FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 75 | BHOPAL | FRIDAY | AUGUST 29, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports MALEWAR MAGIC, PATIDAR POWER P.13 fp Briefs ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: UJJAIN BHOPAL WORLD PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK Nation Removal of duty on US cotton a fatal blow to farmers ‘Never said someone should retire at 75’ Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar BHAGWAT'S U-TURN ON 75-LIMIT REMARK PALGHAR The death toll in the collapse of an allegedly unauthorised building at Virar in Maharashtra's Palghar district rose to 17 on Thursday afternoon with the discovery of two more bodies as the search operation came to an end. Seven people are undergoing treatment at various hospitals, officials said. E-paper Edit Kerala’s politics of sleaze P.6 Russia launches deadly attack on Kyiv, 12 dead NEW DELHI 17 dead in bldg collapse MUMBAI With the Bharatiya Janata Party having delayed the appointment of its new president by several years, as incumbent J.P. Nadda’s original tenure expired in January 2023, the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Thursday told the party to take its time on the issue. Denying RSS’s direct role in the appointment, he also quipped, “If RSS chose BJP president, would it have taken so long?” Bhagwat, whose remarks on RELATION WITH CENTRE: We have good coordination with the Centre and states. There are systems that have internal contradictions... There is no quarrel in any way... we have good coordination with every government. BJP PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS: If RSS chose BJP president, would it have taken so long? ENGLISH: We are not British, and we don’t need to become British—but English is just a language. What’s the harm in learning a language? n Mohan Bhagwat, RSS chief retirement at 75 were seen by some, including various Opposition leaders, as an attack on the BJP leadership, es- pecially Modi, clarified on the issue saying he never stated that “I or someone else should retire at 75 years”. Bhagwat was speaking at an event titled “100 years of the Sangh’s journey – New Horizons” which commemorated 100 years of setting up of the RSS. He used the occasion to speak on a variety of issues including the relations of the Sangh with the BJP. “"On various matters, the Sangh can offer suggestions but the decision always belongs to the BJP.” In the selection of the new BJP president too, he said it was “completely wrong” to state that RSS was intervening too much. “This cannot happen at all... I have been running the Sangh for many years, and they are running the government. 4Continued on | P8 LUCKNOW Sambhal report submitted A three-member judicial commission headed by retired Allahabad High Court judge Devendra Kumar Arora on Thursday submitted its report on the November 2024 violence in Sambhal to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath. NEW DELHI/PATNA ‘PM’s mom abused’ The BJP on Thursday alleged that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi-led 'Voter Adhikar Yatra' in Bihar had crossed all "limits of insult, hate and tastelessness", claiming that abuses were directed at Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mother during the campaign. NEW DELHI Protection to journo The Supreme Court on Thursday granted interim protection for four weeks to journalist Abhisar Sharma in an FIR lodged against him in Assam over a video post allegedly criticising the state's policies. A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh refused to entertain his prayer challenging the FIR lodged against him in Assam and asked him to approach the Gauhati High Court. RESERVATION UNITY | Chaired by CM, the meeting saw rare political unity, with all major parties — Cong, AAP & SP— backing resolution All-party nod to 27% OBC quota Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL A proposal to provide 27% reservation to Other Backward Classes (OBC) was unanimously passed during an all-party meeting held on Thursday at Chief Minister Mohan Yadav’s residence. Yadav said, “All parties are unanimously democratic in ensuring 27 per cent reservation to the Other Backward Classes.” Chaired by the CM, the meeting saw rare political unity, with all major parties — Congress, Aam Aadmi Party and Samajwadi Party — backing the resolution. Legal experts will now deliberate to find a viable way to implement the increased quota before the Supreme Court, where the matter is currently pending. Back in 2019, the then Congress-led government had raised OBC quota from 14% to 27% in government jobs and education. The decision was challenged and is now under judicial review. Over the years, BJP and Congress have repeatedly clashed over the issue, but Thursday's Chief minister Mohan Yadav addresses all parties meet on 27 per cent OBC reservation at CM House on Thursday We are united in our resolve: CM “Our wish is that all lawyers should discuss among themselves and make a strategy and put forward the state's side strongly,” said CM Mohan Yadav.He said that day-to-day hearings in the apex court will begin from September 23. To prepare, the state has called for a joint session of legal experts before September 10, aiming to harmonise arguments and ensure that no eligible section within the OBC community is left out of the reservation framework.