FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 54 | BHOPAL | FRIDAY | AUGUST 8, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Messi misses goal, Kerala loses Rs 13L in process P.16 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY Ready to pay heavy price for farmers’ welfare: PM PTI Boeing deal put on hold NEW DELHI fp Briefs NEW DELHI Rana to speak to family A Delhi court on Thursday allowed 26/11 Mumbai attack accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana to have phone conversations with family members for the limited purpose of discussing engagement of a private counsel, court sources said. They said special judge Chander Jit Singh passed the order in an in-chamber proceeding. ISLAMABAD Munir to visit US again Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir is expected to visit the US this week to hold talks with his American counterparts, media reported on Thursday. Munir's visit would be a return visit after US Central Command head General Michael Erik Kurilla's visit to Pakistan in July. India has paused the procurement of six additional Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. The decision comes after nearly 50% price increase, driven in part by a 25% US tariff on Indian exports. The move comes amid a broader review of high-value defence acquisitions, as the country grapples with rising costs, evolving geopolitical dynamics, and a renewed focus on strategic autonomy. The proposed deal has not been definitively canceled but is under review in light of the altered cost dynamics and broader policy considerations. China backs India Why singling out India? China on Thursday criticised the United States for imposing steep new tariffs on India over its continued purchase of Russian oil, calling it a clear case of "tariff abuse" and urging restraint. The strong response came after US President Donald Trump signed an executive order placing an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, taking the total import duty to 50 per cent. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said, "China's opposition to the abuse of tariffs is consistent and clear." US President Donald Trump warned of new "secondary sanctions" for Moscow's trading partners when he was asked why India was being "singled out" for its business ties with Russia, leaving other nations that have been buying Russian energy. When a journalist asked him why he was singling India out for these additional sanctions from other countries, like China, that also buy Russian oil, Trump said, "It's only been 8 hours. So let's see what happens. You're going to see a lot more...You're going to see so many secondary sanctions." terests of its farmers, dairy farmers and fishermen)," Modi said. He was addressing a global conference to mark the birth centenary of late agri-scientist M S Swaminathan, the architect of India's Green Revolution. To protect farmers' inter- ests, the prime minister said he was ready to personally pay a huge price. 4Continued on | P8 Rahul drops ‘atom bomb’ of poll malpractices on EC, Centre Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday claimed that “vote theft is an atom bomb that has been dropped on our democracy” and cited the example of his party’s investigation into the Bangalore Central Lok Sabha election he claimed that over one lakh fake voters were included in its Mahadevapura Assembly constituency to influence the outcome of the entire election. The BJP had won the Lok Sabha election by 32,707 votes. Addressing a press confer- 3.9 magnitude earthquake hits Mandsaur, Raj FP News Service ECI asks Rahul to give plaint on oath The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Thursday issued a strong rebuttal to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's allegations of “vote theft” in Karnataka, asking him to give a complaint on oath or stop misleading citizens. Issuing a “Fact Check” on the allegations, the ECI also circulated a format for a declaration on oath which Gandhi could use for filing a complaint related to allegations ence at the Indira Bhawan party headquarters, Gandhi, who had last week threatened to drop an “atom bomb” to expose alleged malpractices by the Election Commission to benefit the BJP, said his party’s investigation has proved how election outcomes were being manipulated by inserting fake BHOPAL A mild earthquake measuring 3.9 on the Richter scale struck Pratapgarh district of Rajasthan and Mandsaur at 10:07 am on Thursday. The epicentre was located 10 kilometres deep in Pratapgarh, Rajasthan. Despite its low intensity, the tremors caused panic among residents as many rushed out of their homes, shops and offices into open spaces. In schools, teachers quickly acted to ensure the safety of students. Details on Page 4 4Continued on | P8 PUNE INDORE NASHIK Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Thursday announced that Madhya Pradesh is set to get its first rail and metro coach manufacturing unit in Raisen district. