FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 14 No. 233 | BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 5, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Nation Kejriwal meets EC, alleges voter intimidation by cops P.10 fp ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Delhi’s battle for survival Council to take decision on rates, number of slabs soon’ Briefs hutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck visited the Maha Kumbh on Tuesday and took a holy dip at the Triveni Sangam. Accompanied by UP CM Yogi Adityanath, the king performed rituals like offering 'arghya' to the Sun before taking the dip. B CHANDIGARH US sends back 200 migrants Amid reports that a US military plane carrying around 200 illegal immigrants would land at the Amritsar airport on Wednesday, a top Punjab Police officer has said the state government authorities will receive the deported Indians. GANDHINAGAR Gujarat sets UCC rolling The BJP government in Gujarat on Tuesday formed a committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to assess the need for the Uniform Civil Code in the state and also draft a bill for the same. The fivemember committee, to be headed by former SC judge Ranjana Desai, will submit its report within 45 days Sheeshmahal, photo op in jhuggis: PM targets Oppn Modi gives Kejri a jacuzzi dip, hits out at Rahul for ‘fight against state’ remark Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday used his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address to attack the Opposition parties and their leaders even as he claimed that while others engaged in “tushtikaran” (appeasement), his government had adopted the path of “santushtikaran” (satisfaction) and had brought 25 crore people out of poverty while deleting 10 crore “labharthis” (fake beneficiaries). PM also made a veiled attack at the ruling Aam Aadmi Party government and its leader Arvind Kejriwal -- who was earlier accused by the BJP of splurging over Rs 50 crores on his official bungalow which is referred to as “Sheesh Mahal” and where expensive fittings, including several jacuzzis, were revealed in a government audit – saying “our government’s focus is not on jacuzzis but on providing water connection to all”. 4Continued on | P8 ED to quiz them Prime Minister Narendra Modi replies to the Motion of Thanks to President’s address in Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament in New Delhi HOMEWORK FOR OPPN MPs ok Sabha MPs on Tuesday received an addition to any reading list they may have after PM Narendra Modi recommended they read 'JFK's Forgotten Crisis', US foreign policy expert Bruce Reidel's book on political and diplomatic emergencies L during John F Kennedy's presidency. The suggestion came as Modi aimed a dig invoking ex-PM Jawaharlal Nehru, a frequent target of BJP attacks - at critics of his government's handling of the China border row, and followed questions by Congress MP Rahul Gandhi. ‘THEY WILL FIND IT BORING...’ PM Modi during his over 100-minute speech in the Lok Sabha taunted the Congress leaders over photo-ops in jhuggis (huts), he said that those who get photos clicked inside the huts for their own entertainment will find the discussion on the poor inside the Parliament 'boring'. The remark was targeted at Rahul Gandhi over his 'absence' from the House during the speech. BJP MP SEEKS PRIVILEGE MOTION AGAINST RAHUL JP MP Nishikant Dubey has urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to initiate a breach of privilege motion against Congress MP and Leader of Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, for his comments in B Capital battle: High-octane Delhi election TODAY PTI Public School (IPS). After receiving the information, the police team searched the schools and registered two cases against unidentified mail sender under section 351 (4) of BNS and started an investigation to identify the accused. Tejaji Nagar police station in charge Devendra Markam informed Free Press that the team searched the NDPS campus and no bomb or explosive was found there. Rajendra Nagar police station in charge Neeraj Birthare and his team searched IPS Academy. The stage is set for the highstakes Assembly elections in Delhi, where the Aam Aadmi Party is eyeing a third straight term, while the BJP and the Congress are looking at resurgence. Over 1.56 crore voters are eligible to cast their ballots from 7 am onwards on Wednesday. Voting will take place across 13,766 polling stations in all the 70 Assembly constituencies to decide the fates of 699 candidates in a contest that could reshape the political landscape of the capital. Led by Arvind Kejriwal, the AAP is seeking a third straight term, banking on its governance record and welfare schemes. On the other hand, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is making a determined push to reclaim the capital after more than 25 years. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 PM to take holy dip today Worried parents with children outside school in Indore on Tuesday An email threatening to harm more than 3,500 students and over 500 educators in an RDX blast sent the managements of two private schools here, as well as the authorities, in a tizzy. Taking the threat seriously, the schools called off the classes and sent the students back home. However, the threat later turned out to be a hoax. The two private schools were New Digamber Public School (NDPS) and Indore Big cats’ day Veera gives birth to 2 cubs Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The onset of spring has brought a wave of happiness to officials of Kuno National Park. Female Cheetah Veera has given birth to two cubs. Earlier there were twelve cheetah cubs and with the birth of two more, the number of cheetah cubs has increased to fourteen. Union minister of forest and climate