FREE PRESS - VOL. XXXIX NO. 44 | INDORE | FRIDAY | JULY 22, 2022 | PAGES 14 TRIBAL DAUGHTER IS 15TH PRESIDENT WWW.FREEPRESSJOURNAL.IN SPORTS INDIA’S FRINGE PLAYERS TO BATTLE AGAINST WEST INDIES Wickremesinghe takes oath as SL President, vows to crack down on protesters Russia has resumed natural gas supply to Europe through a critical pipeline, ending 10 days of tense speculation about whether President Vladimir Putin’s regime regime would cut off the gas flow to Europe in retaliation for Western sanctions after his invasion of Ukraine, media reports said. BIDEN TESTS POSITIVE FOR CORONAVIRUS US President Joe Biden has tested positive for Covid19 and is experiencing "very mild symptoms", the White House said on Thursday, becoming the second sitting president to be hit by the virus. This is the first time Biden, 79, has tested positive for Covid-19. INDORE TO HOST T20 WITH SA Indore's Holkar Stadium will be eye witness of 3rd T20 International between India and South Africa on October 3, 2022. South Africa team will play three T20I in Indore before World Cup T20. Third match of the tour will be played in Indore. BCCI Apex body officially announced the tour programme in a meeting on Thursday. MPCA' s Secretary Sanjeev Rao said that they were fully prepared to host the match . SC SETS ASIDE KHASGI TRUST PROBE ORDER The Supreme Court on Thursday set aside the directions passed by the MP HC for a probe by EOW against the trustees of Khasgi (Devi Ahilyabai Holkar Charities) Trust, Indore, where two of the trustee are daughter and son-in-law of late Yashwant Rao Holkar, Maharaja of Indore, who was the greatgreat grandson of Devi Ahilyabai Holkar. PG-3 HUMAN SPACE MISSION IS FOR SPACE TOURISM The ISRO is pursuing its human space mission Gaganyaan - with an eye on space tourism, the Parliament was told on Thursday. ISRO is in the process of developing indigenous capabilities towards space tourism through the demonstration of human space flight capability to Low Earth Orbit (LEO). 122 corona cases found in Indore OUR STAFF REPORTER city.indore@fpj.co.in As many as 122 new cases of Covid-19 were found positive on Thursday with a positivity rate of 16.24%. Not only the number of cases but the positivity rate is also fluctuating in the . city It had reached 21 per cent on Wednesday but dropped again below 16 per cent after sampling was increased by the health department. No new death was reported on Thursday with the total number of deaths remaining at 1,464. Total number of positive patients reached 2,10,267. With 102 more patients recovered, the total number of patients recovered from the disease reached 2,08,047. As many as 756 active cases were in . the city till Thursday Droupadi Murmu Ji's life, her early struggles, her rich service and her exemplary success motivates each and every Indian. She has emerged as a ray of hope for our citizens, especially the poor, marginalised and the downtrodden NARENDRA MODI, PM I would like to congratulate Hon'ble Presidential-Elect Smt Draupadi Murmu. The country will sincerely look up to you as the Head of State to protect the ideals of our Constitution & be the custodian of our democracy, especially when (the) nation is plagued with so many dissensions (sic) MAMTA BANERJEE, BENGAL CM CROSS-VOTING BARES FAULTLINES Official figures are not out but sources said as many as 17 MPs and over 125 MLAs cross-voted for Droupadi Murmu, apart from about half-a-dozen non-NDA parties that refused to align with the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance. The number of such MLAs is expected to further go up when the counting is complete. –See Nation will be counted. It was not immediately clear how much of the nonNDA vote she attracted but sources said 17 opposition MPs cross-voted in her support. An official announce- ment on her win is expected after all votes are counted. The Election Commission is likely to issue 'certificate of election' to the winning candidate on Fri. day CONTD. ON P6 CHINESE VILLAGE IN DOKLAM MEA: Keeping watch on devpts having bearing on nat’l security AGENCIES New Delhi India on Thursday said it keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on national security, three days after new satellite images indicated the construction of a Chinese village east of the Doklam plateau on the Bhutanese side. External Affairs Minspokesperson istry Arindam Bagchi, responding to questions at a media briefing on the images, also said that India takes all necessary measures to safeguard its security interests. "I do not want to get into commenting on media reports. Let me make a broader point, particularly in the context of Doklam that please be assured that the government keeps a constant watch on all developments having a bearing on India's security and takes all necessary measures to safeguard the same," he said. The images of the village emerged on Tuesday that showed the new settlement is fully inhabited with cars parked at the doorstep of virtually every home. The Doklam plateau is considered an important area for India's strategic interest. The Indian and Chinese armies were locked in a 73day stand-off at the Doklam tri-junction after China tried to extend a road in the area that Bhutan claimed belonged to it. CONTD. ON P6 Abortion can’t be denied to unmarried woman OUR BUREAU NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Thursday allowed a 25unmarried year-old woman to abort her pregnancy of 24 weeks arising out of a live-in relationship, overturning Delhi High Court's denial with a ruling that "abortion can't be denied solely because a woman is unmarried." In an ad-interim order, a Bench led by Justice D Y Chandrachud allowed her abortion, subject to a medical board of