANGE AN INDIAN PROFESSOR’S JOURNEY

SARGAM SORAL / MUMBAI

While navigating through the Sophia

College’s canteen, amid the clatter trays
and aroma of tea, a familiar sight cap-
tures focus; a vibrant orange fluff ball,
curled up on a bench, demands full at-
tention. With watchful eyes, he carefully
observes every person passing by,
noting their every move.
Meet Ginger, the five-year-old orange
cat who loves chicken and hates Mon-
days.
As students tackle lectures, assign-
ments, and early morning classes, you'll
often find Ginger gracefully lounging in
the cosiest spots on campus. His
favourite spots include sun-soaked
botanical gardens, canteen benches,
and any corner that offers a good nap.
Ginger made his debut at Sophia Col-
lege in 2019. His arrival had a great im-
pact on the campus. While the college
has been home to many cats over the
years, Ginger possessed a captivating
personality that set him apart from any
other campus cat. This charming feline
soon became the talk of the campus.
Ginger loves food and his love for food is
not limited to his meals. His daily chick-
en-stealing antics became a quirky part
of college life for students.
With his nose high in the air and
paws as light as a feather, Ginger strolls
through the canteen, capturing the at-
tention of everyone in his vicinity. Some
mentioned that Ginger's presence not
only improved their attendance but also
motivated them to come to college just
to see him. A few even mentioned that
Ginger served as a positive distraction
from exam stress.
Ginger often graces the hostel rooms
with his regular visits. Hostelites enjoy
his company and claim that he is an ex-
cellent listener. His tiny yet wrinkled
forehead whispers tales of years gone by,
Meet Ginger, who has made Sophia College his home since 2019
and has won the love and affection of students and staff alike.
while his eyes sparkle with stories wait-
ing to be shared. This veteran is often
found contemplating near the botanical
garden, like a grandpa on a random
Thursday morning. It seems as though if
Ginger could speak the human language,
he would be an amazing storyteller.
Ginger never misses an opportunity
to startle anybody. Don't be surprised if
you spot an orange head next to you in
class, nodding in agreement with the
professor. Ginger loves nose boops, and
one can't walk past him without giving
him a pet; otherwise, they’re likely to
have a bad day—that's the kind of power
he holds.
In 2022, Ginger was joined by another
cat named Jeera, rescued by one of the
faculty members. Initially, this cat-duo
seemed to share a mutual disinterest in
each other's presence. However, as days
passed, they grew fond of each other
and became inseparable. Jeera, being a
kitten, found comfort under Ginger's
whiskers. Although Ginger may not
have known how to express love, we
knew he had Jeera's back if anything
went wrong. Eventually, Jeera was
From Haryana to U.S. faculty to Hollywood
LAVANYA AHIRE / MUMBAI
Origin, a Hollywood film,
has hit theatres across the
U.S. Based on the book
“Caste: The Origins of Our
Discontents” by Isabel Wilk-
erson, the film, directed by
Selma’s Ava DuVerney, grap-
ples with serious questions
of social stratification of
race in the U.S., comparing it
with the caste system in In-
dia.
Gaurav J Pathania, an In-
adopted by someone in the neighbour- dian professor hailing from
hood, leaving Ginger alone once again. Kurukshetra in Haryana,
Aryata Singh, a second-year student can be seen in the small but
and devoted fan of Ginger, expressed, significant role of Dr BR
“Ginger, is an integral part of Sophia. Ambedkar in that film.
He greets me every morning, seeming Currently, an assistant
to be extra affectionate, and loves to take professor of Sociology at the
a nap on my backpack. He is an orange University of Eastern Men-
cat, a breed whose next move you can nonite, Pathania shared his
never predict. So don't be fooled by his journey from being an Indi-
