FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLII No. 133 | INDORE | MONDAY | OCTOBER 20, 2025 | Pages 20 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Nation Giriraj labels Muslims ‘Namak Harams’, says their votes not required P.11 The Grand Alliance (Mahagathbandhan), Bihar’s principal Opposition bloc, appears headed for "friendly fights" in several seats, as its constituent parties have failed to finalise a seat-sharing agreement. The situation has been further complicated by announcements from the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) and Rashtriya Lok Janshakti Party (RLJP) on Sunday that they will contest the upcoming Assembly elections independently — drawing sharp criticism from the BJP. The Mahagathbandhan, which includes the RJD, Congress, CPI, CPI(ML), and Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP), has yet to finalise or officially announce its seat-sharing formula. Congress has released two lists of 53 candidates so far, but RJD has not formally named its candidates although it has filed nominations in nearly 60 seats. Amid the uncertainty, the NEW DELHI/LUCKNOW BJP chides Akhilesh BJP assailed Akhilesh Yadav for his remarks on lighting diyas during Ayodhya Deepotsav event, alleging he has become so blinded by his love for votes of "fundamentalists and Jihadis" that he has started speaking against his own community. HOLIDAY NOTICE Free Press offices will be closed today on account of Diwali and there will be no edition on Tuesday. Readers can keep abreast with happenings across the globe through www. freepressjournal.in EDITIONS: INDORE WORLD ‘FRIENDLY FIRE’ IN BIHAR BATTLE PATNA iii QUALITY @ VALUE Israel strikes Gaza in first major test of ceasefire OPPOSITION IMPASSE | With no formal seat-sharing agreement yet, JMM, RLJP add to Mahagathbandhan chaos; BJP cheers Dheeraj Kumar ESTD-1983 4Continued on | P10 4Continued on | P10 Ladakh leaders to hold talks with MHA in Delhi on Oct 22 26L Ayodhya lamps, aarti light up world records RJD LEADER CRIES, TEARS KURTA OUTSIDE LALU’S HOME ormer RJD candidate Madan Shah broke down outside the residence of party chief and former Bihar CM Lalu Prasad Yadav on Sunday, alleging corruption & betrayal in ticket distribution. Speaking to media, Shah claimed that he was promised a ticket by Lalu to contest from the Madhuban Assembly constituency in Motihari. However, he alleged that RJD leader Sanjay Yadav demanded Rs 2.7 crore in exchange for the ticket, which was later given to another candidate after he refused to pay. F 4Continued on | P10 PTI LEH Ladakh representatives have accepted the invitation from the Ministry of Home Affairs for a meeting with its subcommittee in Delhi on October 22, Leh Apex Body co-chairman Chering Dorje Lakruk said on Sunday. This has ended the monthslong deadlock over talks with the Centre. Three representatives, each of Leh Apex Body (LAB) and Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), along with Ladakh MP Mohd Haneefa Jan and their lawyer, will take part in the talks with a focus on their primary demand of statehood and safeguards for the Union Territory under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution, Lakruk told reporters here. 4Continued on | P10 People perform ‘aarti’ on the banks of the Saryu river in Ayodhya, Uttar Pradesh, on Sunday Biswajeet Banerjee AYODHYA The city of Lord Ram came alive in an ocean of light and devotion as Ayodhya’s Deepotsav 2025 set two new world records on Sunday evening. With over 26.11 lakh diyas flickering across 56 ghats of the Saryu River and 2,100 priests performing a simultaneous aarti, the temple town once again etched its name in the Guinness Book of World Records, turning faith into a spectacle of unity and pride. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, accompanied by Cabinet Minister Suryapratap Shahi, witnessed the breathtaking sight as the riverfront transformed into a shimmering sea of devotion. Guinness World Records representatives Swapnil Dangarikar and Nischal Barot officially certified the achievement, marking the ninth consecutive year Ayodhya has illuminated the global stage with its Deepotsav celebrations. 