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will lay the foundation stone on August 10. He said, “For the first time in our state, train coaches and metro coaches will be manufactured here and delivered across nation and globe.” The unit, worth around Rs 1,800 crore, will come up at Umariya village in Raisen. It is expected to create employment opportunities for around 2,000 people.Around 60 hectares of land have been allotted for the project. Coaches of Vande Bharat, Amrit Bharat and metro trains will be manufactured at the facility. The CM said the project will also boost several auxiliary industrial units in Raisen and Bhopal districts. Bhopal Nawab deposited funds in Bank of Pak: CM Nawab of Bhopal had de- MUMBAI E-paper Cinema Manasi Parekh’s struggle story P.14 Ladli Behnas get Rs 1,500 for Rakshabandhan CM transfers Rs 1,859cr to their accounts The amount will be increased to Rs 3,000 by 2028; Yadav cites Rakshabandhan and Operation Sindoor Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav has transferred Rs 1,500, including additional amount of Rs 250, to the accounts of Ladli Behnas. Yadav transferred Rs 1,859 crore to the accounts of 1.26 crore women on Thursday. He has also transferred Rs 43.90 crore to the accounts of beneficiaries under the Ujjawala scheme. At a function in Narsingarh, Yadav said the Ladli Behnas would get Rs 1,500 every month after Diwali. This time, a sum of Rs 250 was deposited as a symbol Putin to visit India later this month, reports Russian media Women tie Rakhi to CM Mohan Yadav in Narsingarh auspiciousness. The amount of the Ladli Behna Yojna will be increased to Rs 3,000 by 2028. The government will give financial aid of Rs 6,000 to the women working in industries and Rs 5,000 to men. Hostels 2 more die at Kubereshwar Dham, toll mounts to seven FP News Service IANS MOSCOW Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India is expected at the end of August, a leading news agency of the country reported on Thursday citing comments made by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval during his ongoing visit to Moscow. "We have now established very good relations, which we value very much, a strategic partnership between our countries. We interact at a high level... We were pleased to learn about President Putin's visit to o u r country, scheduled for late August," the Interfax news agency quoted NSA Doval as saying at a meeting with Russian Security Council Secretary Sergei Shoigu in Moscow on Thursday.Earlier, Kremlin aide Yury Ushakov had confirmed that Putin is expected to visit India following an invitation from Prime Minister Modi. The visit is being planned as part of the ongoing commitment to annual meetings between the two leaders. "Our leaders have an agreement to meet once a year. This time, it is our turn," Ushakov had said during a press briefing. posited his money in accounts of Bank of Pakistan because he, along with rulers of four other princely states, did not want to merge with India, said Chief Minister Mohan Yadav while addressing media here on Thursday. “The Bhopal princely state reminds us of a glorious past, where the tricolour holds special significance. It was among the four princely states that initially refused to merge with India,” the CM said. 4Continued on | P8 Two more devotees died at Kubereshwar Dham in Sehore on Thursday, official sources said. A youth from Uttar Pradesh died of a heart attack in the morning, and another person from Delhi died at noon. Those who died were identified as 22-year-old Upendra Gupta from Gorakhpur in UP and 40-year-old Anil Sen from Delhi. With two more deaths, the number of people dying at Kubereshwar has mounted to seven since Tuesday night, when thousands of people arrived at the place to take part in Kawad Yatra organised by Kathavachak Pradeep Mishra. Three persons died of sudden illness on Wednesday. Similarly, two devotees died and 12 sustained injuries in a stampede during the distribution of Rudraksha on Tuesday. 4Continued on | P8 income roadmap MP improves as south, west dominate earnings IANS Gujarat has emerged as the frontrunner among India’s large states, recording a per capita Net State Domestic Product (NSDP) -- a proxy for average income -- of Rs 1.96 lakh. Karnataka followed closely at Rs 1.92 lakh, trailed by Haryana at Rs 1.83 lakh and Tamil Nadu at Rs 1.80 lakh. Gujarat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu each contribute between 8 and 9 per cent to the national GDP. Yet, Maharashtra's per capita income growth has lagged behind its peers over the past decade, suggesting a decoupling between aggregate output and individual prosperity. The broader economic geography of India reveals a pronounced tilt towards the West and South, with states such as Maharashtra, Guja- rat, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu consistently outperforming others. Madhya Pradesh, by contrast, has demonstrated a more encouraging trajectory. Its per capita NSDP rose from Rs 38,497 in 2011–12 to Rs 67,300 in 2023–24, reflecting an average annual growth rate of 4.8 per cent. In a recent parliamentary session, Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary presented statewise data on per capita income. These figures are calculated at constant 2011–12 prices -- a methodological choice that strips away inflationary distortions and allows for a more accurate assessment of real income growth over time. This pace of expansion surpasses that of traditionally wealthier states such as Maharashtra (4.3 per cent) and Haryana (4.6 per cent). Karnataka and Tamil Nadu credited their elevated figures to effective governance and sustained policy interventions. 4Continued on | P8 Govt to order magisterial probe: Revenue Minister Revenue Minister Karan Singh Verma has said the government will order a magisterial probe into the circumstances which led to the deaths of seven persons at Kubereshwar Dham. Pradeep Mishra mourns deaths Kathavachak Pradeep Mishra mourned the deaths of seven devotees during the Kawad Yatra at Kubereshwar Dham. The temple committee is with the family members of those who lost their near and dear ones and ready to provide any help to them, he said. TRAFFIC BOTTLENECK ON HIGHWAY Kawad Yatra led to a traffic bottleneck on the Bhopal-Indore highway, which continued late Wednesday night. A large number of vehicles snarled up on the road, causing problems for commuters. Cash row: SC rejects Justice Varma’s plea PTI NEW DELHI Observing that in-house procedure was scrupulously followed, the Supreme Court on Thursday dismissed Allahabad High Court judge Yashwant Varma's plea seeking