change, Bhupender Yadav took to his X handle and said, ‘With the start of spring, unending joy and excitement fill the air of Kuno as we welcome the arrival of two new cheetah cubs in Kuno National Park’. He added that female cheetah Veera, aged around 5 years, brought from Tswalu Kalahari Reserve, South Africa has given birth to two cubs today and we celebrate the hope and future they bring. The total number of Cheetahs including cubs is now 26. CM Mohan Yadav said that once again, Kuno is echoing with the squealing sound of cheetah cubs. The birth of two cheetah cubs has given a knock in jungle book. ‘I am feeling happy to say that there is continuous rise in the number of cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh. Today, female cheetah Veera has given birth to two cubs, he said. Tigress rescued with cot & rope G PM’S TOP QUOTES: n We have done so much for the poor people that the president spoke about it at length in his speech. Those who do photo ops in huts, they will find a discussion on poor people boring n Some leaders are focusing on jacuzzies and stylish showers, but our focus is on getting a water connection in every home. Our govt gave tap water to 12 crore families n We are focusing on youth but some people are betraying them. This group, during elections promises many things but doesn't fulfil them. This group is an 'AAP-da' on the future of the youth Parliament that Chinese troops were present on Indian soil. Dubey accused the Congress leader of distorting facts and making baseless claims that "lower the prestige of our Republic". NEW DELHI Our Staff Reporter Approves proposal to clear liabilities of Hukumchand Mill Our Staff Reporter Hoax bomb emails to 2 Indore schools send authorities in a tizzy INDORE Cabinet okays semi-conductor & drone policy ripping scenes of rescue unfolded in Pench National Park when a tigress fell into a well. The tigress seemingly fell into the well while trying to hunt a wild boar. After villagers informed authorities, a rescue operation was launched to retrieve the feline from the well. A cot was lowered using ropes into the well, after which the tigress was directed to climb on to it. (see pg3) Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi is all set to visit the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj on Wednesday to take a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam. PM Modi is expected to arrive in Prayagraj at around 11 a.m. where he will be given a grand welcome. Saurabh, Chetan, Sharad sent to judicial remand till Feb 17 Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI P.6 Sports Jugraj’s incredible... P.14 OVER 100-MIN SPEECH | PM Modi replies to Motion of Thanks BHUTAN KING TAKES A DIP AT SANGAM KNOCK IN THE JUNGLE BOOK: CM UJJAIN BHOPAL The Sessions Court in Bhopal has sent Saurabh Sharma, former constable of the state Transport Department and two of his associates Chetan Singh Gaur and Sharad Jaiswal to judicial custody till February 17, here on Tuesday. The Court has given permission to ED to investigate the case during their judicial remand. Their police remand ended on Tuesday. The three accused arrested in a corruption case were produced before the court of District and Additional Sessions Judge (I) Ram Pratap Mishra on completion of seven-day remand till Tuesday. Following which, the judge sent them to judicial custody. Lokayukta police have arrested the three under prevention of corruption act on January 28. Special public prosecutor Vivek Singh Gaur told Free Press that the advocates and officials of ED and I-T remained present in the Court during the hearing. Officials of ED raised an application in front of the Court, demanding to conduct investigations during judicial arrest. The cabinet approved Madhya Pradesh Semi Conductor Policy and Madhya Pradesh Drone Policy on Tuesday. It gave the nod to clear liabilities of Hukumchand Mill of Indore and to implement the new project in the area of the mill. As far as the semi-conductor policy is concerned, it will create an eco-system for investment in the state. The policy will create 14,400 job opportunities and will help in developing skilled workforce connect with high-end technology. The policy will be a milestone in long-term industrial development sector. It will also help the state in attracting domestic and international investors. It will help start ups and boost innovations. Cooperation of India with countries such as USA, Japan and Taiwan has cemented the semi-conductor manufacturing sector. The policy is going to provide fillip to the economy of the state. MADHYA PRADESH DRONE POLICY 2025 The drone policy is going to help the state in myriad ways. Along with attracting investment and generating employ- 4Continued on | P8 nder Affordable Housing and in partnership with (ARH) head, houses will be built and will be given on rent to working women, industrial labourers, urban migratory population, homeless persons, students, destitutes and other eligible beneficiaries. U ment, it will accelerate research and development in drone technology. The drones could be used in agriculture fields to spray urea, pesticide along with doing surveillance of fields. The drone usage could be done in handling security, to control mob, to speed up relief work, inspection of infrastructures, road, bridge etc. Drones could be used in protection of wildlife, monitoring pollution, forest management, environmental conservation etc. PROPOSAL OKAYED The cabinet okayed the proposal to clear liabilities of Indore s Hukumchand Mill and granted approval for new project. The mill is spread in 17.52 hectares of land. A tripartite agreement has been inked between Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC), Madhya Pradesh Housing and Infrastructure Development Board and Principal Secretary, 4Continued on | P8