Tuesday, August 26, 2025 | Vol. 68 No. 278 | 34 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL HAPPY TEEJ HARTALIKA MOTHER TERESA BIRTH ANNIVERSARY INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation GAMES NATION Amit Shah defends NDA’s VP pick Radhakrishnan, saying his selection was ‘natural’ Cinema Actor Gaurav Khanna on his Big Boss stint The BCCI is looking out for new title sponsor after Dream11 walks out Edit India’s political journey from being unipolar to multipolar FIRs stayed against psephologist FPJ News Service NEW DELHI T he Supreme Court on Monday granted protection from arrest to psephologist Sanjay Kumar, co-director of Lokniti at the Centre for the Study of Developing Societies (CSDS), in connection with two FIRs against him in Maharashtra. The FIRs, filed by officers acting on Election Commission’s behalf, accused him of spreading misinformation through social media posts about discrepancies in state’s electoral rolls. A bench of Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice NV Anjaria issued notice on Kumar’s plea seeking quashing of the FIRs and ordered that “no coercive action” be taken against him. “Issue notice. In the meantime, there shall be no coercive action,” the CJI said. As reported by Bar & Bench and Live Law, Kumar approached the SC after FIRs were filed at Sarkarwada police station in Nashik and Ramtek police station in Nagpur under provisions of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita, including offences related to obstructing public duty, misrepresentation, and misleading the public. 4Contd on | nation Death sentence No mocking to be reviewed the disabled Online Report FPJ News Service Agencies NEW DELHI NEW DELHI NEW DELHI he SC allowed an Article 32 petition filed by Vasanta Sampat Dupare, convicted for the rape-murder of a 4-year old girl, challenging his sentence of death penalty, Live Law reports. "The writ petition is allowed. Therefore, we hold that Article 32 of the Constitution empowers this court in cases related to capital punishment to reopen the sentencing stage where the accused has been condemned to death penalty without ensuring that the guidelines mandated was followed. This corrective power is invoked precisely to compel rigorous application of the safeguards, thereby ensuring that the condemned person is not deprived of the fundamental rights to equal treatment, individualized sentencing and fair procedure that Articles 14 and 21 secure to every person,” it said. T he Supreme Court on Monday directed comedians Samay Raina, Vipul Goyal, Balraj Paramjeet Singh Ghai, Sonali Thakkar alias Sonali Aditya Desai and Nishant Jagdish Tanwar to publish unconditional apologies on YouTube and other social media platforms for making insensitive remarks against persons with disabilities. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi was hearing a petition filed by Cure SMA India Foundation, which accused the comedians of ridiculing people with disabilities, including those suffering from Spinal Muscular Atrophy. The Court was informed that all five comedians had submitted their apologies in court, though Justice Kant remarked that Raina initially tried to portray himself as innocent before apologising. T he Supreme Court on Monday restrained trial court proceedings against Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad, who was booked by Haryana Police over his social media posts on Operation Sindoor. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi passed an interim order restraining the jurisdictional magistrate from taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed by the Haryana Police Special Investigation Team (SIT). The court also quashed proceedings in another FIR against the professor, after noting that a closure report had been filed in that case. The SIT informed the court that while one FIR had been closed, in the other, a chargesheet was filed on August 22, saying certain offences were attracted. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation India will resist tariff pressure, vows Modi FPJ News Service Deadline looms, key meet today MUMBAI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday declared that India will resist pressure of US tariffs, asserting that he will not compromise on the interests of farmers, cattle rearers, and small-scale industries. Speaking just two days before Washington’s decision to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods comes into force, the Prime Minister underlined that “pressure might increase, but we will bear it all.” Addressing a large gathering in Ahmedabad after inaugurating a series of development projects, Modi took sharp aim at the Congress, accusing the party of compromising India’s economic independence during its six-decade-long rule. “For 60 to 65 years, Congress governments made the nation dependent on other countries so they could indulge in import scams. Today, India is charting its own independent path,” he declared to thunderous applause. On the looming tariff challenge, Modi made it clear that his government’s priorities remain unchanged. “For Modi, Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI the interests of farmers, cattle rearers, and small industries are paramount. Pressure on us may increase, but we will bear it all,” he said, drawing sustained cheers from the crowd. He urged Indians to adopt swadeshi practices wholeheartedly, calling on traders to display prominently that they only sell “Made in India” goods. “All of us should follow the mantra of buying only swadeshi. Businessmen should put up big boards outside their establishments, declaring proudly that they sell only Indian-made goods,” he appealed. 