invalidation of an inhouse inquiry report finding him guilty of misconduct in the cash discovery row. Wads of burnt cash were found following a fire in the storeroom of the judge's official residence in the capital on March 14. Questioning Justice Varma's conduct, the top court said he did not object to the photographs or video footage being uploaded and participated in the inquiry without demur. The bench said even in his representation dated May 6, addressed to then CJI Sanjiv Khanna, there was "no whisper" of the procedure violating any constitutional provision. A bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih held Justice Varma's conduct did not inspire confidence, not meriting his plea to be examined. Justice Varma sought quashing of the May 8 recommendation by then Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna urging Parliament to initiate impeachment proceedings against him. The top court rejected the submission of senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who was representing the beleaguered judge and called the in-house inquiry and the report a "parallel and extra-constitutional mechanism". 4Continued on | P8 25 shots fired at Kapil’s Canada café Online Report NEW DELHI Shots were fired at comedian Kapil Sharma's cafe in Canada's Surrey for a second time this month. Two gangs - Gurpreet Singh alias Goldy Dhillon, and Lawrence Bishnoi - in posts on social media claimed responsibility for the attack. At least 25 gunshots were heard in the purported video of the attack that surfaced on social media. A voice was also heard saying in the video, amid the crack of the gunshots, "... We had called the target, but he didn't hear the ring, so we had to take action. If he still doesn't hear the ring, the next action will be taken soon in Mumbai." The Mumbai Police and other security agencies are looking into the matter, sources said. 4Continued on | P8 EC notifies schedule for V-P election, nominations by Aug 21 Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI NEW DELHI are being constructed for women at their place of work, he said, adding that the financial aid of 35% is being provided under the Gopalan Yojna. The state government has already paid more than Rs 41,000 crore under the Ladli Behna Yojna. In the coming days, Rajgarh, Narsingarh, and Biaora will be part of the metropolitan city, Yadav said. He made several announcements for the development of Rajgarh and Narsingarh. Several Ladli Behnas tied Rakhis to Yadav at the function. The Rakhis presented by sisters have given strength to men to take on the powerful kingdoms for thousands of years, Yadav said. SEHORE Rajnath to lay stone for state’s first coach factory on Sunday Our Staff Reporter MANDSAUR voters in some parts of larger constituencies. Gandhi said what made the Congress suspicious about the outcomes, was that BJP remained 'magically' immune to anti-incumbency; it secured huge and unexpected victory margins; and the opinion and exit polls went way off the mark. PRESS Edit Trump’s tariff tantrum P.6 Electronics exports jump 47% in Q1 TRUMP TARIFF THREAT | Modi declares he was prepared to bear a significant personal cost if necessary In a subtle message directed at US President Donald Trump, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday that India will never compromise on the interests of its farmers, fishermen and dairy sector, and declared he was prepared to bear a significant personal cost if necessary. The statement came a day after Trump ratcheted up tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, even as the two nations discuss a bilateral trade deal. The trade deal has been stuck over the US demand for greater access to India's agricultural and dairy market. The US wants reduced tariffs on products like corn, soybeans, apples, almonds and ethanol, as well as increased access for US dairy products. New Delhi is, however, resisting these demands as these will have a direct bearing on farmers. "Hamare liye apne kisaanon ka hit sarvoch prathamikta hai. Bharat apne kisaanon, pashu-paalakon aur macchuaare bhai-bahanon ke hiton ke saath kabhi bhi samjhuata nahin karega. (For us, the interests of farmers are our top priority. India will never compromise on the in- UJJAIN The Election Commission on Thursday notified the schedule for the Vice-Presidential Election, which has been necessitated by the resignation of former incumbent Jagdeep Dhankar, who had announced his decision to step down on July 21. As per the schedule for the election, the last date for making nominations would be August 21; the scrutiny of nominations would take place by the following day, August 22; the last date for withdrawal of candidature would be August 25 and the date of vot- ing, if necessary, will be September 9. The Election Commission recalled that it had through a separate notification issued on July 25 appointed Secretary-General of Rajya Sabha P.C. Mody as the Returning Officer for the VicePresidential Election, 2025. It said the Returning Office has notified on Thursday that the “nomination papers may be delivered by a candidate or any one of his proposers or seconders to the undersigned at his office in Room No RS-28, First Floor, Parliament House, New Delhi”. 4Continued on | P8 NDA authorises Modi, Nadda to pick candidate The National Democratic Alliance on Thursday authorised Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president J P Nadda to pick the ruling bloc's vice presidential candidate, as the Election Commission kickstarted the nomination process for the poll by issuing a notification. Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said the alliance leaders took a unanimous decision to authorise Modi and Nadda, who are Leaders of the House in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha respectively