4Continued on | P10 offgrid ‘Priceless’ jewels stolen from Louvre in 4-minute heist AP PARIS In a minutes-long strike Sunday inside the world's mostvisited museum, thieves rode a basket lift to the Louvre, forced a window into the Galerie d'Apollon - while tourists pressed shoulder-toshoulder in the corridors smashed display cases and fled with priceless Napoleonic jewels, officials said. One object was later found outside the museum, according to Culture Minister Rachida Dati. French daily Le Parisien reported it was the A basket lift used by thieves is seen at the Louvre museum on Sunday in Paris (AP PIC) emerald-studded crown of Napoleon III's wife Empress Eugénie - gold, diamonds and sculpted eagles - recovered just beyond the walls, broken. It was among the highest- NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit SC ruling a welcome move P.12 Brand Sutra Agents Of Change P.18 Vinay Madhava Gowda possibly more. T BHOPAL BENGALURU JMM declared that it would field its own candidates in at least six constituencies — and he BJP was quick to seize the opportunity, with party's IT Cell chief Amit Malviya launching a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav. “In Bihar, the JMM has announced its candidates and formally exited the Mahagathbandhan. The party has even said it will reconsider the alliance in Jharkhand after the Bihar polls. The arrogance of Rahul and Tejashwi has led to the Mahagathbandhan’s collapse. Bihar has been saved,” Malviya posted on social media. PUNE Apply afresh No guilty will be spared for K’taka in Udit death case: CM flag march, HC tells RSS The Karnataka High Court on Sunday directed the RSS, which was denied permission to hold flag march in minister Priyank Kharge's constituency Chitthapur, to make a fresh application to the Kalaburgi DC over holding the rally on November 2. Taking up the petition filed by RSS for emergency hearing, Justice MGS Kamal of the HC's Kalaburgi bench asked it to submit the copy of the same application to Chitthapur tahashildar as well as the police officers. Before adjourning the hearing to Oct 24, the court directed the state government to consider the RSS application. Earlier on Saturday evening, the tahashildar had cited 12 reasons to refuse permission for RSS flag march at Chitthapur. The reasons included, not specifying the number of people from outside Chitthapur participating in the march and the number of speakers, whether there would be usage of lathis on the occasion and so on. ‘Arrogance of Rahul & Tejashwi’ UJJAIN profile museum thefts in recent memory and comes as Louvre employees have complained of worker and security understaffing. Dati called the strike the work of "professionals," describing it on TF1 TV network as "a four-minute operation carried out without violence." Images from the scene showed confused tourists being steered out of the glass pyramid and adjoining courtyards as officers closed nearby streets along the Seine. 4Continued on | P10 Family members of B.Tech student, who died in police attack, meet CM Mohan Yadav at CM House. BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal was also present Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Sunday assured family of deceased BTech student Udit Gayki that strict action would be taken against those responsible for his death. “Whoever is guilty will not be spared,” the CM said during a meeting with Udit’s father, Rajkumar Gayki, at CM House. BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal accompanied the victim’s family and facilitated their meeting with Chief Min- ister. Udit Gayki had allegedly been beaten to death by two policemen from Piplani police station a few days ago while he was out with friends. CM Yadav said the government had been serious about the incident from the beginning, and a case under severe charges had already been registered against accused policemen. After the meeting, Rajkumar Gayki said he was satisfied with the action taken so far. Khandelwal said that BJP has stood firmly with the bereaved family and that justice would be ensured. Ex-lover kills pregnant woman, her hubby kills him IANS / NEW DELHI In a shocking incident in central Delhi's Ram Nagar area, a 22-year-old pregnant woman was brutally stabbed to death in public view by her lover, followed by her husband killing the attacker in retaliation, police said on Sunday. The deceased woman, identified as Shalini, was a homemaker and mother of two daughters. Her husband, Akash, 23, who works as an e-rickshaw driver, is currently battling for his life in the hospital. 4Continued on | P10