FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms QUALITY AT VALUE FREE PRESS VOL. XXXX NO. 215 | INDORE | THURSDAY | JANUARY 11, 2024 | PAGES 16 r Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2021-2023; `3 r RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in - EDITIONS: INDORE, BHOPAL, UJJAIN, MUMBAI, PUNE ATTACKING ED IS INDEFENSIBLE SONIA GANDHI, KHARGE & ADHIR REJECT RAM TEMPLE INVITE, SAY... RELIGION IS PERSONAL AGENCIES New Delhi The Congress on Wednesday announced that party chief Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have "respectfully declined" the invitation to attend the Ram Temple consecration ceremony, alleging that it has been made into a "political project" by the BJP and the RSS for "electoral I have been told that Sonia Gandhi has turned down the invitation for the January 22 function (in Ayodhya). Could we expect anything different from her? But, I must say that Sonia Gandhi has shown that she has no faith in Lord Ram n SMRITI IRANI, UNION MINISTER gain". In a statement, Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh questioned the motive behind the inauguration of the "incomplete" temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS. "Lord Ram is wor- shipped by millions in our country. Religion is a personal matter. But the RSS/BJP have long made a political project of the temple in Ayodhya. The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain," Ramesh said. Last month, Congress President and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Kharge, Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Gandhi and Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha Chowdhury received the invitation to attend the inauguration ceremony of the Ram temple at Ayodhya to be held on January 22, 2024. CONTD. ON P8 India to be third largest economy by FY28, says FM Navy Chief Kumar unveils UAV HYDERABAD: Adani Defence and Aerospace on Wednesday unveiled its indigenously manufactured Drishti 10 Starliner Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for the Indian Navy. The flag-off ceremony was led by Admiral R Hari Kumar, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS), India Navy, who was present at the event with 75 Navy personnel, as the UAV left from Hyderabad for Porbandar to be inducted into naval maritime operations. P-6 GANDHINAGAR: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said on Wednesday exuded confidence that India will become the world's third largest economy worth over USD 5 trillion by 2027-28 and a developed nation by 2047, with GDP touching USD 30 trillion. India, with a GDP of roughly USD 3.4 trillion, is currently the fifth largest econ- omy in the world, after the US, China, Japan and Germany Sitharaman . said during the Amritkal, which will mark 100 years of India's Independence in 2047, emphasis is being given to sunrise industries. Also, the FDI policy of the Narendra Modi Government has helped attract foreign investment, with USD 595 billion coming in the last 9 years. Two Mahadalit minor girls raped PATNA: Two Mahadalit minor girls were raped after being kidnapped in the Hinduni Badhar area of Patna in Bihar. One victim succumbed to severe injuries sustained during the ordeal while the other girl is battling for her life at AIIMS in Patna. The families said both the girls had gone together to collect cow dung cakes on Monday but did not return home. T he coming generations will indeed be thankful to Prime Minister Modi for being both a nationalist and an internationalist. You have laid a solid foundation for 'Vikasit Bharat' India as a fully Developed Nation in Amrit Kaal. No power on earth can stop India from becoming a 35 trillion-dollar economy by 2047. And as I see Gujarat alone will become a 3-trillion dollar economy n MUKESH AMBANI, CHAIRMAN AND MANAGING DIRECTOR OF RELIANCE INDUSTRIES Vegetarians shelled out more for their homecooked thali than non-vegetarians in December 2023 as compared to what they had spent in December 2022, states a report by CRISIL Market Intelligence & Analytics. According to the report by the Crisil division, the cost of the vegetarian meal plate rose 12 per cent, Manipur govt dithers, then clears RaGa’s Yatra venue DOUBLE WHAMMY! Pg-16 SHINDE ASLI, UBT NAKLI S BALAKRISHNAN / MUMBAI Chief Minister Eknath Shinde scored a hat trick on Wednesday when Speaker of the legislative assembly Rahul Narwekar recognised his faction of the Shiv Sena as the original Shiv Sena. Earlier, he had won the floor test in the assembly; subsequently the EC had recognised the Shinde faction as the Shiv , Sena and assigned it the Bow & Arrow election symbol on which the parent body had contested several elections. Shinde appears to have had a premonition of the impending victory on Wednesday because he was not in Mumbai when the order was being read out by Narwekar. Instead, he was addressing a massive rally in far off Hingoli, where he showered encomiums on Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”With Narwekar's verdict, Shinde's political position has been reinforced. Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP who was the architect , of the split in the Shiv Sena led by Uddhav Thackeray and responsible for bringing down the MVA government, had repeatedly emphasised that Shinde will continue to be the chief minister till the next assembly elections. CONTD. ON P8 AGENCIES Imphal The Manipur government Wednesday approved the venue for the flagging off of the proposed January 14 Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra "with limited number of participants." The approval by the Manipur government came eight days after the Congress approached it for flagging off the yatra from Hapta Kangjeibung ground here. The order issued by the Imphal East district magistrate's office said, "Only flagging off of the Yatra with limited number of participants is hereby allowed on January 14 to prevent any untoward incident and disturbance in law and order. The number and name of the participants shall be provided in advance to this office to enable this office to take up all necessary precautionary measures". The order said that the Imphal East district superintendent of police has submitted a report stating that a huge crowd is expected during the opening ceremony of Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra at the venue. CONTD. ON P8 THE FINE PRINT n The Eknath Shinde faction is the "real Shiv Sena" n Its MLAs cannot be disqualified I OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in With a single click of a mouse, Chief Minister Mohan Yadav transferred Rs 1576.61 crores to bank accounts of 1.29 crore beneficiaries of Mukhyamantri Ladli Behna scheme on Wednesday The Chief Min. ister also transferred pension and financial assistance of Rs 341 crores to the accounts of more than 51 lakh beneficiaries. Speaking at the programme organised at Kushabhau Thakre International convention centre here, Yadav criticized the Congress for casting doubts over the continuation of the Ladli Behana scheme. Yadav highlighted the importance women hold in Indian culture saying that in all festivals, the name of Goddess comes before any god. He underscored Prime Minister Narendra Modi's focus on the welfare of various segments, including women, the poor, youth, and do not know why it causes pain to Congress leaders when the government transfers money. They said the government will not do this. Now when the government is transferring money, they start saying it will not happen next time. I say we will continue to do so and their pain will continue, said Yadav, while transferring money under the scheme for the first time after becoming the CM farmers, reiterating Madhya Pradesh's commitment to their welfare. Without naming Pakistan, Yadav said that a neighbouring country has expressed praise for Modi’s vision and management. Yadav also inaugurated Makar Sankranti celebrations which will continue till January 15. Our festivals, fasting practices, and various traditions showcase our diverse cultural characteristics and values to the world, said the Chief Minister. On this occasion, minister for women and child development Nirmala Bhuria, social justice minister Narayan Singh Kushwah and others were present. The senior officers of districts joined the programme virtually . n Uddhav did not have the power to remove Shinde from Shiv Sena n Narwekar based his decisions on the version of the constitution available with the Election Commission, saying it will form the basis of deciding on the leadership structure. n This version, he said, was not the one submitted by Thackeray in 2018, but the one that was there since 1999 and which the Shinde faction has cited n Narwekar's decision has came after much prodding from the Supreme Court The rise in veg thali cost was led by substantial increases of 82 per cent and 42 per cent in prices of onion and tomato, respectively while that of a non-vegetarian meal declined by four per cent in December 2023 as compared to the corresponding period in 2022. Prices of pulses, which account for about 9 per cent of the veg thali cost, also increased 24 per cent on-year, the report notes. According to the report, the decline in the cost of the non-veg thali was due to about 15 per cent decline in broiler prices on-year amid higher production. CONTD. ON P8 Madhya Pradesh has bagged six awards in Swachh Survekshan. Indore has been selected as a cleanest city for the seventh time in a row. The Indore Mayor and IMC team leave for New Delhi awards will be presented by President Droupadi Murmu in New Delhi on Thursday. The state has received six awards in the survey. Indore, Bhopal, Mhow Cantt, Amarkantak, Norozabad and Budhni will receive award. Chief minister Mohan Yadav, urban development and housing minister Kailash Vijayvargiya, minister of state Pratima Bagri, principal secretary, UADD, Neeraj Mandloi, commissioner Bharat Yadav, mission director Shivam Verma will attend the function among other officials. Tiger carcass found in Senior IAS officer Sanjay Bandhavgarh Reserve Bandyopadhyay repatriated to MP Territorial fight suspected, poaching angle also being looked into Carcass of a tiger was found in lying in a trench in Pathore range of Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve in Umaria on Wednesday . Prima facie, the tiger was killed in a territorial fight with an adult big cat, however, the possibility of poaching is also being looked into, an official said. The DNA samples have been sent to the lab to ascertain the sex and age of the tiger. The sources at Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve said the skeleton of the tiger became visible after the recent rain swept away the dry leaves in the drain. CONTD. ON P8 IFS OFFICER'S MESSAGE TO TOURISTS... BJP is eyeing 400 LS seats OUR STAFF REPORTER / Bhopal The Central Government has repatriated 1988-batch IAS officer Sanjay Bandyopadhyay to