cuddliness, because he might leave you an professor to a Hollywood
with bite marks in the next minute.” actor with The Free Press
Eliza Aranha, one of the staff mem- Journal (FPJ).
bers, shared, “I meet Ginger every “She (DuVerney) wanted
morning, and he instantly makes my to do justice to the role of
day better. I call him my 'Billu Boy', and Ambedkar. She wanted to
he’s the cutest cat I have ever met.” cast someone who knows
Khushi Jangid, an ex-student of the character and is emo-
Sophia College, recalled, "I first encoun- tionally attached to the char-
tered Ginger in 2019, and I immediately acter”, Pathania told the
thought he resembled Garfield from the FPJ.
comic series. He was so lazy, and just ate He explained that the di-
and slept throughout the day. Everyone rector dropped funding from
adored him and within a short span, he Netflix to be able to make
became everyone's favourite.” bold creative choices for the
Ginger continues to be the same cat film, one of which was hir-
as he was back in 2019, just with a bigger ing non-actors like him.
body and an even bigger appetite. DuVerney has worked
The poster of the film
with Bollywood bigwigs like
Priyanka Chopra and Ra-
jkumar Rao as a producer of
the film White Tiger. Patha-
nia said that when he asked
DuVernay why he was cast,
in a sea of other actors, she
replied, “You are an Ambed-
karite professor and you've
been studying caste. I would-
n't have to work hard ex-
plaining the importance of
the role to you. You'd already
know that.”
“I have never acted before,
maybe some theatre in my
college in Kurukshetra. I
was never a big fan of the
Hollywood industry... it's a
different life”, Pathania
said, chuckling, “It is be-
Constitution, which gave
Dalits and women equal
rights as humans. He single-
handedly made us humans.
While playing this figure,
there were points where we
all got emotional”, Pathania
added.
His father was an Ambed-
karite from a village in Ku-
rukshetra where Pathania
finished his primary educa-
tion.
“I was a shopkeeper for
five years. I would have com-
pleted my education earlier
if it wasn't for that”, he said.
Pathania made his way to
Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru
University (JNU) for his
Pathania as Dr Ambedkar in the film PhD after which he moved to
the U.S. for a post-doctoral
cause of Ava and Ambedkar research project.
that I got involved in this He has undertaken a proj-
project.” ect to trace the emergence of
Talking about his experi- Ambedkarism around the
ence with the film, Pathania globe by meeting people
emphasised that the transi- worldwide who met Ambed-
tion from the role of a pro- kar to track the global
fessor to an actor, despite phenomenon of Ambed-
what most people would be- karism.
lieve, was an easy one. Pathania writes extensive-
“As a professor teaching a ly about caste, class and race
class almost feels like being in research with a focus on
in front of the camera. You radical student movements
are always performing, to an and the social change that
extent. I have been an ac- they bring. On a website that
tivist, giving speeches on big he moderates, mindsof-
stages in front of the camera caste.org, he published his
and large groups of people”, anti-caste writing, poetry
he added. and activism. He also men-
“Ambedkar is someone I tors scholars in the area of
look to as God. He wrote the caste.
 Nicole ollywood star Nicole Kidman will topline Mice, the feature film adaptation of author
Kidman to
star in
H Gordon Reece’s debut novel. The film will be directed by Justin Kurzel from a script
adapted by Shaun Grant. The two earlier worked on the Cannes-winning Nitramand and
the upcoming TV series The Narrow Road to the Deep North. Mice, which was published
and produce in the US and the UK in 2011, follows Shelley and her mother who are pushed to their limits as
they confront their moral convictions and the line between right and wrong in the face of bullying,
film Mice violence and fear. – PTI

BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Embracing joy
CONFLICT
THE
Monaz Mevawalla embraces her role, grateful to contribute laughter

OSHIN FERNANDES

ctress Monaz Mevawalla, who

A
DELAYS?
stepped into the shoes of Jen-
nifer Mistry on Taarak Mehta
Ka Ooltah Chashmah as the new
Mrs Roshan Singh Sodhi, is the
daughter of veteran actor Firdaus
Mevawalla. In an exclusive interaction
with The Free Press Journal, Monaz de- A still from show
scribes her day on the sets of this popular
sitcom, tackling comparison, and more. There’s a strong sense of family and
CJ DESK For Monaz, joining a significant show is teamwork, fostering a collaborative envi-
Salman nothing short of a dream come true and ronment where creativity thrives. Com-
he shoot of Salman Khan, Karan feels like stepping into a cherished and ing onto the set is always exhilarating for

T Khan’s upcoming film,

The Bull, has reportedly
been pushed for a couple
Johar’s The Bull
shoot delayed
beloved world. She states, “The show’s im-
mense popularity and cultural impact
make it an honour to contribute and be a
me; I enthusiastically meet and greet
everyone.”
Sharing her reaction upon learning she
of months due to the India- part of the lives of millions of viewers. has been cast for the role, Monaz avers, “It
Maldives conflict. Karan Jo- by two It’s an opportunity with great responsibil- was a blend of excitement and gratitude.
har is producing the film and
it will be directed by Shershaah
months ity and joy, allowing me to embrace the
values of laughter, unity, and positivity
Being a part of a show that holds signifi-
cant meaning for people brought a pro-
director Vishnu that the show embodies.” found sense of honour and responsibility.
Varadhan. The movie Describing a typical day on the sets with My father being part of this beloved se-
was scheduled to go a mammoth cast, Monaz says, “It’s a gath- ries earlier also added an extra layer of
on floors in February ering of various personalities, creating happiness.”
2024, however, it’s first an atmosphere filled with laughter, When asked if she felt pressured to fill
shoot schedule has friendship, and a in for an established character, she ex-
been postponed. shared love for sto- plains, “The role of has been etched into
According to a re- rytelling. The en- the hearts of fans, and stepping into this
port on a news web- thusiasm is con- comes with a lot of excitement, knowing
site, Karan, Vishnu, tagious, with the expectations and love the audience
and Salman need every member, holds for this iconic character. However,
more time to decide whether it’s also an incredible opportunity to
on the exact route they’re experi- bring my interpretation while staying
that the screenplay will enced actors or true to the essence.”
take. newcomers, For many television actors, doing a role
Reportedly, the trio is reworking on certain elements of the adding for a prolonged period invites the fear of
script and will take the film on floors once the relationship be- their being typecast. However, the notion seems
tween the two countries settles down. “The February schedule unique trivial. She maintains, “As an actor, my
has been delayed by at least two months,” a news website said. touch to responsibility is to portray a diverse
For those unversed, The Bull draws inspiration from the make range of characters. A successful actor
renowned Operation Cactus carried out by the Indian Army to each mo- with the right mindset should embrace
safeguard the Maldives from a potential terrorist threat. ment any role that comes their way. I don’t fear
Salman portrays the character of Brigadier Farukh Bulsara in the memo- being typecast because I’ve already taken
movie and the actor has already commenced his training regimen to rable. on a variety of roles. This idea doesn’t
shed weight and embody the physique of a paramilitary officer. cross my mind, as I believe in the versatil-
Salman and Karan have collaborated for the first time for a full- ity of my craft.”
fledged film. The actor had first joined his hands with Karan back On a parting note, Monaz shares her
in 1998 for the filmmaker’s debut directorial Kuch Kuch Hota Hai, take on the comparisons and criti-
but in that, he only had a cameo as he played the role of Aman. cism coming her way. “In the
Post that, the actor-director duo tried to collaborate for sever- world of entertainment, cri-
al other projects, but in vain. tiques are inevitable, especially
Meanwhile, Salman will also be seen Tiger vs when stepping into an established
Pathaan with Shah Rukh Khan. He also has Kick 2 role or series. I perceive criticism as
and a film with Sooraj Barjatya in the pipeline. constructive feedback that fuels growth.
It’s an opportunity to understand differ-
ing perspectives, refine my craft, and
evolve as an actor,” she concludes.

CAUGHT ON CAM
Mythological
Aamir Khan
with Kiran Rao
PICS: VARINDER CHAWLA

Celebs were snapped as they during the

were out and about in Mumbai promotion event

Marvel
of Laapataa
Aisha Sharma with sister Neha Ladies
steps out from the airport

Arav Chowdharry opens

up about typecasting,
highlighting his diverse
Awesome Twosome!
ROHIT BHATNAGAR
roles beyond historical and
ational Award winning director
mythological characters
N Ravi Jadhav’s latest offering Main
Atal Hoon is currently running in
theatres. The film not only glorifies
the current political climate of the
country but also highlights on the life events
of India’s Statesman, Shri Atal Bihari Vaj-
payee. When asked that what pushed him to
make a biopic on him, he shares, “Atal ji was
an artist in true sense and I was very in-
trigued to see how a film can be made on an
artist. I thought, what would have been the
nation’s scenario back then with his poetic
vision. His journey compelled me to think
about his whole political career.”
Pankaj Tripathi, an explosive actor, plays
the titular role in the biography. His portray-
al had received applause from all over. Shar-
ing further on his idea to cast him for the
role, Ravi tells, “I felt, the success of Pankaj
ji and his entire life resonates with Atal ji.
The two share several similarities in gener-
al. His command over Hindi language is
commendable. Along with the makers, it
was our collective decision to cast him. We
were so hell bound that if would have said
no or to wait, we would have agreed to that
too.”
“I feel, all the politicians are humans first.
A film on them won’t be just a political dra-
ma, Main Atal Hoon is also a human drama.
Since I treated the film in a more humanis-
tic manner, which is why it has come out so
beautifully,” Ravi signs off.

