FREE PRESS FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms - VOL. XXXIX NO. 9 | INDORE | FRIDAY | JUNE 17, 2022 | PAGES 14 AGNIPATH: TRIAL BY FIRE WWW.FREEPRESSJOURNAL.IN EDIT SELECTIVE USE OF THE LAW IS UNACCEPTABLE THE CARING CO-STAR Pg-14 PROTESTS ERUPT ACROSS NORTH INDIA, buses and trains burnt and highways blocked; Opposition comes down heavily on the defence recruitment scheme; political leaders call it ‘fatal’ for country’s future FP BUREAU / New Delhi News Brief SC Justice Shah suffers heart attack Supreme Court judge, Justice Mukeshkumar Rasikbhai Shah, suffered a heart attack on Thursday. Though in a short message he said he is all right and was being airlifted to New Delhi from Himachal Pradesh where he had gone for prayers to a temple, sources said his condition is critical. Indian-American bags top Pentagon post US President Joe Biden has nominated security expert Radha Iyengar Plumb to the post of Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment, the latest Indian-American to be named for a key position. Currently serving as the Chief of Staff to the Deputy Secretary of Defense, Plumb was nominated for the top Pentagon position on Wednesday. Hearing against 'Talaq-e-Hasan' The Supreme Court will hear on Friday a plea against the practice of 'Talaq-e-Hasan' in which a man can divorce his wife by pronouncing "talaq" once a month, for three months, and all other forms of the unilateral extra-judicial talaq. On May 30, the apex court had declined to urgently list the plea against the practice of 'Talaq-e-Hasan'. WB Speaker revokes suspension of 7 MLAs West Bengal Assembly Speaker Biman Banerjee on Thursday revoked the suspension of seven BJP MLAs, including that of Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari, taking into consideration separate motions filed by two saffron camp legislators. Jindal gets fresh death threats Former BJP leader Naveen Jindal has lodged a fresh complaint with the Delhi Police against unknown persons for threatening him over his controversial remarks on Prophet Muhammad through emails. Jindal allegedly received four emails containing threats from unknown senders. He immediately lodged a complaint with DCP East Delhi office. PROTESTERS DAMAGE PUBLIC PROPERTY IN GWALIOR Smoke billows out after youngsters set on fire a train in protest against the Agnipath scheme at Chapra railway station, in Saran district and (inset) youngsters vandalise railway properties at Bhabua station HIGHWAY BLOCKED IN HAR The protests turned violent in Palwal, Haryana, on Thursday after protesters set some of the police vehicles afire and also pelted stones at the Deputy Commissioner (DC) office and residence demanding Agnipath’s withdrawal. At least five police vehicles, besides a few public transport vehicles, were reported to have been damaged. In Rewari, youths laid siege to bus stands crippling the traffic on the Gurugram-Jaipur highway (NH-48), compelling diversions. YOGI’S UP BOILS, TOO Youths staged demonstrations, shouted slogans and blocked traffic in over a dozen districts. The movement of trains was also disrupted at many places. In Balia, the protestors stopped Delhi-Jainagar Swatantra Sangram Senani Express and a few other trains. Buses were damaged in Agra and Aligarh, and youths blocked traffic for a few hours in Khurja, Firozabad and Bulandshahr, where the police had to resort to lathi charge to disperse the mob. In Bareilly, hundreds of them gathered at Chowki crossing and shouted slogans. BIHAR ROCKED Protests left Bihar in the throes of anarchy on Thursday as hordes of aspirants hit the streets, vandalising buildings and vehicles, storming railway stations and setting fire to train coaches.Simmering discontent in Bihar, where agitation over the Agnipath scheme was held in a handful of districts a day ago, seemed to have spread like a wildfire to the major part of the state, as infuriated agitators went on the rampage, seeking immediate rollback. MHA CLARIFIES MYTHS-FACTS RELATED TO 'AGNIPATH' RECRUITMENT SCHEME The Central government on Thursday issued myths and facts on the 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme to avoid spread of misinformation. It has been spread that Agniveers will have an insecure future but the fact is that the ones aspiring to be entrepreneurs, will get a financial package and bank loan scheme. The ones who desire to study further will be given a certificate equivalent to the class 12 certificate and a bridging course for further studies, whereas the ones who wish to obtain jobs will be given priority in Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) and the State Police. STEP IN RIGHT DIRECTION, SAYS CONG LEADER MANISH TIWARI The government's new Agnipath scheme for the army is a "step in the right direction". Deviating from party line, Congress's Manish Tewari told NDTV, "In this day and age you need a mobile army, a younger army. You need more expenditure on technology and weaponry. That's not going to happen if you have a very big footprint on the ground and that's where the bulk of your money goes.” Gwalior city on Thursday witnessed a massive protest as over 1000 youth vandalised public and private properties, creating panic among the people at railway stations and on the roads. Violence that erupted around 12.30 p.m. from a place named - 'Gole Ka Mandir' reached several parts of the city, including two railway stations creating mayhem for over two-and-ahalf hours in the city. Mobs, in the name of protest against the Centre's 'Agnipath' recruitment scheme, damaged public and private properties at several places in the city. People on roads and at the railway stations had to find a shelter to escape violence. Protesters not only damaged vehicles on roads but barged into Gwalior railway station and damaged a parked train. The protesters blocked the movement of at least 6-7 trains by keeping wooden logs, tree branches and other railway properties on tracks. for an agile army”. Demanding