THE SUNDAY Vol. 36 No. 40 | Sunday, June 29, 2025 30 Pages | `5 & for State `6 | Reg. No. MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 46955/1988 M.p.c.s. office Mumbai-400001 FREE PRESS JOURNAL Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper GOOD LIFE Weekend Do celebrity health disclosures raise awareness or increase anxiety? Live Smart Tips from queer voices on being an ally Are pillow or sleeping mists helpful or just a placebo effect? Sunday Read Revisiting the golden year of Bollywood Briefs RAISING THE PITCH | Vice President says Preamble to the Constitution was disfigured with the addition of the words “Socialist”, “Secular” and “Integrity” X category security Dhankhar adds voice to RSS The Central government has provided X category security cover since June 16 to GVG Yugandhar, Director General of the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) by CRPF following a threat perception report by central intelligence agencies. Yugandhar is heading the investigation into the Air India Flight AI171 crash. 32-hrs traffic snarl, 3 dead A 32-hour-long traffic jam on the Indore-Dewas road in Madhya Pradesh on Friday involving over 4,000 vehicles trapped in an 8-kmlong stretch led to the deaths of three persons, sources say. SEE NATION Saquib Nachan dies in Delhi Saquib Nachan, 67, former office-bearer of the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and an accused in the Pune ISIS module case, died in a Delhi hospital on Saturday, days after suffering a brain haemorrhage, an official said. SEE CITY Bangla temple on public land After India denounced the reported destruction of a Durga temple in Dhaka, the Bangladesh Foreign Ministry claimed that the temple in Khilkhet area was built on land owned by Bangladesh Railways, and its removal was carried out following due process to recover public land, the state-run BSS news agency reported. Return after mid-air scare A Chennai-bound Air India flight had to return to Mumbai shortly after takeoff on Friday evening after passengers and crew detected a burning smell inside the cabin, prompting precautionary measures and emergency protocols; all passengers were safely deboarded and alternative arrangements were being made. Civilisation unearthed Archaeologists have uncovered a 4,500-year-old settlement in Rajasthan’s Deeg district, revealing statues, utensils, and weapons possibly linked to the Mahabharata era and the Maurya and Shunga dynasties, offering tantalising evidence of a previously unknown ancient civilisation buried beneath layers of history. Agencies NEW DELHI/VARANASI In a strongly worded speech resonating with the ideological spectrum of the RSS, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Saturday launched a broadside against the 1976 amendment to the Constitution's Preamble, calling it a "nasoor" (festering wound) and an "unpardonable insult to the Sanatan soul of India." Speaking at a book release function at his residence, Dhankhar, "The Preamble is the soul of the Constitution. It was disfigured during the darkest phase of Indian (L to R) Jitendra Singh, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Jagdeep Dhankhar & Dattatreya Hosabale democracy - the Emergency when terms like 'Socialist', 'Secular', and 'Integrity' were inserted under coercion." Calling the 42nd Amendment "an unjust and illegitimate act," he said, "We altered something that should never have been changed. And that too, not by the will of the people but at a time when the people, the source of power, were behind bars." He remarked that no other country in the world had tampered with the Preamble of its Constitution and described the 1976 additions as "a betrayal of our civilisational ethos and the intentions of our Constitution makers." “Preamble is not changeable. Preamble is not alterable. Preamble is the basis on which the Constitution has grown. Preamble is the seed of the Constitution. It is soul of the Constitution but this Preamble for Bharat was changed by the 42nd Constitutional Amend- ment act of 1976, adding words ‘socialist’, ‘secular’ and ‘integrity’,” he said. Quoting from landmark Supreme Court judgments like Kesavananda Bharati and Golaknath, he reminded the audience that the apex court has always treated the Preamble as the guiding light of the Constitution. Referring to B.R. Ambedkar as a "visionary who lives in our soul," the Vice President said the sanctity of the Constitution must be preserved and warned against the growing political polarisation and caste-based divisions that threaten India's unity. 4Contd on | nation Preamble is not changeable. Preamble is not alterable. Preamble is the basis on which the Constitution has grown. Preamble is the seed of the Constitution. It is soul of the Constitution but this Preamble for Bharat was changed by the 42nd Constitutional Amendment act of 1976... Jagdeep Dhankhar, Vice President ‘India looks very grand from space’ FPJ News Service MUMBAI “I see 16 sunsets and 16 sunrises every day,” Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla told Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a live video interaction from the International Space Station (ISS), where he’s become the first Indian to ever dock and live aboard the orbiting lab. Shukla’s journey is India’s biggest space milestone in 41 years — since Rakesh Sharma's eightday voyage in 1984. This