the AIIMS Delhi concluding that it won't jeopardise her life. It directed the AIIMS Delhi Director to constitute a medical board within 24 hours and if the board concludes that the foetus can be aborted without any danger to the life of petitioner, the AIIMS shall carry out the abortion and the report shall be furnished to the court after completion of the procedure. The court has issued no- tice to the Union Government and sought the assistance of Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati on the legislative interpretation. The Bench, which also comprised Justices Surya Kant and A S Bopanna, observed that Delhi High Court took an "unduly restrictive" view of the provisions of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy rules in denying interim relief to the woman. CONTD. ON P6 Congratulations and best wishes to Smt. Droupadi Murmu ji on being elected as the 15th President of India RAHUL GANDHI, CONGRESS Today she has been elected to the highest Constitutional post in the country. This is India's speciality. I extend heartiest congratulations to her. I thank BJP and non-BJP MLAs who voted for Murmu. SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN, CM Her wide experience in public life, spirit of selfless service and deep understanding of people's issues will benefit the nation. My best wishes for a successful tenure VENKAIAH NAIDU, VICE-PRESIDENT dents, residents of the area said they do not approve of the conduct and behaviour of the CET students inside the bus stand during the day and even late at night. However, the residents denied that the seats were deliberately separated into three to dissuade the students. The bench was converted into three seats as part of renovating the dilapidated structure and keeping in mind COVID-19 guidelines to maintain sothey distancing, cial claimed. Rajendran visited the area on Thursday after the photographs posted on social media by the students of College of EngiTrivandrum neering (CET) went viral. NATIONAL HERALD CASE Sonia Gandhi to be quizzed again on Monday COLOMBO Wickremesinghe, Ranil who was sworn in as Sri Lanka's eighth President before the Parliament on Thursday, vowed to crackdown on protesters who took over President's House and Prime Minister's Office. who Wickremesinghe, was elected with 134 votes in the parliament on Wednesday said "forcibly occupying the President's Office and the Prime Minister's Office under the guise of engaging in the people's struggle was illegal." He vowed that legal action would be initiated against those who occupied the President and PM's offices PG-9 by force. Cabinet to be sworn in today Sri Lanka's new President Ranil Wickremesinghe will swear in his Cabinet on Friday comprising previous members who already held positions when he became the acting President. The Enforcement Directorate questioned Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Thursday for about two hours in an alleged money laundering case related to the National Herald newspaper. The interrogation was undertaken by the same assistant director-level investigation officer who had interrogated her son Rahul Gandhi in the case. Priyanka Gandhi accompanied Sonia to the ED office and later Rahul joined them. The ED has summoned Sonia for a second round of . questioning on Monday The ED officials claimed the interrogation session on Thursday ended on Sonia Gandhi's request as she is still recouping from Covid-19. Congress chief Jairam spokesman Ramesh, immediately after his release from the Kingsway Camp police station with other party leaders, said this was a total lie, circulated by a wire agency which cited ED sources. At 12.20, when the interrogation began, she was told that she will get a lunch break but has to return for further questioning. However, at 2.20 pm, the ED officials told her Call off protest: Uma Bharti BJP leader Uma Bharti on Thursday warned Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to stop supporters from protesting over her summons by the ED in connection with the National Herald case, or else she said people will not forget that Sonia is of Italian origin and that she does not respect the Indian Constitution and laws. that she can go for lunch break return on Monday for the second round. Sonia, Jairam claimed, said she was prepared to return and face interrogation until night and she wanted it to continue on Friday as she wants the process completed as early as possible. CONTD. ON P6 ‘Airlines can't ONLY COLOURFUL SANITISERS charge extra fee for issuing boarding pass TO BE SOLD IN STATE: FDA at check-in counters’ BAN ON COLOURLESS sanitizer as it resembles plain country liquor NEW DELHI Airlines can't charge any additional fee for issuing boarding pass at check-in counters in airports, the aviation ministry said on . Thursday Airlines such as IndiGo, SpiceJet and Go First currently charge a fee of Rs 200 if a passenger wants the boarding pass to be issued at the check-in counter. "It has come to the notice of MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) that airlines are additional charging amount for issuing boarding passes from the passengers," the ministry said on Twitter. This additional amount is not in accordance with the instructions according to the provisions of Aircraft Rules, 1937, it said. In view of the above, the airlines are advised not to additional any charge amount for issuing boarding passes at the airport checkin counters, as the same cannot be considered within the 'tariff' as provided under Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, it mentioned. Kerala engineering students 'lap up' opportunity to respond to moral policing Thiruvananthapuram A bus stop bench here reduced to three