a rollback, Gandhi said in a tweet in Hindi, “No rank, no pension, no direct recruitment for two years, no stable future after four years, no respect shown by the govern.” ment for the army In a tweet in Hindi, Priyanka Gandhi said there are many dreams for the future in the eyes of those preparing for recruitment in the armed forces such as serving the country and their parents. CONTD. ON P6 36.20c. 24.20c Sunrise : 05.42 Sunset : 07.14 CAN RAZE, BUT AS PER THE LAW: SC 'BULLDOZER ACTION' IN UP FP BUREAU New Delhi Stating that “everything should be fair” and authorities should strictly follow due procedure under the law, the Supreme Court on Thursday gave the Uttar Pradesh government and its authorities three days to respond to pleas which alleged that the houses of those accused in last week’s violence were illegally demolished. “There must be a sense among the citizens that the rule of law prevails in the country,” a vacation bench of Justices AS Bopanna and Vikram Nath said and urged the ensure to authorities nothing untoward happens until it hears the matter on June 21. The bench added, “How do we ensure their safety in the meantime? We have a duty towards them. We should ensure their safety in the meantime. Let us be clear, they (accused) are also part of society. Ultimately, when someone has some grievances, they should get a chance to address them. If this court does not come to their rescue, that would not be apEverything propriate. should look fair.” The bench clarified that it cannot stay the demolitions but can only say that such action should be strictly under the due process of law. Justice Bopanna said, Yogi has lost moral authority to be CM: NCP The NCP on Thursday said UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has lost the moral authority to continue in office after former judges wrote to the CJI to take suo moto cognizance of alleged demolition of properties of protesters in the northern state. “We as judges are also part of the society. We also see what is happening. Sometimes, we also form our impressions.” The top court was hearing pleas filed by the Muslim body – Jamiat Ulamai-Hind – seeking directions to the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that no further demolitions of properties of alleged accused of recent violence are carried out in the state. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh government, and senior advocate Harish Salve, representing the Kanpur and Prayagraj civic authorities, said the due process of law was followed and notice in one instance of demolition was given way back in August 2020. CONTD. ON P6 5th day stumble for markets as US Fed hike triggers recession fears 14 killed, 17 SENSEX, NIFTY close injured in 4 road at over 1-year lows accidents in state FP BUREAU / Mumbai OUR STAFF REPORTER/AGENCIES Bhopal Fourteen persons, including two children, were killed and 17 others injured in four road accidents in parts of Madhya Pradesh, . police said on Thursday These accidents - one each in Chhindwara and Barwani districts and two in Betul district - occurred on Wednesday night, they said. In Chhindwara, seven persons, including a child, were killed and five others injured when their jeep fell into a well after hitting a two-wheeler fell near Kodamau village late night. The victims were returning from a marriage function in Bhajipani village, Mohkhed police station incharge Gopal Ghasle said. The well had little water and the jeep got stuck after falling into it, the official said. The vehicle was later pulled out with the help of a crane. The five injured persons were admitted to a hospital, the official added. The deceased were identified as Dipu Ivnati (3), Ajay Ivnati (32), Sachin (19), Rajkumar Choure (40), Sagar (31), Ranjeet Uikey (35) and Equity benchmarks reeled for the fifth straight day to finish at over one-year lows , on Thursday in tandem with weak global equities, after the US Federal Reserve hiked rates by 75 basis points to tame surging inflation. Ramnath Invati, a police official said. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and state Congress president Kamal represents who Nath, Chhindwara assembly constituency, expressed grief over the death of seven persons in the accident. Chouhan also announced an assistance of Rs four lakh each to the kin of those killed in the accident and Rs 50,000 for the injured persons, official sources said. In Barwani, three persons, including a child, were killed and seven others injured when a stationary bus was hit by a truck from behind near Barrufata in the district late night. The bus had stopped at Barrufata after its tyre got punctured and while the driver and helper were changing the wheel, passengers also got down and stood on a divider. CONTD. ON P6 The US central bank delivered its biggest interest rate hike since 1994 and indicated further policy tightening this year as the focus shifts to taming price rise which has soared to over four-decade highs. The Fed also projected economic US slowing growth. Despite a smart rally in morning trade, the BSE benchmark Sensex failed to hold on to the gains and plummeted 1,045.60 points or 1.99 per cent to settle at 51,495.79 – the lowest in over 12 months. On similar lines, the NSE Nifty plunged 331.55 points or 2.11 per cent to close at 15,360.60. Investors lost Rs 5.54 lakh crore in Thursday’s session, with the market capitalisation of all BSE-listed firms standing at Rs 2,39,20,631.65 crore. Barring one, all Sensex AS PARTY WORKERS CONTINUE PROTEST AGAINST RAHUL’S INTERROGATION... stocks closed in the red. As per experts, the early gains led by an in-line Fed policy was dampened as recessionary fears haunted global sentiments. A cut in growth projection and hints of continuation of aggressive policy in the next meeting instilled chances of a recession in the US economy, they said. Market researchers said that in this current scenario, safe sectors will be those that are least impacted by inflation and aggressive policy like finance and services. Defensives like consumption, IT, pharma and telecom are worthwhile on a long-term basis, they said, adding that as the street prepares for further front-loaded action by central banks in a bid to anchor spiralling inflation, its impact on consumer spending kept investors on the backfoot. 