Tuesday, April 29, 2025 | 32 Pages | `5 & for State (+4 pages) `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 176 | Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) GAMES NATION NEET UG plan: From monitoring coaching centres to question papers under police escort Delhi Capitals would look for a strong performance against Kolkata Knight Riders today Cinema International Dance Day: B’wood dance through the ages Edit Tearing up the treaties might work more in favour of India STRONG RESOLUTION | J&K Assembly denounces Pahalgam terror attack, vows to defeat designs of those who seek to disturb communal harmony ‘Direct assault on Kashmiriyat’ PTI JAMMU The Jammu and Kashmir Assembly unanimously passed a resolution on Monday expressing shock and anguish over the terrorist attack in Pahalgam and resolved to fight resolutely to defeat the nefarious designs to disturb communal harmony and hinder progress. The resolution, moved by Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary during a special session of the Assembly, was passed by voice vote. At the beginning of the session, House members observed a two-minute silence to pay homage to the 26 people killed in the tragedy last week. "The Legislative Assembly of The security in Jammu and Kashmir is not the responsibility of the elected government, but I will not use this opportunity (terror attack) to seek statehood. How can I push for statehood using the Pahalgam terror attack? Omar Abdullah Chief Minister, J&K Jammu and Kashmir reaffirms its unwavering commitment to foster an environment of peace, development, and inclusive prosperity for all its citizens, and to resolutely defeat the nefarious designs of those who seek to disturb the communal harmony and progress of the nation and of Jammu and Kashmir," the resolution stated. Concluding a discussion on the resolution, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, who also holds the tourism portfolio, condemned the Pahalgam terror attack and admitted that he failed in his responsibility of ensuring a safe return for tourists. "The security in Jammu and Kashmir is not the responsibility of the elected government, but I will not use this opportunity (terror attack) to seek statehood. How can I push for statehood using the Pahalgam terror attack?" BMC for 100% hike in BEST bus fares Kamal Mishra MUMBAI MUMBAI RECORD Archana Tyagi tipped to be first woman CP Poonam Apraj 4Contd on | nation Rajnath briefs PM Pact signed for 26 Rafale naval jets from France In a move that will directly impact over 31 lakh daily commuters, the BMC has approved a proposal for doubling the fares operated by Brihanmumbai Electric Supply and Transport (BEST). The decision, which aims to revive the financially troubled public transport service, has been approved by the Municipal Corporation and is now awaiting final clearance from the competent authority of the state government. Municipal Commissioner Dr. Bhushan Gagrani confirmed the development in a statement to The Free Press Journal, noting that the fare hike was unavoidable given the grim financial condition of the undertaking. Once imple- MUMBAI mented, the minimum fare for non-AC buses will rise from Rs 5 to Rs 10, while AC bus fares will start at Rs 12 instead of Rs 6. Monthly and weekly passes will also see substantial hikes. A 5 km non-AC monthly pass will now cost Rs 800, up from Rs 450, while its AC counterpart will jump from Rs 600 to Rs 1,100. For a 20 km commute, the non-AC pass will cost Rs 2,600, up from Rs 2,200, and the AC pass will soar to Rs 3,500 from Rs 2,700. With Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar set to retire on April 30, the announcement of the city’s new police chief is expected in the next two days. Sources indicate that senior IPS officer Archana Tyagi has emerged the frontrunner, setting the stage for a historic first — the appointment of a woman as Mumbai’s Police Commissioner. Sources say Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis as well as the rest of his government are 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation NAVI MUMBAI AIRPORT Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI: On a day when tension along the India-Pakistan border was running high following the April 22 Pahalgam attack, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence about the preparedness of the security forces. Singh’s meeting with the PM assumed significance as only yesterday he had met the Chief of General Staff (CDS) General Agencies NEW DELHI Anil Chauhan to discuss how the military planned to respond to one of the worst terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir since the reading down of Article 370 and 35(A) in August 2019. 