FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLI No. 264 | INDORE | SUNDAY | MARCH 2, 2025 | Pages 18 ` 4 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Sports ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE UJJAIN The 'she' line DIPLOMATIC MUGGING: Never in the past has an American president engaged in such a livid outpouring on a visiting foreign leader. For the first 23 minutes, it was a polite, if stiff meeting. Then, their differences surfaced and it became a verbal brawl. BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Readers’ corner Azad’s Legacy: A Hero’s ... P.6 WEEKEND Niki hails Virat’s unwavering spirit P.16 PUNE Cinema A deal, a dilemma and a lot... P.15 SHATTERED: The ugly showdown unnerved Europe, outraged Kyiv and delighted Moscow. It was clear that the three-year wartime partnership between Washington and Kyiv was shattered. DAMAGE CONTROL BID EUROPE BEHIND ZELENSKYY | Ukraine’s President looks at path forward, expects UK to be the bridge; wants US to stand more firmly on its side, is also amenable to signing the minerals deal FP News Service LONDON Western leaders  were in a scramble to voice support for Ukraine after the implosion in White House sharpened the cleavages between Washington and many of its traditional European allies. They were shocked and dismayed by President Trump’s blistering criticism at the White House on Friday where he told Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to make a deal with Russia "or we are out". At one point, Trump even told Zelenskyy he was not thankful enough for US military and political support during Ukraine’s fight against Russian invasion, and that he was gambling with World War Three. European leaders wasted no time in lining up behind Ukraine’s embattled head of state. The statements of support came one after the other: from France, Germany, Poland, Spain, Denmark, the Netherlands, Portugal, Norway, Finland and others. Canadian, Australian and New Zealand leaders also added their voices to the Europeans’. 4Continued on | P8 fp SUKMA 2 Naxals killed in encounter Two Naxalites, including a woman, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, a police official said. CM Vishnu Deo Sai said 67 hardcore Naxalites have been neutralised in the last 60 days in the state's Bastar range. AGARTALA B’desh smuggler shot dead A Bangladeshi citizen was shot dead by BSF in Tripura's Sepahijala district after a group of smugglers from both sides of the international boundary attacked the border guards, the force said on Saturday. The BSF said one of its employees was also injured in the attack by the smugglers. Our Staff Reporter DON’T HAVE THE CARDS: Trump told Zelensky “you don’t have the cards” to deal with President Putin, even as Vice President JD Vance chided the Ukrainian leader as being “disrespectful” and ungrateful. THE LAST STRAW: Zelensky’s cup of woe was full when he was accused of being hostile towards the man who had invaded his country. Dr. Garimella Subramaniam T RUSSIANS ECSTATIC: Gloating Russians dubbed the incident as a ‘public political execution’ NATO–US rift deepens By invitation he writing has been on the wall for far too long—arguably since the turbulent first Trump administration. But the chilling reality of an imminent collapse in relations among NATO members is now registering loud and clear after Friday’s ugly confrontation between U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The verbal assault on Zelenskyy at the White House, where President Trump and Vice President JD Bance accused him of gambling with World War III, capped an extraordinary week in transatlantic relations, following a succession of visits to Washington by European leaders. Friday’s fraught encounter could not have ended on a gloomier note. The beleaguered Zelenskyy and his negotiators were unceremoniously forced out of the Oval Office— empty-handed, without securing an agreement on rare earths. A day earlier, Britain’s Labour Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer, despite receiving effusive praise for his personal demeanor and impec- cable accent, was forced to swallow humble pie. Even the royal invitation he carried—only the second ever extended to a sitting U.S. president—failed to secure any assurances of American security guarantees for Europe against an emboldened Russia. Nor did Britain’s decision to raise defense spending to 0.5% of GDP by 2027 impress President Trump, even as the consequent cuts to overseas aid sparked controversy at home. France’s President Emmanuel Macron met a similar fate on Monday. 4Continued on | P8 PM reviews rescue ops PTI DEHRADUN Fifty workers have been pulled out of snow from the site of an avalanche-hit BRO camp in the Mana village in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district, but four of them died on Saturday as rescuers raced against time to save the remaining five. The avalanche hit the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) camp between Mana and Badrinath between 5:30 am and 6 am on Friday, burying 55 workers inside eight containers and a shed, according to the Army. Rain and snowfall ham- rime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Saturday and took stock about the rescue operation. Meanwhile, Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami has left for Joshimath from Dehradun to take stock of the situation P Rescue ops underway in Chamoli pered the rescue efforts on Friday and the operation was suspended as the night fell. As the weather cleared up on Saturday morning, the Army and ITBP personnel resumed the rescue