Friday, September 12, 2025 | Vol. 68 No. 292 | 31 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation Devvrat to hold HEALING TOUCH | In Act East move, Modi to launch a slew of projects in strife-torn state tomorrow amid tight security Maharashtra charge also FPJ News Service MUMBAI President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday appointed Gujarat governor Acharya Devvrat to discharge the functions of the governor of Maharashtra in addition to his own duties. This follows the election of C.P. Radhakrishnan (68) as the vice-president of India. Radhakrishnan, who assumed charge as governor of Maharashtra on July 31, 2024, demited his office on Thursday. PM’s first visit = `8,500 cr gift package for Manipur FPJ News Service IMPHAL On his first visit to strife-torn Manipur on Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to launch a series of development projects worth ₹8,500 crore, aiming to accelerate the healing process in a state still grappling with the lingering scars of Meitei-Kuki violence. In view of the long-awaited visit, security measures have 4Contd on | nation been tightened in Imphal and Churachandpur town, officials said on Thursday. Modi will lay foundation stones for projects valued at Rs 7,300 crore from Peace Ground in Churachandpur where Kukis are in the majority, officials said. In Meitei-dominated Imphal, he will also inaugurate infrastructure projects worth Rs 1,200 crore. 4Contd on | nation Pleas challenge Kunbi status to Marathas Urvi Mahajani MUMBAI A batch of petitions has been filed in the Bombay High Court challenging the Maharashtra government’s decision to issue Kunbi caste certificates to members of the Maratha community from the Marathwada region. The certificates would allow them to avail reservations in education and public services, which has sparked legal and political controversy. Two new petitions have been filed, along with a third from an individual who had previously challenged the inclusion of Marathas in the OBC category. These petitions argue that the government’s decision is arbi- trary, unconstitutional, and illegal, calling for the quashing of the government resolution (GR). One petition claims that the resolution is an act of political expediency, aimed at appeasing the Maratha community, which is a politically influential group. It also contends that the government has contradicted itself over its stance on Maratha res- ervations, shifting its position without clear reasoning. A bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Gautam Ankhad is expected to hear the petitions. The petitioners argue that the government’s actions undermine the reservation system meant to uplift marginalised communities. Shiva Akhil Bhartiya Veershaiva Yuvak Sanghatana, which filed one of the petitions, pointed out that multiple reports by the State Backward Classes Commission and the National Backward Classes Commission show that Marathas and Kunbis are distinct communities. 4Contd on | nation Kashi key in destination diplomacy Biswajeet Banerjee and Ashwin Ahmad VARANASI/NEW DELHI When PM Narendra Modi welcomed his Mauritian counterpart Navinchandra Ramgoolam in Varanasi on Thursday, the choice of venue carried a message far deeper than routine diplomacy. Modi told Ramgoolam that it “is a matter of pride for me that I am getting the opportunity to welcome you in my parliamentary constituency. Kashi has been a symbol of India's civilisation and cultural soul since time immemorial.” “Our culture and traditions reached Mauritius from India centuries ago and settled in the stream of life there. Like the uninterrupted flow of Maa Ganga in Kashi, the continuous flow of Indian culture has been enriching Mauritius. And today, when we are welcoming friends from Mauritius in Kashi, it is not just a formality but a spiritual union. That is why I proudly say that India and Mauritius are not just partners but a family.” 4Contd on | nation 4See also | nation NOTHING TO HIDE, FPJ ONLY PAPER IN ABC ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! T he Free Press Journal is the only Audit Bureau Circulation certified newspaper in Mumbai. The latest audited figures of newspaper circulations, as certified by the Audit Bureau of Circulation (ABC), are out, showing the average circulation for the period between January-June 2025. These figures are the most reliable benchmarks for the newspaper publishing industry. The rigour of the ABC strips away inflated claims of publishers of their respective media entities. These figures show that the English edition of The Free Press Journal (FPJ) has grown. The increase reaffirms that FPJ continues to grow in a highly competitive market and that the FPJ remains a key player. Moreover, it is the only publication that is ABC certified since the pandemic. No other English paper in Mumbai has its figures audited. Which goes to reaffirm the need for newspapers to go for a proper audit so that advertisers and readers get a clear understanding of the circulation of newspapers. Currently many newspapers use outdated Indian Readership Survey (IRS) data dating back to 2019 to claim high circulation. It is time they go in for an ABC audit so everyone knows the truth. INSIDE THE 2ND FRONT PAGE NEPAL STALEMATE: Nepal remained in political limbo on Thursday as the Gen Z uprising struggled to agree on who should head an interim administration. 'US DEAL BY NOV': India-US talks on trade deal are progressing well and the pact is likely to be finalised by November, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal said.