SHEFALI FERNANDES Ramayana. It’s a proud moment for every Indian,

especially now that the inauguration of Lord Shri
rav Chowdharry gained Ram’s temple is taking place after such a long

A immense popularity for

his role as Bhishma
Pitamah in Mahab-
harat. He has been a part of
several television shows like
Jhansi Ki Rani, Bharat Ka
Veer Putra-Maharana Prat- played: Bhishma and now Maharaj Dashrath.
ap, and Iss Pyaar Ko Kya
Naam Doon? Ek Baar
A still from show
Phir among others. Currently, he is
playing the role of Dasharatha in
Shrimad Ramayan.
In a candid chat with The Free Press
Journal, Arav talked about the Ram
Mandir inauguration, the response to
playing Dasharatha, being typecast, and
much more.
Expressing his excitement, Arav said
that January 22nd is an auspicious oc- that he has been getting immense love from all
casion. “It is even more fortunate for
me as I am playing the role of Ma-
haraj Dasharatha in the Shrimad
time.”
Arav, who is well known for playing mythologi-
cal characters on screen, was asked if he was get-
ting typecast. “I predominantly portray these
roles, and there are only two immensely popular
historical mythological characters that I have
Apart from that, the characters I have portrayed
are rarely historical or mythological.”
Further, he said that he has also done regular
roles in TV shows and movies. “I play all kinds
of diverse roles, but these two characters,
Bheeshma and Dashrath, have become popular,
and hence, people have a strong memory.”
When asked about how he prepares himself
to play mythological roles, Arav said that he
must understand the essence of a character.
“Whether it’s a day-to-day contemporary or a
historical mythological, the approach remains
consistent. The common thread is the dedica-
tion and hard work that go into delving deep
into character,” he said.
Talking about the preparation for Bhishma,
Arav revealed that he gained around 7 to 10 Tanishaa Mukerji
kilograms of muscle mass to embody his image. strikes a pose in
“From the introduction as young Devrat to being
a causal wear in
crowned prince and taking the Bhishma Prati-
gya, I explored how he would change physically suburbs
and mentally, including nuances in walking.” His
preparation also involves extensive work on voice
modulation, dialogue delivery, and speech.
Sharing the tremendous response to playing
Dasharatha in Shrimad Ramayan, Arav revealed
over the world. “It’s an amazing feeling. People Karan Kundrra looks cool
are liking my work, and I’m truly moved and in smart casual as he YouTuber Bhuvan Bam
grateful,” concluded Arav. spotted in suburbs celebrates his birthday
 ALL IS
BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 24, 2024

Love’s cinematic WELL

comeback?
Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan might
A
CJ DESK

ctor Saif Ali

Khan was on
Tuesday dis-
charged from
reunite for new film after 12 years the hospital, a day
after he underwent an
elbow surgery in Mum-
CJ DESK bai.
The 53-year-old actor
ollywood royalty Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor was reportedly admit-
B Khan are known for their chemistry, both on-
screen and off-screen, however, it has
been 12 years since their fans last
ted to the city’s Kokil-
aben Hospital after an
old injury got triggered
saw them in a film together. However, while performing an
the fans might now be in for some good news action sequence on his
as the couple has new film.
hinted at starring On Tuesday after-
in a project togeth- noon, Saif was spotted
er. During a recent Saif Ali Khan outside his Bandra
chat, Bebo revealed house sporting a grey-
how initially Saif and Kareena coloured arm sling in

PIC: VARINDER CHAWLA

was against the Kapoor were his left hand. He was
idea of them work- accompanied by his ac-
ing together, be- last seen tor-wife Kareena
cause their films together in Kapoor Khan.
Tashan and Agent Previously, Saif had
Vinod didn’t do
the 2012 film, issued a statement af-
well at the box of- Agent Vinod ter reports of his sur-
fice. “But I was like, gery started doing the
that’s not the case, I rounds on social me-
am sure if it’s a dia.
good film, people would want to see us to- The actor reportedly
gether. Now, I mean, we’ve liked some- sustained the injury
thing together, so..” she trailed off. while shooting for
Saif then jumped in and admitted Vishal Bhardwaj-di-
that they were actually “working on rected Rangoon in 2017.
something”. “We are trying to come According to a source,
up with something that takes into ac- the actor was admitted
count that we are married and, it’s a to the hospital on Mon-
play against that, a little bit. So, it is day where he under-
a work in progress,” he quipped, went elbow surgery.
leaving their fans excited. Saif will next be seen
Both Saif and Kareena refrained in Devara, also star-
from divulging further details ring Jr NTR and Jan-
and decided it was best to keep hvi Kapoor.
the suspense alive. They were
last seen together in 2012 film,
Agent Vinod.