time, it’s not just a flag-planting exercise but a 14-day research mission as Deputation dream ends for 29 babus Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI The state’s mighty Revenue machinery was shaken out of its slumber on Friday, as the deputation of 29 Deputy Collectors was abruptly cancelled. The move, one of the most sweeping in recent years, came after Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule took serious exception to officers overstaying their welcome in cushy assignments. Regarded as the spine of grassroots governance, the Revenue cadre manages everything from land disputes and disaster relief to serving as Taluka and Sub-divisional Magistrates. But with 48 key posts lying vacant in under-served regions like Vidarbha and Marathwada, Bawankule decided enough was Revenue Minister cracks the whip as officers cling to ‘plum’ postings. Officers told to pack up and head back to the hinterlands part of the international Axiom4 crew, launched via SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The Prime Minister, visibly moved, hailed the astronaut: “You are farthest from India but closest to Indians’ hearts. Your name has ‘Shubh’ in it — and your mission is the auspi- Parag Jain new RAW Chief Agencies NEW DELHI enough. The 29 Deputy Collectors, who had been serving in other departments—mostly in plush urban districts—have been told to return to their original roles in the Revenue Department, immediately. The sudden development, according to sources, was the outcome of a recent meeting where the 4Contd on | nation Agencies NAGPUR: Chief Justice of India B R Gavai on Saturday said Dr B R Ambedkar envisioned one Constitution for the country to keep it united and never favoured the idea of a separate constitution for a state. Speaking at the inauguration of the Constitution Preamble Park at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Law School, Nagpur University, the CJI said the Supreme Court drew inspiration from Dr Ambedkar's vision of a united India under a single constitution while upholding the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370 that granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir. Gavai was part of a fivejudge Constitution bench, headed by then Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, that unanimously upheld the Centre's decision to abrogate Article 370, which bestowed special status to the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir. "When Article 370 was challenged, it came before us, and when the hearing was under- Actress Shefali Jariwala’s death still a mystery Parag Jain, a 1989-batch IPS officer from the P u n j a b cadre, will take over as the next chief of the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) on July 1 for a two-year term. His appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet. Jain is currently heading the Aviation Research Centre and is known for his role in Operation Sindoor, where targeted missile strikes were carried out on terror bases across the Line of Control ( LOC). 4Contd on | nation cious beginning of a new space era for our youth.” Modi told the Lucknowborn astronaut his historic journey would add fresh momentum to the march towards Viksit Bharat (developed India). ‘ARTICLE 370 WAS AGAINST AMBEDKAR’S IDEOLOGY’ 4Contd on | nation Megha Kuchik MUMBAI The sudden death of actressmodel and Bigg Boss 13 contestant Shefali Jariwala, 42, on June 27 has left fans and the entertainment industry in shock. Initial reports suggested she suffered a cardiac arrest, but Mumbai Police officials on Saturday clarified that her body had been sent to Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle West for a post-mortem. The cause of death remains unclear, as the report has been reserved. Although the autopsy has been completed and the actress cremated on Saturday, the precise cause of death has not yet been determined, ad- Agencies Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi condemned on Saturday the "disrespectful and unacceptable" comments from  Donald Trump, after the  U.S. President claimed to have saved Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei from an "ugly and ignominious death". "If President Trump is genuine about wanting a deal, he Forces, by far the Greatest and Most Powerful in the World, terminate his life. I SAVED HIM....and he does not have to say, “THANK YOU, PRESIDENT TRUMP!” should put aside the disrespectful and unacceptable tone towards Iran's Supreme Leader, Grand Ayatollah Khamenei, and stop hurting his millions of heartfelt supporters," Mr. Araghchi posted on his account on social media platform X. The Great and Powerful Ira- nian People, who showed the world that the Israeli regime had NO CHOICE but to RUN to 'Daddy' to avoid being flattened by our Missiles, do not take kindly to Threats and Insults," the Foreign Minister said. The United States carried out strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites last weekend, with no consensus as to how effective they were. 4Contd on | nation Agencies NEW DELHI, JUNE 28 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid tribute to former Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao on his birth anniversary, praising his leadership during a crucial phase of India’s development. Taking to X, PM Modi wrote, “Remembering Shri PV Nara- ding to the mystery surrounding her untimely demise. Sources revealed that Shefali had a history of epilepsy and was also taking anti-ageing medication. On the evening of June 27, Shefali reportedly collapsed in her 11th-floor apartment at the Golden Days building in Shastri Nagar, Lokhandwala Complex, Andheri (W). 