FREE PRESS The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms VOL. 13 NO. 94 | BHOPAL | SUNDAY | SEPTEMBER 17, 2023 | PAGES 16+4 = 20 `4 - r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; r RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 QUALITY AT VALUE WEATHER FP 29.00c. 20.60c Sunrise : 06.14 Sunset : 06.29 BATTERED & MAROONED BY RAIN Rising Narmada leads to flood-like UNTIL LAST YEAR...: ARVIND KEJRIWAL'S DARE TO BJP Pg-7 Bhimpur in Betul records 445mm rain in 24 hrs EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE WEEKEND INDIA VS BHARAT FPJ: www.freepressjournal.in for 24x7 updates INDIA PLAY STATS-DRIVEN CRICKET: DOULL Pg-14 RED ALERT issued for Khargone, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Badwani, Dhar, Indore, Ratlam, Ujjain and Dewas. 6-INCH RAIN TILL SATURDAY EVENING IN UJJAIN situation in Narmadapuram SDRF, home guard teams deployed for rescue ops OUR STAFF REPORTER BHOPAL/NARMADAPURAM A swelling Narmada has created flood-like situation in Narmadapuram and other areas on Saturday. The water level rose drastically as gates of Tawa and Bargi dams were opened following heavy rains. The Upper Lake's water level too shot up after river Kolans swelled in Sehore. Currently, the Upper Lake's water level is at around 1660.4ft against Full Tank Level (FTL) of 1666.80ft. The heavy rainfall KSHIPRA IN SPATE: The Bada Pull of Kshipra was overflowing since Saturday afternoon in Ujjain due to heavy and incessant rainfall in nearby areas. Temples and muths situated on the river banks remained inundated. Traffic on Ujjain-Barnagar Road through Bada Pull was also restricted. P PHOTO BY SUNIL MAGARIYA OUR STAFF REPORTER City.bhopal@fpj.co.in Khargone, Alirajpur, Jhabua, Mandsaur, Harda, Burhanpur, Khandwa, Badwani, Dhar, Indore, Ratlam, Ujjain and Dewas. Orange alert for heavy to very heavy rainfall was issued for districts like Neemuch, Sehore, Narmadapura, Betul, Shajapur and Agar. Yellow alert for heavy rainfall was issued for districts like Raisen, Bhopal, Rajgarh, Datia, Bhind, Morena, Sheopurkalan, Singrauli, Sidhi, Rewa, Satna, Shahdol, Chhindwara, Seoni, Mandla, Balaghat, Panna, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Vidisha, Guna, Ashok Nagar and Gwalior. Meteorological department's senior scientist Ved Pratap Singh said, "Low pressure area is hovering over central parts of South Madhya Pradesh. Circula- INDIA bloc's proposed rally in Bhopal cancelled As rains battered Madhya Pradesh, Bhimpur of Betul district recorded 445mm of heavy showers in the last 24 hours on Saturday This is . the second highest rainfall to be recorded in the state so far, said the weatherman adding that on August 3, 2021, Shivpuri had recorded 470mm of rainfall. Several other areas of the state that experienced heavy rainfall in the last 24 hours include Bhainsdehi (350mm), Rahatgaon (290mm), Sonkuteh(270mm), while Depalpur and Maheshwar recorded 260mm each and Pachmarhi recorded 240mm. The weatherman has issued Red Alert for high intensity rain in the next 24 hours for districts like Jan Aakrosh Yatra of Congress to start from Ganesh Chaturthi RESENTMENT AMONG people over insult to Sanatan dharma, says CM OUR STAFF REPORTER Bhopal State Cabinet okays amendment to tax on online gaming OUR STAFF REPORTER BHOPAL The state cabinet gave its approval to the proposal seeking amendment to bring the online gaming under the ambit of tax. It was in the last GST Council meeting the decision was taken to levy online gaming and in light of this, many states are planning amendment in their provisions. Madhya Pradesh has also come up with amendment in this regard. It's learnt that the GST Council had sought implementation of 28 % tax on online gaming from October 1. The online gaming is totally different from gambling. It is learnt that some states have already given their consent for the amendment in provision to impose tax on online gaming. CWC calls for passage of Women's quota Bill HYDERABAD: Congress on Saturday demanded that the Women's Reservation Bill be passed during the upcoming special session. In a resolution adopted at its first meeting after being reconstituted, the CWC alleged that debate and scrutiny have all but disappeared and farreaching legislation is hurriedly pushed through without proper scrutiny and discussion. The rally of I.N.D.I.A bloc supposed to be held on October 5 in Bhopal was cancelled on Saturday. The issue of holding the rally in the state capital was figured at a meeting of I.N.D.I.A in Mumbai but it was cancelled. According to Congress's state in-charge Randeep Surjewala, the venue of the proposed rally has not yet been fixed. AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge is holding talks with other parties about holding the rally. After the cancellation of rally, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said since the Indi alliance leaders insulted Sanatan Dharma, there was anger among people. He said people of MP would not tolerate insult of Sanatan Dharma which is thousands of years old. Sanatan Dharma is the value of every Indian and any insult to it will not be tolerated, he said, adding that there is resentment among people of Madhya Pradesh against I.N.D.I.A alliance about