4Contd on | nation The Prime Minister’s Office has convened a highlevel meeting on Tuesday to weigh the implications and possible responses on the imminent 50% tariff imposition by the US. The additional tariffs are expected to hit labour-intensive sectors such as textiles, gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals, food and beverages, automobiles, and capital goods. To soften the blow, the Centre is working on strategies to help exporters tap new markets and boost domestic consumption. Over the past fortnight, New Delhi has convened multiple highlevel consultations, including an August 18 meeting of ministers, secretaries, and economists. In parallel, a second lobbying firm in Washington has been engaged. Banu Mushtaq in Dasara row Vinay Madhava Gowda BENGALURU The Karnataka government’s decision to invite Booker Prize winner Banu Mushtaq to inaugurate the world-famous Dasara Festival has triggered a political storm, with BJP leaders and right-wing groups questioning the choice. Curb on trial court process The festival, celebrated during Navratri in Mysuru, traditionally begins with rituals dedicated to Goddess Cha- mundeshwari, the presiding deity of the city. BJP leaders, including Bengaluru South MP Tejasvi Surya and former Mysuru MP Prathap Simha, have raised objections, citing Mushtaq’s earlier remarks critical of Karnataka’s cultural symbols. 4Contd on | nation T Delhi HC sets aside Modi degree order FPJ News Service MUMBAI The Delhi HC has set aside an order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) that had directed Delhi University (DU) to disclose information pertaining to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s bachelor’s degree reported Live Law . DU had filed the petition in 2017 against the CIC’s 2016 directive, which permitted inspection of records of students who cleared the BA programme in 1978—the year when Modi is stated to have passed his examination. The High Court had stayed the order on the very first date of hearing, January 24, 2017. Appearing for DU, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that the CIC’s order was unsustainable in law. He clarified Court rules that DU can withhold individual 1978 BA student records, including those linked to PM Modi. that DU had no objection to showing the relevant record to the court itself, adding, “There is a degree from 1978, Bachelor of Arts.” However, he maintained that the records could not be placed in the public domain for scrutiny by strangers. Mehta further argued that mere curiosity was not sufficient ground to invoke the Right to Information (RTI) Act, and that the information in question was held by DU in a fiduciary capacity. 4Contd on | nation US President Trump attacked NBC and ABC News, accusing the networks of “biased” coverage and saying he would support the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) revoking their licences. He said on Sunday that the outlets had given him negative coverage in “97%” of stories, though it was unclear where he sourced the figure. A study by the conservative watchdog Media Research Center ear- lier found coverage of Trump’s first 100 days in office was “92% negative.” “IF THAT IS THE CASE,” Trump wrote in his signature all-caps style, “THEY ARE SIMPLY AN ARM OF THE DEMOCRAT PARTY AND SHOULD, ACCORDING TO MANY HAVE THEIR LICENSES REVOKED.” Trump called the outlets “so biased and untruthful, an actual threat to our Democracy.” He also called ABC and NBC “two of the absolute worst and most biased networks.” He questioned why the networks are not “paying Millions of Dollars a year in LICENSE FEES.” He argued, “They should lose their Licenses for their unfair coverage of Republicans and/or Conservatives, but at a minimum, they should pay up BIG for having the privilege of using the most valuable airwaves anywhere at anytime!!! Crooked ‘journalism’ should not be rewarded, it should be terminated!!!” 4Contd on | nation A group of 18 retired judges has criticised Union Home Minister Amit Shah for his remarks against opposition vice-presidential candidate and former Supreme Court judge B. Sudershan Reddy, calling them “unfortunate” and a “prejudicial misinterpretation” of the Supreme Court’s Salwa Judum judgment. They said such comments could have a chilling effect on judges and urged political leaders to avoid namecalling during campaigns. The statement, signed by seven retired Supreme Court judges A.K. Patnaik, Abhay Oka, Gopala Gowda, Vikramjit Sen, Kurien Joseph, Madan B. Lokur and J. Chelameswar, said the Salwa Judum verdict did not, either expressly or by implication, support Naxalism or its ideology. It added that while the campaign for the office of the Vice President may be ideological, it should be conducted civilly and with dignity, without attacking the “socalled ideology” of candidates. As reported by Live Law The retired judges said that out of respect for the office of the Vice President, it would be wise to refrain from name-cal- Ashwin Ahmad FPJ News Service NEW DELHI PM Modi voiced his appreciation of Fiji’s support of India and its condemnation of terrorist attacks against the country. Speaking in Hindi at a press conference with his Fijian counterpart, Sitiveni Rabuka, the prime minister stated that India stood ready to partner with Fiji, especially in the defence