4Contd on | nation India and France on Monday inked an intergovernmental agreement to procure 26 naval variants of Rafale fighter jets at a cost of around Rs 64,000 crore.. The deal has been signed for 22 single-seater jets and four twin-seater trainers, with deliveries expected to be completed by 2031. The pact was sealed at a virtual event. India is procuring the jets from French defence major GOVT BLOCKS 16 PAK CHANNELS FPJ News Service NEW DELHI The government has blocked 16 Pakistani YouTube channels for allegedly disseminating "false, provocative and communally sensitive content" about India and has also strongly objected to the BBC's reportage on the Pahalgam at- Briefs MHADA move on transparency In a landmark move towards transparency and citizen-centric governance, Sanjeev Jaiswal, IAS, Vice President and CEO of MHADA, announced on Monday nearly 15 crore documents will be made accessible to the public. The initiative aims to streamline the administrative process and improve transparency in MHADA’s functioning. See P7 At 14, Vaibhav sets record Rajasthan Royals' Vaibhav Suryavanshi created a record on Monday when he became the youngest batsman to score an IPL century at age 14 years and 32 days against Gujarat Titans in Jaipur. He brought up his whirlwind ton off 35 balls with 11 sixes and 7 fours. It was the 2nd fastest ton in IPL history. He was finally out for 101. See P29 tack, officials said on Monday. The government's move follows recommendations from the Ministry of Home Affairs in the wake of the April 22 attack. Also, the Ministry of External Affairs will be monitoring reporting of the BBC, which termed terrorists as militants, officials said. The YouTube channels blocked are Dawn News, Irshad Bhatti, SAMAA TV, ARY NEWS, BOL NEWS, Raftar, The Pakistan Reference, Geo News, Samaa Sports, GNN, Uzair Cricket, Umar Cheema Exclusive, Asma Shirazi, Muneeb Farooq, SUNO News and Razi Naama. The channels were banned for disseminating provocative and communally sensitive con- KRISHNA JANMABHOOMI CASE SC backs Allahabad High Court order tent, false and misleading narratives and misinformation against India, its Army and security agencies, officials said. In a missive to BBC India head Jackie Martin, the MEA conveyed the country's strong sentiments over the reporting on the Pahalgam terror attack. 4Contd on | nation Putin declares 72-hour May 8 ceasefire FPJ news Service MUMBAI PTI NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday said the Allahabad High Court was prima facie correct in allowing Hindu litigants to make the Centre and the Archaeological Survey of India parties in the Mathura Krishna Janmabhoomi-Shahi Idgah dispute. The Allahabad HC on March 5, 2025 allowed amendments to two lawsuits and permitted petitioners to make Centre's Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) as respondents. A bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar said prima facie there was nothing wrong in allowing the amendment of the lawsuit and replies to the amended plaint could be filed. "One thing is clear. The amendment to the original plaint (two lawsuits) by the Hindu plaintiffs has to be allowed," the CJI observed. Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday announced a unilateral 72-hour ceasefire in Ukraine to mark Victory Day celebrations, starting from May 8, but Kyiv swiftly dismissed it as insufficient. Ukraine reiterated its demand for an immediate and lasting 30-day truce, as previously proposed by US President Donald Trump. The Kremlin described the move as a humanitarian gesture tied to commemorations of Russia's WWII victory. However, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha insisted that if Russia genuinely sought peace, it should halt attacks immediately, not wait for May 8. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Congress speaks in many voices on Pahalgam FPJ News Service Rana custody extended MUMBAI Special NIA judge Chander Jit Singh extended the custody of the 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Rana by 12 days on NIA's request after his 18day remand got over. Rana was produced in court with face covered amid tight security. The Congress party on Monday scrambled to contain a damaging perception of disarray after several of its leaders made controversial remarks on the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, J&K, that killed 26 tourists. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh attempted to draw a firm line, declaring: "Some Congress leaders have been speaking to the media. They speak for themselves and do not reflect the Congress' views. There should be absolutely no doubt whatsoever at this most sensitive of times that the CWC resolution, the views expressed by Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi and the views of authorised AICC office-bearers ALONE represent the position of the Congress." The attempt at damage control followed the BJP’s fierce attack on the Congress, with former Union Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad alleging, "Do Rahul Gandhi and Mallikarjun Kharge have no control over their party? Or both of them made pro forma comments while letting others the freedom to speak as they wished." 4Contd on | nation Dassault Aviation for deployment on board aircraft carrier INS Vikrant and INS Vikramaditya. The sealing of the mega deal came three weeks after the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi cleared the procurement on April 9. 4Contd on | nation June 1 inauguration date for PM Modi Dhairya Gajara MUMBAI The ₹17,000-crore Navi Mumbai International Airport (NMIA), developed by Adani Airport Holdings Ltd, will be inaugurated on 1 June by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sources in the state intelligence department told The Free Press Journal on Monday. The `17,000-crore greenfield project nears completion, but commercial flights will likely be delayed beyond August However, airport officials indicated that despite the inauguration, it will be some time before flight operations begin. NMIA saw the inaugural landing of an Indian Air Force C-295 aircraft in October 2024. In December, the first commercial flight validation test was conducted, 4Contd on | nation