350 killed in Cong seeks action against ED officials over selective leaks lightning strikes SERVES NOTICES on HM, FM NEW DELHI The Congress has sought action against Enforcement Directorate officials who "selectively leaked" to some media houses information related to Rahul Gandhi's questioning, as the party also served a legal notice on three Union ministers over the issue. In the notice to Home Minister Amit Shah, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, the Congress EX-MIN RENUKA CHOWDHURY GRABS COP'S COLLAR Former Union Minister and senior Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury was on Thursday seen in a video purportedly grabbing the collar of a police official during a protest here by the party against the grilling of top party leader Rahul Gandhi by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a money-laundering case pertaining to the National Herald-AJL deal. She was immediately taken away by women police personnel. Later, Chowdhury told TV channels that she had no intention of humiliating the police official and she merely caught hold of his shoulder as she was about to fall when being pushed. MP and legal cell head Vivek Tankha has asked them to stop using the ED as a tool to settle political scores, and desist from "spreading false narratives" about the former Congress chief. CONTD. ON P6 ONLINE REPORT Mumbai A bag containing gold jewellery worth Rs 5 lakhs was recovered from the clutches of rats who were holed up in a Mumbai drain, the police said. Police said the jewellery belonged to 45-year-old Sundari Planibel who works as a domestic help in Goregaon's Gokuldham . Colony On her way to the bank to deposit her jewellery, she gave her bag of vada pav to two children. "When Planibel reached the bank she realised she had kept her jewellery in the same bag," said Chandrakant Gharge, Sub Inspector, Dindoshi. Planibel tried looking for the children in the same area, but couldn't find them. She then approached the police and sought their in state in 2021-22 UP, BIHAR continue to witness higher deaths NEW DELHI Gold worth Rs 5L recovered from rats in Mumbai drain ON HER WAY to the bank to deposit her jewellery, Sundari Planibel gave her bag of vada pav to two children who were begging on the street WEATHER EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE FOR 24X7 UPDATES The Opposition, on Thursday, stepped up its attack on the government over the Agnipath scheme amid protests in several parts of the country and demanded that it be scrapped, even as official sources asserted that no change is being done to the Army’s regimental system under the new initiative. While Congress leader Rahul Gandhi urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to listen to the voice of unemployed youths and not take ‘agnipareeksha’ of their patience by making them walk on Agnipath, Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav called the move “negligent” and potentially “fatal” for the country’s future. Trains were set afire, window panes of buses smashed and passers-by, including a ruling BJP MLA, pelted with stones in Bihar by Army job aspiprotest whose rants against the short-term recruitment scheme continued for the second consec. utive day Amid the protests, government sources said the numbers of personnel to be recruited in the first year of its roll out would only make up three per cent of the armed forces. On the criticism that the short-duration tenure of Agniveers will harm the effectiveness of the armed forces, sources said such a system exists in several countries, and hence, it is already “tested out and considered best practice `3 QUALITY AT VALUE RNI No. 38281/83 Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; . help to find her jewellery The police traced the children and their mother, who told them that they had thrown the bag into a garbage dump since they did not want to eat vada pav. "Police later recovered the gold jewellery after checking the CCTV footage which showed a few rats taking the bag of gold from the garbage dump to a gutter," Gharge said. Madhya Pradesh, which has registered the highest strikes, cloud-to-ground has recorded 350 deaths whereas states such as Uttar Pradesh and Bihar incur double the losses with half the strikes, the Annual Lightning Report 2021-22, released on Thursday, said. Overall during this year, there has been a 19.48 per cent decrease in total light, ning strikes in the country of which, the reduction in Cloud to Ground (CGs) lightning was only 2.5 per cent. In absolute numbers, total lightning strikes have reduced from 1,85,44,367 strikes in 2019-2020 to 1,49,31,365 strikes in 20202021, a decrease of 36,13,002 strikes, due to Covid-19 related lockdown that led to reduced human activities. "Madhya Pradesh continues to be at the top with highest lighting strikes. Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh have witnessed more to compared strikes Bengal, West Odisha. Jharkhand, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Rajasthan remain states with more than two lakh CGs," the report said. The Annual Lightning Report 2021-2022 is the third annual report of the Lightning Resilient India Campaign, a joint initiative of the Climate Resilient Observing Systems Council Promotion (CROPC) and the India Meteorological Department (IMD), under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. "More than 1.6 million volunteers from World Vision India, Indian Red Cross Society and NGOs across the country contributed shoulder to shoulder in dissemination and implementation of lightning resilience actions plans up to last mile. CONTD. ON P6