Get ready for Emergency

TURNS INTO A CJ DESK Kangana’s
Emergency to
BUTTERFLY
our-time National Award-winning actress Kangana Ranaut continues to domi-

F nate the Indian film industry through her remarkable consecutive performanc- finally release
es. As a formidable performer, she is set to captivate audiences once again in the
eagerly awaited historical political drama, Emergency, por- on June 14,
traying the role of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. This 2024
CJ DESK Ananya Panday mega-budget film, unfolds the controversial narrative of a piv-
otal moment in the history of Indian democracy.
ctor Ananya Panday made debuts at Paris Sharing the new poster, Kangana took to Insta-

A heads turn with her showstop-

per look for ace designer Rahul
Mishra at the ongoing Paris
Haute Couture
Week 2024
gram and wrote, “Unlock the story behind India’s
darkest hour. Announcing #Emergency on 14th
June 2024 Witness history come alive as the most
Haute Couture Week 2024. feared & fiercest Prime Minister #IndiraGandhi
Ananya walked the ramp wearing a but- thunders into cinemas #Emergency in cinemas on
terfly sieve dress. Basically, she carried a 14th June 2024.”
sieve adorned with butterfly motifs with her Kangana Ranaut, who takes on the roles of writer,
hands. It seems like it is attached to the mini dress underneath in black director, and producer, announced the release date
colour. via social media. A poster featuring her as the late
Sharing a video from the show, Ananya wrote, “Walking for @rahul- Prime Minister adorns the front page of a newspaper,
mishra_7 at Paris Couture week.” setting the tone for the highly anticipated film.
For his collection “Superheroes”, Rahul Mishra has taken inspiration Expressing her thoughts on the project, Kangana Ra-
from the insect kingdom and those of who are getting instinct or on the naut stated, “Emergency is my most ambitious project
verge of extinction. and my second directorial endeavor after Manikarni-
“Beyond my own comfort zone, I look back once more at those who’ve ka. We have brought together the finest Indian and
been here before me. I seek to not just just appreciate the beauty or international talent for this grand-scale period dra-
the vividness of the insect kingdom but also challenge our whole ma.”
conditioning/education towards how we treat insects and feel the Apart from Kangana Ranaut, the cast of Emer- On the sets of Emergency
emotions otherwise coming from a primal notion of fear,” Rahul gency includes Anupam Kher, Mahima Chaud-
Mishra wrote on his Instagram. hary, Milind Soman, Shreyas Talpade, Vishak Nair, and
the late Satish Kaushik in significant roles.
The film’s music is composed by Sanchit Sushmita
Balhara, while Ritesh Shah handles the Sen’s power-
screenplay and
dialogues. packed return is
expected to leave
a lasting
impression

GEARS UP FOR ANTIM VAAR

CJ DESK the Best Drama series at the International
Emmy Awards.
akers of Aarya Antim Vaar starring Sushmita, who plays the fearless sherni in the

M Sushmita Sen unveiled the much-

awaited trailer of the web series.
Taking to Instagram, streaming plat-
form treated fans with the trailer video and
captioned it, “Ek aakhri baar, Sherni karegi ek
antim vaar. #Aarya Season 3 - Antim Vaar -
streaming from Feb 9th.” In the show, Sushmita
plays a tough woman, who goes beyond bound-
aries to protect her family from the world of
crime. The first season was even nominated for
A still from the show
series said, “It all started when Aarya’s family
was shredded into pieces. Despite the messes
and the misses, she rose to become the fear-
less sherni of the business but now it’s be-
yond just playing a part in this game, it is
justice. Despite whatever destiny holds for
Aarya Sareen as she makes her fearless at-
tack. Being Aarya Sareen on screen gave me a
sense of power during times when I could not
pick myself up. She gave me a new ground to
explore as an actor and tune-in my emotion-
al sensibilities and now that she
gives her all and sacrifices every-
thing for her family, it all feels
more than personal. Aarya’s on-
screen family is today my off-
screen family and will continue to
be. This trailer of Aarya Antim
Vaar is just a peek into the show-
down that Aarya is going to wit-
ness and how she meets her des-
tiny with a bang! I’m grateful to
Ram Madhvani for giving me
such a timeless character that is
loved by all.”
Best Loot Deals
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