operation, District Disaster Management Officer N K Joshi said. PM Modi slams Lutyen’s Jamaat Free movement in Manipur from March 8: Shah FP News Service MUMBAI Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a sharp dig at the Lutyens’ Jamaat and the Khan Market Gang on Saturday, questioning their prolonged silence over outdated British-era laws, including one that allowed the police to arrest the groom and others if more than ten people danced at a wedding. The people who are the 'thekedaar' of PIL, those who 4Continued on | P8 FP News Service MUMBAI visit Courts every now and then, why they weren't worried about the Liberty back then," PM Modi said at NXT Conclave 2025 in the national capital. He pointed out that the law, introduced by the British 150 years ago, remained in force for 75 years after independence. “Even a wedding dance could lead to arrests. Our government abolished it,” he said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday directed security forces to ensure the free movement of people on all routes in Manipur from March 8, warning of strict action against those obstructing roads. Chairing a highlevel meeting to review the security situation in the violencehit state, Shah reaffirmed the Centre’s commitment to restoring lasting peace, assuring full support in this effort. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Law Ministry to parl panel Ballot papers are not your domain FP News Service MUMBAI The question of holding elections using ballot papers does not fall under the purview of the parliamentary committee examining the two bills on simultaneous polls, the Union law ministry has stated. Reverting to the ballot paper system was merely a Finance dept has prepared budget, which will be presented before the Cabinet BHOPAL Uttarakhand avalanche: Of 50 workers rescued, four die Briefs State budget to be worth Rs 4.25L crore "suggestion" from some committee members, to which the ministry was expected to respond in writing. However, while the Legislative Department provided detailed answers to various queries, it avoided a direct response on this matter. The ministry clarified that the ballot paper suggestion was "out of scope" for the panel, whose mandate is to review the Constitution (129th Amendment) Bill and the Union Territories Laws (Amendment) Bill. These bills aim to create a legal framework for simultaneous Lok Sabha and assembly elections and align the terms of legislative assemblies in Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir. Sources emphasized that the panel is not examining the method of voting— whether via electronic voting machines (EVMs) or ballot papers. The government has consistently opposed returning to paper ballots, and the Supreme Court has dismissed concerns over EVM tampering as "unfounded." 4Continued on | P8 The Real Reason Behind Clash ensions were already running high before the press event, according to sources close to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. A Fox News report— widely seen as sympathetic to President Trump—revealed that the Ukrainian leader had been offered a minerals-for-security agreement by the Trump administration. However, the deal lacked any concrete security guarantees to defend Ukraine against another Russian invasion. Zelenskyy had made it clear ahead of his Washington visit that Kyiv would not agree to any mineral deal without ironclad security assurances. His refusal to sign the agreement reportedly enraged Trump and Vice President JD Vance. The frustration boiled over just minutes into the press conference, erupting into a heated exchange between the two leaders, while officials scrambled behind the scenes to understand how the situation had spiraled so quickly. T 4Continued on | P8 The state government is getting ready to put up the budget in the House for the financial year 2025-26. The assembly session is beginning from March 10, and the budget will be put up on March 12. The officials of the Finance Department have swung into action to prepare it. According to sources, this time, the government is planning to table a budget worth Rs 4.25 lakh crore. Before tabling it the House, the budget will be presented before the cabinet. The government is getting ready to bring several new schemes in it. Religion and tourism will be given priority. Simhastha, Shrikrishna path, allotment of funds for development of Chitrakoot, plans for Amarkantak, development of temples in Ujjain and its surrounding areas will be included in the budget. Plans are afoot to allot a huge amount of money to the Plans are afoot to allot a huge amount of money for the development of tourist places development of tourist places. Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave the formula of three T s tourism, textiles, and technology at the Global Investors Summit in Bhopal for development. The impact of Modi s formula will be seen in the upcoming budget. Because the budget is being put up after the GIS, provisions will be made to develop industrial areas. The government is also going to make provisions for funds to run the new buses. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav had announced that government buses would be run. So, the state is getting ready to start a pilot project to run the buses in 2025-26. According to sources, the Water Resources Department, the Urban Development Department, and the Energy Department may get big amount. The government may announce special provisions for women. Under the provision, the government is mulling over giving incentives to women workers in an industry on the basis of their numbers.