and security fields, for which an action plan had been prepared. “We have decided to strengthen mutual cooperation in the defence and security sector. An action plan has been prepared for this. India will provide training A group of 18 retired judges says Home Minister’s remarks on Sudershan Reddy could have a chilling effect on judges ling. They also warned that misinterpreting a judgment of the SC by a senior political leader could undermine the independence of the judiciary. Among the other signatories were former Chief Justices of High Courts Govind Mathur, S. Muralidhar and Sanjib Bannerjee, and former High Court judges Anjana Prakash, C. Praveen Kumar, A. Gopal Reddy, G. Raghuram, K. Kannan, K. Chandru, B. Chandrakumar and Kailash Gambhir. Prof. Mohan Gopal and senior advocate Sanjay Hegde also endorsed the statement. 4Contd on | nation WILLINGDON HEIGHTS Ray of hope for residents? Dhairya Gajara MUMBAI MUMBAI and equipment support to strengthen Fiji’s maritime security. We are ready to share our experience in the areas of cybersecurity and data protection. We are unanimous in the opinion that terrorism is a huge challenge for all of humanity. 4Contd on | nation Trump meltdown over ‘negative’ stories Agencies The Delhi High Court set aside the CIC’s directive to CBSE to allow inspection of Smriti Irani’s class X and XII records. Justice Sachin Datta ruled that educational qualifications are “personal information” protected under Section 8(1)(j) of the RTI Act. He observed that disclosure without overriding public interest would intrude upon privacy, citing the Supreme Court’s Puttuswamy judgment. FPJ News Service NEW DELHI NOW, DEFENCE ‘Hypocrisy to PACT WITH FIJI attack jail bill’ offgrid WASHINGTON Smriti Irani CIC order quashed ‘Shah misinterpreting Salwa Judum verdict’ ‘Six or seven’ jets shot down in India-Pak war, says Trump US President Donald Trump on Monday claimed he personally stopped seven wars across the world, including what he described as a potential nuclear confrontation between India-Pak. “The big one would have been India-Pakistan. That was the next level — a nuclear war. They had already shot down six or seven jets. It was raging. I said, ‘If you don’t stop, there’s no trade with us. You’ve got 24 hours to settle it.’ They called back saying there’s no more war,” he recounted. The U.S. President did not clarify whether the aircraft losses he cited were Indian, Pakistani, or combined. Addressing reporters at the White House, Trump said that in four of these conflicts he relied on tariffs and trade to pressure nations into backing down. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has strongly defended the Constitution (130th Amendment) Bill, dismissing Opposition criticism that it is “unconstitutional” and designed to target non-BJP leaders. The Bill, introduced in the monsoon session, mandates that a Prime Minister, Chief Minister or Minister jailed for more than 30 days on serious charges must vacate office. If they fail to resign, they will be removed by law. “Can a PM or CM run the country from jail? Will the DGP, Chief Secretary and Cabinet Secretary take orders from a prison cell? This is against the dignity of democracy,” Shah told ANI. The Opposition has branded it a “Black Bill”, alleging the BJP could misuse central agencies to jail leaders and destabilise state governments. Shah countered that the amendment does not alter party majorities. “Governments will continue. When the leader gets bail, he can take oath again. Where is the objection?” he asked. Highlighting that PM Narendra Modi himself insisted on including the PM’s office in the ambit, Shah contrasted it with Indira Gandhi’s 39th Amendment which had shielded top offices from judicial review. “This is an amendment against the Prime Minister himself,” Shah emphasised. Can a PM or CM run the country from jail? Will the DGP, Chief Secretary take orders from a prison cell? Amit Shah Union Home MInister Shah accused the Opposition of double standards, recalling that the UPA under Manmohan Singh sought to protect convicted MPs through an ordinance which Rahul Gandhi had publicly torn apart. “Now the same Rahul Gandhi embraces Lalu Yadav, who has been convicted. Isn’t this hypocrisy?” he said. On the uproar in Parliament, Shah said while dissent is welcome, blocking the presentation of a Bill is undemocratic. The legislation will now be examined by a Joint Committee of Parliament before returning for debate and voting, where it requires a two-thirds majority. 4See also | nation Just when everyone thought that the residents of Tardeo’s Willingdon Heights building had lost the battle of saving their homes, there is a new ray of hope in the form of a compliance letter from Mumbai Fire Brigade. Residents now plan to move the Bombay High Court once again seeking more time to regularise their residential building with their faith on one single piece of paper. While most of the housing societies in Tardeo have been bustling with preparations for festivities like Ganesh Chaturthi and Samvatsari, the 34storey Willingdon Heights on the Tulsiwadi RTO Rd has skipped celebrations as the residents have been running from pillar to post to save their homes. The building has long been the centre of controversy as it lacks the occupation certificate for 17th floor to 34th floor as well as Fire NOC. Just a day before deadline to vacate, Tardeo’s Willingdon Heights residents plan to move High Court with a fresh letter of hope from fire department 4Contd on | city