FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLI No. 106 | INDORE | MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 23, 2024 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports ‘Bumrah, Pant’s fitness and form will be crucial to India’s chances in Oz’ ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Rate cut shows improving US economy P.8 Global trends, FII trading activity to drive mkts this week Brand Sutra The MVP of Men’s Sexual Wellness P.12 13 states report 97% of atrocity cases against SCs: Report LANKA TAKES PTI NEW DELHI About 97.7 per cent of all cases of atrocities against SCs in 2022 were reported from 13 states, with Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh recording the highest number of such crimes, according to a new government report. According to the latest government report under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Preven- MOST CASES IN STATE f the 9,735 cases registered under the law for STs, Madhya Pradesh reported the highest number at 2,979 (30.61 per cent), the O tion of Atrocities) Act, the majority of atrocities against Scheduled Tribes (STs) were also concentrated in 13 states, which reported 98.91 per cent of all cases in 2022. report said. Rajasthan had the second highest number of cases at 2,498 (25.66 per cent) while Odisha recorded 773 (7.94 per cent). Other states with a significant number of cases included Maharashtra with 691 (7.10 per cent) and Andhra Pradesh with 499 (5.13 per cent). Of 51,656 cases registered under the law for Scheduled Castes (SCs) in 2022, Uttar Pradesh accounted for 23.78 per cent of the total cases with 12,287, followed by Rajasthan at 8,651 (16.75 per cent) and Madhya Pradesh at 7,732 (14.97 per cent). Other states with a significant number of cases of atrocities against SCs were Bihar with 6,799 (13.16 per cent), Odisha with 3,576 (6.93 per cent), and Maharashtra with 2,706 (5.24 per cent). These six states accounted for nearly 81 per cent of the total cases. "Thirteen states, cumulatively accounting for 97.7 per cent (51,656) of the total cases (52,866) relating to offences of atrocities against members of SCs, registered under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, in conjunction with the Indian Penal Code, during the year 2022," the report said. DIPLOMACY AT PLAY: All four leaders aver that forum is not against any nation, but for a rules-based international order ‘Quad’ need of the hour, and will last, says Modi WASHINGTON DRONE DEAL TO COUNTER CHINA Even as a question mark loomed large over the future of Quad – a forum comprising US, India, Japan and Australia – if there is a change of guard in Washington after the Nov presidential election, the incumbent host, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressed confidence that the Quad is the need of the hour and will last. Modi said that the Quad is not against anyone, but for a rules-based international order and respect for sovereignty, in a veiled reference to China. US President Joe Biden too concurred saying that the Quad is here to stay and, patting the PM’s shoulders, he said the forum is in the secure hands of Modi and will go “way beyond November.” India will procure 31 MQ-9B Sky Guardian and Sea Guardian drones from the United States at a cost of nearly $3 billion, reports here indicated. A semiconductor plant in Kolkata is also in the pipeline. The drones would help India heighten the surveillance apparatus of the armed forces, especially along the frontiers with China. Though details were not available, the drone deal was part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bilateral talks with US President Joe Biden ahead of the Quad summit held at the latter’s residence in Wilmington, Delaware, Saturday. FP News Service 4Continued on | P6 Kejriwal attacks Modi, poses 5 questions to RSS PTI NEW DELHI In a new political strategy, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday demanded answers from the RSS for Prime Minister Narendra Modi's actions, in an apparent bid to diminish his stature by implying that the parent Hindutva organisation was the master which should keep its child in control. "Has the son become so big now that it is showing attitude to his mother?" Kejriwal said at a rally where he demanded five answers from Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat. The questions he asked were political softballs but the implication of bringing Bhagwat into his new political narrative is new and unusual. Kejriwal wanted to know if the RSS agreed with the BJP's politics of using central agencies to break up parties and topple opposition governments, and inducting "corrupt" leaders into its fold. In his first 'Janta ki Adalat' public meeting at Jantar Mantar following his resignation as Delhi chief minister, Kejriwal also asked Bhagwat if the BJP's rule on age of retirement would apply to Modi as it did for LK Advani. He questioned Bhagwat if he agreed with the BJP's politics of calling politicians "corrupt" and then inducting them into its fold. 4Continued on | P6 BIDEN FORGETS MODI S President Joe Biden had another forgetful episode: He was supposed to introduce PM Modi on the stage. But the US President fumbled, and looked visibly confused, momentarily forgetting what he had to do. "Who am I introducing next?" Biden asked. "Who's next?" The moderator of the event then announced Prime Minister Modi's name as he came forward for his address. In July this year, Joe Biden attended a Nato summit in Washington where he accidentally referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as Russian President Vladimir Putin. U VHP’s apex body to discuss Tirupati laddu issue today Detonators, gas cylinder found on track in MP, UP PTI NEW DELHI The controversy surrounding Tirupati laddus and the demand for "freeing" temples across the country from government control are among the key issues to be discussed at a meeting of the VHP's apex body in Andhra Pradesh on Monday. The day-long meeting of the Vishva Hindu Parishad's (VHP) Kendriya Margdarshak Mandal, to be held in Tirupati city, will also discuss the issue of religious conversion, a senior functionary of the organisation said on Sunday. The meeting will be attended by Hindu seers from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and other southern states, he told PTI. VHP national secretary general Bajrang Bagda and other senior functionaries will be present at the meeting, he added. Details on Page 7 Our Staff Reporter BURHANPUR\BHOPAL Ten detonators, which the railways terms "harmless", recently went off on tracks in Khandwa district, prompting the authorities to briefly halt a "military special train", officials said on Sunday. The incident happened on Wednesday near Sagphata between Nepanagar and Khandwa stations of Bhusawal division. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) is probing it, Central Railway's Chief Public Relations Officer Swapnil Nila officials said. The detonators that went off had been given by the railways and they are used as part of regular operations, he said. These detonators are called crackers and when they explode, they make a loud sound which is a signal for an obstruction or fog or mist ahead, he said. "These detonators are regularly used by the railways and such detonators were put there (on tracks). There was no need to put them there, that is why RPF is thoroughly investigating it," Nila said. "The investigations are being carried out from all angles," he said. Another top railway official said that the military special train was going from Khandwa at the time. "After the warning signal or 10 harmless detonators on track went off, our deputy station superintendent (of Sagphata) heard the sound. He got the military special halted and got things checked. 4Continued on | P6 brain power India wins historic twin gold at Chess Olympiad Agencies BUDAPEST Team India are the champs in the open section of the 2024 Chess Olympiad on Sunday. The team claimed its first gold medal in the last round after second-placed China dropped points on two boards against the USA, while India’s Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh secured wins for the team. Gukesh concluded the Olympiad for both the na- tion and himself with a victory over Slovenian Vladimir Fedoseev, helping India secure the historic gold medal. Arjun Erigaisi also claimed a win against Slovenian Jan Subelj on the tournament's final day. Praggnanandhaa also ended his campaign with a win. The Indian team had an almost perfect run, starting with eight wins before being held to a draw by Uzbekistan, the defending cham- PRAGGNANANDHAA R pions. Nonetheless, India VANTIKA AGRAWAL round to clinch the title. The Indian women then gave a rare double gold for the country as they scored 3.5-0.5 victory against Azerbaijan. D Harika was at her technical best striking on the top board for the team and Divya Deshmukh yet again outclassed her opponent to confirm her individual gold medal on the third board as well. bounced back, defeating the USA in the penultimate 4Continued on | P6 Similarly, the majority of cases of atrocities against STs were concentrated in 13 states. The data also provided insight into the status of investigations and hargesheeting under the Act. Among the SC-related cases, 60.38 per cent led to charge sheets being filed while 14.78 per cent were concluded with final reports due to reasons such as false claims or lack of evidence. 4Continued on | P6 Centre warns of ‘high’ risk security flaws in iPhones Agencies NEW DELHI The advisory, issued on September 19, affects a wide range of Apple software versions, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and visionOS. Days after Apple launched its highly anticipated iPhone 16 series, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued a high-risk warning concerning multiple vulnerabilities found in several Apple products. The advisory, issued on September 19, affects a wide range of Apple software versions, including iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS and visionOS. CERT-IN ADVISORY The advisory urges users to update their Apple devices to the latest versions of software to mitigate the risks. Users are also advised to monitor their devices for any unusual activity and ensure proper cybersecurity measures are in place. A LEFT TURN FP News Service COLOMBO Sri Lanka has elected its first Communist president -- 56year-old Anura Kumar Dissanayake – upturning the established political order. The accession is a remarkable turnaround for Dissanayake’s half-century-old Marxist party which had long languished on the political periphery. Dissanayake was able to project himself as a transformative leader to the youth, a sentiment which secured him nearly 42.31% vote share, surpassing rivals Sajith Premadasa and incumbent Ranil Wickremesinghe. This victory is dramatic given that Dissanayake had won just 3% of the votes in the 2019 election. Leading the Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), Dissanayake campaigned for sweeping reforms, anti-corruption measures, and economic relief. He aims to empower the working class and rural communities, asserting that a significant political transition is necessary for Sri Lanka's recovery. Born to working-class parents in Thambuttegama, Dissanayake was the first from his town to attend university. 4Continued on | P6 ‘Antagonistic’ towards India   By invitation P. K.Balachandran Colombo: Sri Lanka’s President-elect, the Marxist-nationalist Anura Kumara Dissanayake of the National People Power, has a history of consistent antagonism towards India. He sees India has an overbearing power constantly out to subjugate little Sri Lanka. As a Marxist, Dissanayaka has been a natural ally of China but his party NPP, especially its core, the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has had, as its USP, not promotion of China’s interests in Sri Lanka, but whipping up and exploiting an innate fear of India that exists among the majority Sinhalese community in Sri Lanka The son of a labourer, Dissanayake was a student leader attached to the JVP in the 1980s and 1990s. He cut his teeth in agitation politics  in 1987 when the JVP was leading street battles in Colombo against the India-Sri Lanka Accord of 1987 and the deployment of the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) to implement a scheme of power devolution for the minority Tamils. 4Continued on | P6