Madhya Pradesh. Bandyopadhyay was posted in Inland Waterways Authority, and he was sent back to the state with immediate effect. Because the officer is set to return to the state, there are many speculations about him. According to sources, the Central Government was angry with Bandyopadhyay over some issues, so it sent him back to the state. Now, the state government has to give posting to the officer. Bandyopadhyay is an officer of the batch of Veera Rana who is the in-charge chief secretary . According to sources, the chances of his being posted to any place are dim. The ruling BJP plans to announce its candidates for the Lok Sabha elections in late January or early February , fielding candidates for over 400 of the total 543 seats; more important, it is looking at wining 50 per cent vote share. The party intends to contest on "more seats," as against that in 2019 polls, party sources said. Then, the BJP had contested 436 out of 543 seats; it had won 303. Sharing details of the BJP's template, sources claimed the party will focus on more seats, "particularly in the 164 constituencies where the party previously struggled or narrowly won in 2019". The BJP reportedly plans to announce candidates for several constituencies including Rae Bareli, Mainpuri, Bijnor, Saharanpur, Sambhal, Muradabad, CONGRESS TO FOCUS ON 255 SEATS ONLY FROM OUR BUREAU / NEW DELHI The Congress party has informed its state units that it is considering fielding candidates in 255 seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, according to media reports. The Congress on Thursday held a meeting with party president Mallikarjun Kharge, Wayanad MP Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal in attendance. CONTD. ON P8 Ghazipur, Jaunpur, Rampur, Azamgarh, Nagina, Amroha, Ambedkar Nagar, Shravasti, Ghosi, and Lalganj in the first list. CONTD. ON P8 Family of 8 attempts suicide outside Karnataka Assembly FP BUREAU / Bengaluru High drama prevailed in front of the Karnataka Assembly here as eight members of a family tried to end their lives after they attempted to self-immolate themselves. The family members chose the desperate move as they were upset with a bank auctioning their house to recover loan dues, according to the police. The family members, including women and children, poured kerosene on themselves outside the Vidhana Soudha (Karnataka Assembly). CONTD. ON P8 ‘...in forests, behave like animals’ ONLINE REPORT I The much-awaited verdict of the Speaker of the Maharashtra Assembly Rahul Narwekar, was im, mediately dubbed as ‘a shock and setback’ for the Uddhav Thackeray camp, but this was exactly what the Thackeray camp had expected. A livid Sena (UBT) asserted that the decision is biased and, by late evening, it had announced that they would challenge the decision in the Supreme Court. Now, the politically crucial part is whether Uddhav Thackeray is able to leverage this development to his advantage and swing the hearts of voters all over Maharashtra and generate a mass wave of sympathy .  CONTD. ON P8 OUR BUREAU / NEW DELHI OUR STAFF REPORTER Indore / Bhopal OUR STAFF REPORTER city.bhopal@fpj.co.in UDDHAV TO PLAY VICTIM CARD IN PEOPLE’S COURT ROHIT CHANDAVARKAR / MUMBAI n In fact, disqualification petitions from both camps were dismissed MP bags 6 awards, to be presented today Flays Congress for casting doubt over continuance of the scheme Veg thali cost went up 12%, non-veg declined by 4% in Dec AGENCIES New Delhi 23.00c. 15.60c Sunrise : 07.09 Sunset : 05.59 SWACHH SURVEKSHAN CM transfers Rs 1,576cr to accounts of 1.29cr Ladli Behna INDORE IS CLEANEST CITY FOR 7TH TIME IN A ROW 3 new judges for MP HC NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court Collegium, headed by Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud, has recommended the appointment of two advocates and a judicial officer as judges of the Madhya Pradesh High Court. The Collegium of the High Court had forwarded the recommendation for appointment of advocates Deepak Khot and Pavan Kumar Dwivedi and judicial officer Ramkumar Choubey. WEATHER EDIT SPOTLIGHT ONLY ON ROHIT CAPTAINCY Pg-14 FS officer Parveen Kaswan applauded Dukchen Bhutia, a dedicated forest range officer for cleaning up a significant amount of trash left behind by tourists in a forest area. He shared pictures in a post on X on January 10 and wrote a significant message for tourists, saying, “In forests, behave like animals, they don’t spread the trash.” As seen in the pictures posted by Kaswan, Dukchen Bhutia, accom- panied by her team, ventured into the forest, only to witness a disturbing sight of litter scattered across the area. Unfazed by the challenge, Bhutia decided to take action and initiated a cleaning operation to collect the waste. Kaswan, impressed by the range officer's commendable effort, highlighted the commitment of forest officials like Dukchen Bhutia to preserve the environment. “Dukchen Bhutia is our range officer. Went to field with a group. Found a lot of trash thrown by tourists and decided to collect all. She is showing the way,” Kaswan said in the caption of his post. As Kaswan’s post garnered sev- IFS officer shared a forest ranger and her team's effort to collect trash in a forest area eral likes, social media users shared their thoughts in the comments section. “All sorts of disposable, single- use plastic and even tetra packs and packed snacks or food should be strictly prohibited to be carried while on a tour,” a user said.