“We have reiterated this in the Assembly earlier, and now we are united in our resolve to see it through,” CM said. meeting marked a shift, with both camps agreeing to push the matter forward collectively. CONG CLAIMS CREDIT At a press conference held after the meeting, Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar said, “The consensus reached on OBC reservation is a big victory for Congress.” 4Continued on | P8 NEW DELHI PM eyes Japan, China ties Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that his visits to Japan and China would further the country's national interests and priorities. PM Modi made the statement ahead of his departure for Japan, the first leg of his two-nation visit, which will also take him to China for the SCO Summit later this week. Asst manager caught taking Rs 1L bribe Two 14-yr-old boys ‘drown’ in mine pit, search on Our Staff Reporter Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL INDORE Special police establishment (SPE) Lokayukta police Sagar has caught three including assistant manager of a cooperative society and other two private persons, for taking bribe of Rs 1 lakh, officials said here on Thursday. DG, Yogesh Deshmukh said that complainant Sarpanch Dinesh Singh Rajput, Sarpanch of village Padrai of Deori block of Sagar district, had filed a complaint to the police. It was alleged that the assistant manager of Jarua cooperative society Santosh Choubey was demanding a bribe of Rs 2 lakh. The sarpanch had sold 371 quintal of moong dal. When the Sarpanch reached the warehouse, the director of the godown, Divanyansh Tiwari alleged that the pulse is substandard and he is not ready to keep it in his warehouse. When the Sarpanch contacted the assistant manager, he asked to contact his assistant Rajesh Pandey. All the three formed a conspiracy of pointing the pulse as sub-standard and later demanded the bribe of Rs 2 lakh to issue a certificate of appropriate item. A fun outing turned into a nightmare for four friends on Thursday evening when two of them—both just 14 years old—went missing in a water-filled mine pit behind Rewati Range under Banganga police station limits. The boys had gone to bathe in the large pit, which had filled with rainwater over time.   But tragedy struck when two of them, Shivraj Tanwar and Prince Diwana, both residents of Patel Colony, disappeared in the water. Failing to spot them, their friends immediately alerted nearby locals, who then called the police. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 CS Anurag Jain gets one-year extension He is the first CS to get one-year extension in office in one go Our Staff Reporter The suspicion over Chief Secretary Anurag Jain’s tenure ended on Thursday evening when he got a one-year extension of service. Jain, who was to retire on August 31, will remain in office till August 31 next year. A 1989-batch IAS officer, Jain is considered an upright and efficient officer. It happened for the first time that a CS got one year’s extension in one go. The Central Government appointed Jain as CS of the state last year. Canada, India appoint new envoys Agencies OTTAWA/NEW DELHI Canada and India announced new high commissioners to each other's countries on Thursday, in the latest sign of improving ties frayed by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's allegation that India was linked to the killing of a Sikh separatist leader on Canadian soil. Canada's foreign ministry said in a statement on Thursday that veteran diplomat Christopher Cooter would take up the post, which had been vacant since the previous incumbent left last year. Whereas, The Government of India has appointed Dinesh K Patnaik, an Indian Foreign Service (IFS) officer of the 1990 batch, as India's next envoy to Canada. Patnaik is presently serving as India's Ambassador to Spain. The Trump administration is planning to change the H1B programme, the most sought after non-immigrant visa among Indian IT professionals, and also bring changes to the Green Card process, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick has said. He added that the Trump I'm involved in changing the H1B programme. We're going to change that programme, because that's terrible n Howard Lutnick US Secretary of Commerce administration is also going to change the Green Card process that provides permanent residency in the US. "You know, we give green cards. The average American makes USD 75,000 a year, and the average green card recipient USD 66,000, so we're taking the bottom quartile, like, why are we doing that? That's why Donald Trump is going to change it. That's the Gold Card that's coming. And we're going to start picking the best people to come into this country. It's time for that to change," he said. Indians are the main beneficiaries of the H-1B visas, A Chief Minister Mohan Yadav congratulated Jain for getting the extension. After Jain’s extension for one year, speculations over those who were aspiring for the post of CS ended. Among those who were in the race for the post of CS were the Additional Chief Secretaries, Rajesh Rajora and Ashok Baranwal. 