it. The rally has been cancelled so that public anger does not come to light, besides the leadership of I.N.D.I.A is weak, he said. OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in Jan Aakrosh Yatra of Congress will start from Tuesday and travel 11,400 kilometres in 15 days covering all 230 constituencies of the state, said AICC general secretary and state in-charge Randeep Surjewala, on Saturday . The Jan Aakrosh Yatra is Congress counter to Jan Ashirwad Yatra of the BJP and would highlight the '18 years of misrule' and party's 'victory in last assembly polls'. Surjewala announced that seven Jan Akrosh Yatras would be taken out from Ganesh Chaturthi. CONTD. ON P6 Despite Pak Army's cover fire, three infiltrators neutralised near LoC SRINAGAR: The Pakistan Army gave cover fire to infiltrating terrorists and targeted quadcopters of the Indian Army during a bid to cross the Line of Control in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday that was foiled with the killing of three militants, officials said. Addressing a press conference in north Kashmir's Uri, Brigadier P M S Dhillon said the operation at Hathlanga in the Uri sector along the LoC was launched early Saturday following specific inputs about infiltration attempts by Pakistan-based outfits. "We had been receiving intelligence inputs that Pakistani outfits were trying to infiltrate into Uri to destabilise peace in Jammu and Kashmir. So, we strengthened our counterinfiltration and surveillance grid," he said. "At 6.40 am this morning, despite bad weather, an ambush noticed three to four terrorists trying to cross MADRAS HIGH COURT ON SANATANA DHARMA ROW the LoC in the Hathlanga area. Immediately contact was established and the firefight continued for two hours," he added. The officer said the army used under-barrel grenade launchers (UBGL), multigrenade launchers (MGL), and rocket launchers to neutralise the terrorists. "One terrorist was neutralised. The ambush party then realised that two injured terrorists had changed their movement. CONTD. ON P6 'Free speech should not be hate speech' CHENNAI / Agencies The Madras High Court has issued significant remarks amid the ongoing debate over Sanatana Dharma. The court emphasised that Sanatana Dharma is a set of eternal duties, including duty to the nation, to the King, to one's parents and gurus, and care for the poor, among others. Justice N Seshasayee, who was hearing a petition filed by one Elangovan, challenging a circular issued by a lo- FACTFILE Q Sanatan is a set of 'eternal duties' and it can't be traced to one specific literature Q Sanatan Dharma neither approves nor promotes untouchability Q Every religion is founded on faith and faith by nature accommodates irrationality. Q Every citizen traces his existence to the Constitution, and hence it is his duty to abide by its values, its ethos cal government Arts College asking students to share their thoughts on the topic 'Opposition to Sanathana', expressed concern over the vociferous and at times noisy debates surrounding Sanatana Dharma. He noted that an idea seems to have gained ground that Sanatana Dharma is solely about promoting casteism and untouchability, a notion he firmly rejected. "Untouchability in a country of equal citizens cannot be tolerated," Justice Seshasayee stated. CONTD. ON P6 tion extends tilting Southwards with height. It is likely to move in westerly direction across north Gujarat and southeast Rajasthan." The monsoon trough at mean Sea level passes through the centre of a well-marked low-pressure area and then in the southeast direction to Northeast of the Bay of Bengal, he added. CONTD. ON P6 has brought down Bhopal's rain deficit from 28% to 23% on Saturday. Bhopal has so far recorded 630.5mm against normal rainfall of 815.4mm. The road traffic was disrupted on Harda- Betul route. Home Guard and SDRF teams have been put on standby for relief and rescue work. Home Guard Platoon Commandant Amrita Dixit said, "Around 90 goats and sheeps along with eight people have been rescued. They were trapped in floodwater of Popvanti in Bisoni Kala village under Shivpur police station." CONTD. ON P6 OVER 12-INCH RAIN DROWNS 61 YR RECORD IN INDORE INDORE More than 10 inches of rains in the last 36 hours battered Indore and shattered the 61year-old record. The city recorded over 260 mm (10.23 inches) rains in 36 hours from Friday 8.30 am to 8.30 pm on Saturday Earlier, the highest . rainfall in 24 hours in September at 169.8mm (6.68 inches) was recorded on September 20, 1962. Approximately 323.95 mm (12.75 inches) , rainfall was recorded by pollution monitoring station at Regal Square from Friday evening to Saturday evening. The weather- man has sounded Red Alert of heavy rain on Sunday as well. Heavy rainfall began on Friday noon and continued till late on Saturday . A slight break in Saturday afternoon offered some relief only for the rains to return with increased intensity Roads were inundated, . rainwater entered houses in low-lying areas, SDERF and Indore Municipal Corporation team worked tirelessly and saved many from South Toda, Sikandarabad, Kalariya village. The premonition of district collector proved correct as rain continued to lash the city throughout the day .