separate seats as an alleged moral policing measure to prevent girls and boys from sitting together prompted students of both sexes from a nearby engineering college to sit on each others laps and post pictures of the same online. While Thiruvananthapuram city Mayor Arya S Rajendran appreciated the stand taken by the stu- Sunrise : 05.54 Sunset : 07.13 OUR BUREAU NEW DELHI AND THEY SAID... FP NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI RUSSIA TURNS ON GAS SUPPLY 26.90c. 22.90c THE BIG DAY REVEALED! Pg-14 HOPE DROUPADI MURMU functions as 'custodian of Constitution' without fear: Sinha News Brief WEATHER EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE FOR 24X7 UPDATES Droupadi Murmu (64) is the 15th President of the Republic: she is not only the first tribal -- hers is a constant of life-story struggle, sheer grit and determination – but is also the second woman in the Rashtrapati Bhavan after Pratibha Patil, in what has been essentially a male preserve. PM Modi’s first pick, the outgoing President Ramnath Kovid, a Dalit from Kanpur, while in office has been low-key but correct and dignified. And now Murmu, whose journey from a tribal hamlet in Odisha’s backwaters to Rashtrapati Bhawan epitomises the struggle of millions of her compatriots who have risen from grinding poverty and squalor by dint of their hard work and dedication. The ruling NDA's nominee crossed the crucial 50% threshold, securing 53.13 per cent of the total vote value after three rounds of counting, to triumph over her rival Yashwant Sinha. There is still one more round to go, in which votes of nine states and two Union Territories `3 QUALITY AT VALUE RNI No. 38281/83 Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; After visiting the area, the Mayor, in a Facebook post, said the manner in which the bench was cut into three seats was not only "inappropriate", but also "unbecoming of a progressive society" like that of Kerala. She said that there is no ban on girls and boys sitting together in our state and those who still believe there should be such a prohibition are still living in ancient times. CONTD. ON P6 OUR STAFF REPORTER City.bhopal@fpj.co.in Now, only colourful sanitizers would be available in market in the state, ordered Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stating that colourless sanitizers resemble plain country liquor After raid against colourless Tiger brand sanitizer, Food and Drug administration (FDA) decided that colourless sanitizers available in the market should be withdrawn by manufacturing units. The FDA has issued instructions to all sanitizer manufacturers of Madhya Pradesh to mark the information on the label of the sanitizer keeping in mind the possibility of public harm. The order further said that sanitizer manufacturer would be allowed to manufacture colourful sanitizer as per the rules. Besides, it would be mandatory to write on the label: 'Only for external use, not potable.' The colourless sanitizer in the market should be called College students hold lip-lock challenge in K'taka, one arrested DAKSHINA KANNADA The video of students of a reputed college kissing in the presence of other students at a private residence has gone viral on social media stirring a hornet's nest in Mangaluru city in the coastal district of Dakshina Kannada in Karnataka. N. Shashikumar, Mangaluru Commissioner of Police, stated on Thursday that the incident had taken place 6 months ago in a flat in Mangaluru. The students were playing a truth and dare game during the lip-lock competition. One of the boys who was present had put the video on WhatsApp a week ago. It came to the notice of the school administration and the authorities warned the students and suspended them, he said. The boy who made the video has been detained for questioning. No complaint has been filed by the school authorities or the parents in connection with the incident, Shashikumar stated. The video shows a college boy and a girl coming together and smooching passionately as others in the room cheer them on. Sources said that the group of students held a lip-lock competition among themselves. The students are seen in uniform and while a young couple kiss each other, others are seen in casual mode, a girl lying on the lap of her college friend. CONTD. ON P6 back to the manufacturing unit. Following a complaint on Wednesday, excise department team led by assistant commissioner Rakesh Kurmi, searched Idgah, railway station etc. of Bhopal city along with Sai Board 11 No, 12 No Multi and nearby areas for colourless sanitizers. In this regard, the team of Excise Department along with the FDA inspected medical shops and found a huge stock of colourless sanitizer of Tiger brand. It has spirit content and resembles plain country liquor. The possibility of it being used by the customers as an intoxicant cannot be ruled out, FDA reported. CONTD. ON P6 UP minister who resigned says he will continue in office LUCKNOW Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Jal Shakti, Dinesh who Khatik, had created a on furore Wednesday by his sending resignation to Union Home Minister Amit Shah, said on Thursday that he would continue working as before. In a definite climbdown after meeting Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at the latter's residence on Thurs, day Khatik said that he has placed all his issues before the CM and he is confident that the same would be addressed. State Jal Shakti Minister Swatantra Dev Singh was also present during the meeting. Khatik refused to say anything about his resignation being withdrawn, but said that the state government is working on a zero-tolerance policy against crime and corruption which he supports fully.