4Contd on | nation simha Rao Garu on his birth anniversary. India is grateful to him for his effective leadership during a crucial phase of our development trajectory. His intellect, wisdom and scholarly nature are also widely admired.” Narasimha Rao served as India’s Prime Minister from June 21, 1991, to May 16, 1996. 4Contd on | nation offgrid China unveils mosquito-sized spy drone FPJ News Service MUMBAI Military microbot, weighing 0.3 grams, designed for covert battlefield reconnaissance In a revelation that could transform the future of warfare and surveillance, China has unveiled a minuscule, mosquito-like drone designed for high-risk reconnaissance missions. Presented on June 20 via the state-run military broadcaster CCTV-7, the bionic microdrone is the latest in a growing arsenal of next-generation stealth tech developed by the National University of Defence Technology (NUDT) in Hunan province. Weighing only 0.3 grams and roughly 2 centimetres in length, the device resembles a mosquito both in appearance and movement. It has two flapping wings that beat at an astonishing 500 times per second and three gossamer legs. "Miniature bionic robots like this one are especially suited to information reconnaissance and special missions on the battlefield," explained NUDT student Liang Hexiang as he held the tiny flyer up to the camera. Beyond its uncanny mimicry of nature, what makes the drone truly formidable is its functionality. Packed with micro-sensors and communication hardware, the drone can be piloted using a smartphone. It has been engineered to evade conventional radar systems, slip through tight spaces, and operate in environments otherwise inaccessible to humans or larger machines. The drone’s creators emphasise its primary role in battlefield espionage—collecting intelligence while remaining virtually undetectable. But the potential applications of such micro-UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) extend well beyond the frontlines. Experts believe the same technologies that power this military marvel could soon revolutionise sectors such as medicine, agriculture, and disaster relief. In precision surgery, for instance, micro- B R Gavai, Chief Justice way, I recalled Dr Babasaheb's words that one Constitution is suited for a country... If we want to keep the country united, we need only one Constitution," he said, while addressing the gathering in Marathi. On August 5, 2019, the Centre decided to strip Jammu and Kashmir of special status and divide it into two Union Territories. Gavai said Dr Ambedkar had been criticised, saying the Constitution provides for too much federalism, and in times of war, the country may not remain united. 4Contd on | nation Three held for poisoning K’taka tigers Actress cremated but post-mortem report reserved; police await forensic results amid speculation Saved Khamenei from ugly death: Trump PM LAUDS EX-PM NARASIMHA RAO “I knew EXACTLY where he was sheltered, and would not let Israel, or the U.S. Armed WASHINGTON When Article 370 was challenged, it came before us, and when the hearing was underway, I recalled Dr Babasaheb's words that one Constitution is suited for a country... If we want to keep the country united, we need only one Constitution bots may one day deliver drugs directly to tumours or assist in minimally invasive procedures. In agriculture, they could monitor crop health with pinpoint accuracy. They could also assist in pollution detection, forest fire tracking, or search-andrescue efforts after earthquakes. But the rise of insect-sized drones has set alarm bells ringing among global security analysts. 4Contd on | nation Vinay Madhava Gowda BENGALURU The Karnataka forest department officials have arrested three people in connection with poisoning and killing five tigers, including a mother and four cubs in Malai Mahadeshwara Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. The arrested have been identified as Konappa, Madaraju and Nagaraja of Koppa village, in the fringes of the sanctuary. The three had taken a loan from an affluent person from neighbouring Saragur town in Tamil Nadu and had taken up the responsibility of taking care of his 50 cattle. They grazed the cattle inside the Sanctuary. On June 21, they had set the cattle free inside the forest and one of the cattle did not return. When they went in search of the cattle, they found remains of the half eaten carcass. Realising that a tiger must have killed it and since they were aware of tiger movements in the area, and knowing that the tiger would return to the kill to eat what was left of the carcass, they decided to poison the carcass as a measure of retaliation. They procured the poison from Saragur and poured it all over the carcass early the next morning. They did not return to check what happened next. On June 26, the forest guards in beat found five tigers had died unnaturally. The mother was around 10year-old and the cubs -- three females and a male were around one year old. They also found the remains of the cattle nearby and suspected it to be poisoning.