4Continued on | P8 Bihar: High alert after 3 terrorists ‘enter via Nepal’ Dheeraj Kumar A high alert has been sounded after three suspected terrorists owing allegiance to Pakistan backed Jaish-e-Mohammed have reportedly sneaked into Bihar from Nepal with an intention to carry out attacks during upcoming assembly elections in the state. According to Bihar police, vehicle checks have been intensified in bordering areas, and police stations of the districts have been alerted. Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has also intensified patrolling on the Indo-Nepal border. East Champaran Superintendent of Police (SP) Swarn Prabhat said a reward of Rs 50,000 has also been announced for those who report them to the police. 4Continued on | P8 he state police headquarters has provided details of the three suspected Jaish-e-Mohammed operatives identified as Hasnain Ali (Rawalpindi), Adil Hussain (Umarkot) and Mohammad Usman (Bahawalpur), all from Pakistan. T Rahul alters Yatra after terror alert, meets people in closed vehicle ongress leader Rahul Gandhi altered his Voter Adhikar Yatra itinerary on Thursday following a terror alert, opting for a closed vehicle rather than an open jeep for parts of his journey. Security was noticeably strengthened across his route. Gandhi travelled directly to the Janaki temple in Punauradham from his Sitamarhi camp, bypassing several welcome platforms where he had been scheduled to stop. C If India won’t budge, Trump won’t either: Hassett Agencies WASHINGTON U S President Donald Trump’s top economic adviser has said that the US President will not change his stance on 50% tariffs on Indian goods unless New Delhi budges on the trade deal. US National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett’s remark came amid backlash in the US over India tariffs, with Democrats berating Trump for singling out India while sparing other major Big shake-up in H1B, Green Card rules PTI nurag Jain is the fifth Chief Secretary who got an extension. Before Jain, those who got extensions were R Parshuram for six months, BP Singh for six months, Iqbal Singh Bains for one year (each half of the year comprising six months), and Veera Rana for six months. Giving a one-year extension to Jain in one go is considered a major decision by the central government. PATNA offgrid NEW YORK/WASHINGTON Fifth CS to get extension BHOPAL which bring in the best of the talent and brains from across the world. Highly skilled professionals from India walk away with the overwhelming number of H-1B visas - which is Congressional mandated 65,0000 every year and another 20,000 for those who received higher education from the US. 4Continued on | P8 Efforts underway to resolve tariff discord with US: Sources fter an additional 25 per cent tariff as penalty for India's purchase of Russian oil came into effect on Wednesday, government sources have said that efforts are underway to resolve the ongoing discord between India and the US. They said that the current situation is a temporary one in an otherwise long-term relationship between the two countries. They further stated that exporters do not need to panic as the impact of US tariffs are unlikely to be severe. This is because of India's diversified export base. Total tariffs on India now reach as high as 50 per cent, sharing top spot with Brazil. A buyers of Russian crude, including China. “If the Indians don’t budge, I don’t think President Trump will," Hassett said while commenting on the India-US trade deal. Hassett also noted India’s “intransigence" to open its markets to American products while describing the current India-US relationship as a “complicated" one. “I think it’s a complicated relationship. Part of it has been tied to the pressure we’ve been trying to put on Russia in order to secure a peace deal and save millions of lives. And then there’s the Indian intransigence about opening their markets to our products," Hassett said, as reported by news agency. ‘NUKE INDIA’ SCRIBBLED ON US SHOOTER’S WEAPONS PTI NEW YORK/WASHINGTON A shooter who opened fire at a Minneapolis Catholic School, killing two children, had 'Nuke India' written on one of the guns, according to video footage of the alleged arsenal used by him. The shooter, identified as Robin Westman, 23, from Minnesota, opened fire in the Annunciation Catholic School on Wednesday killing two children aged 8 and 10 and injuring 17 people. Westman then allegedly killed himself. Video footage circulating online allegedly showed Westman displaying his ammunition, rifles and guns. 'Nuke India' is written in white on one of the guns. Journalist Laura Loomer said in a post on X that the Minnesota shooter had "Mashallah" and "Nuke India" written on his gun. He also wrote "Israel Must Fall". 4Continued on | P8