Tuesday, December 30, 2025 | Vol. 69 No. 73 | 29 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation GAMES NATION Elect a govt that will drive out infiltrators: Amit Shah to people of Assam OP SINDOOR STANDOFF US CONFERS AWARD FOR ‘CEASEFIRE NEGOTIATIONS’ Supreme Court pauses own ruling on Aravalli FPJ News Service FPJ News Service The United States has conferred one of the National Security Council’s highest internal commendations on an official for a diplomatic role that India insists never existed, deepening an already awkward divergence in narratives between New Delhi and Washington. Ricky Gill, an Indian-origin American who serves as Special Assistant to US President Donald Trump and Senior Director for South and Central Asia at the National Security Council, has been awarded the NSC’s Distinguished Action Award for his role in what the official US citation describes as “India–Pakistan ceasefire negotiations”. The award was presented earlier this week by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. 4Contd on | Nation Edit Congress needs fresh blood not old guard for revival IN ABEYANCE | Bench said there was a need to examine whether the restrictive demarcation approved last month had, in effect, broadened the scope of areas where mining could be permitted NEW DELHI MUMBAI Cinema Year Ender 2025: K-drama comebacks that didn’t click India Women aim for a series whitewash against Sri Lanka in fifth WT20I The Supreme Court on Monday stayed its recent judgment on the Aravalli Hills, saying that clarifications were necessary on the definitions approved last month and that a fresh, independent expert assessment was required before the directions could be implemented. A Bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice JK Maheshwari and Justice AG Masih ordered that the recommendations of the earlier committee and the Court’s own findings on the issue “shall remain in abeyance” until further orders. The matter will be taken up again on January 21, 2026, Bar & Bench and Live Law report. The order was passed in a suo motu case initiated by the Court following widespread protests and concerns that the revised definition of the Aravalli Hills could pose a threat to the ecologically sensitive mountain range by opening up large areas to mining. “We direct that recommendations of the committee and findings of the Supreme Court The Court flagged concerns about whether regulated mining could be allowed in the 500-metre gaps between hills, and whether such permissions could compromise ecological continuity. It noted apprehensions that only a small fraction of hills met the 100-metre elevation threshold … shall remain in abeyance till then,” the Bench said. The Court said it would constitute a new committee of independent experts to study the environmental impact of the recommendations made by the earlier panel, which was largely comprised of bureaucrats. According to the Bench, an independent expert opinion was necessary to resolve ambiguities and provide definitive guidance on the definition of the Aravalli Hills and ranges. Appearing for the Union government, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said there were “a lot of misconceptions regarding orders, the govern- ment’s role, etc.” He submitted that an expert committee had earlier been constituted, its report was submitted, and the Court had accepted it. However, the Bench said there was a need to examine whether the restrictive demarcation approved last month had, in effect, broadened the scope of areas where mining could be permitted. “An analysis of whether sustainable mining or regulated mining within the newly demarcated Aravalli area, notwithstanding the regulated oversight, would result in any adverse ecological consequences… that aspect can be examined,” CJI Kant said. The Court also flagged concerns about whether regulated mining could be allowed in the 500-metre gaps between hills, and whether such permissions could compromise ecological continuity. It noted apprehensions that only a small fraction of hills met the 100-metre elevation threshold laid down in the definition and said this issue may require scientific and geological examination. 4Contd on | Nation `79,000 CRORE WORTH DEF PROCUREMENTS OKAYED Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI The defence ministry on Monday approved the procurement of military hardware worth around Rs 79,000 crore to strengthen the combat capabilities of the armed forces. The approvals were granted by the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, after reviewing the requirements of all three services. For the Indian Army, the DAC accorded Acceptance of Necessity (AoN) for the procurement of loiter munition systems for artillery regiments, low-level lightweight radars, long-range guided rocket ammunition for the Pinaka Multiple Launch Rocket System (MRLS), and the Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mk-II), the defence ministry said. “Loiter munition will be used for precision strike of tactical targets,” the ministry said. It Procurement include loiter munition systems for artillery regiments, low-level lightweight radars, long-range guided rocket ammunition for the Pinaka rocket system, and the Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mk-II) added that the low-level lightweight radars will help detect and track small-sized, low-flying unmanned aerial systems. The long-range guided rockets are being procured to enhance the range and accuracy of the Pinaka rocket system for effective engagement of high-value tar- gets. The Integrated Drone Detection and Interdiction System (Mk-II), with enhanced range, will help protect vital assets of the Indian Army in tactical battle areas as well as the hinterland. 4Contd on | Nation No ticket to MP or MLA kin: BJP PTI MUMBAI The BJP has decided against fielding children or spouses of its MPs, MLAs, and ministers in the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, marking a departure from past practices and aiming to give grassroots workers an opportunity, a leader said on Monday. "Relatives will not get tickets. We are party workers, and we will abide by the party's orders," Dhananjay Mahadik told reporters. Mahadik said the BJP has begun announcing candidates for the January 15 polls to 29 municipal corporations, but the lists do not include sons or daughters of sitting legislators, parliamentarians, or ministers. 4Contd on | Nation Pawar parivar BMC polls: Relief for mill workers Death of 33 BLOs okay? Sibal dig patches up Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI After weeks of uncertainty and public mixed signals, the divided Pawar family appears to have stitched together a tactical reunion ahead of the crucial Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) and Pimpri Chinchwad Municipal Corporation (PCMC) elections. What was earlier believed to be a failed negotiation between the two Nationalist Congress Party factions has now culminated in a formal alliance, underscoring the primacy of electoral arithmetic over lingering family and factional differences. The breakthrough followed a carefully watched family appearance in Baramati on Sun- day, where veteran leader Sharad Pawar, his nephew and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, MP Supriya Sule and MLA Rohit Pawar shared the stage at an event at Vidya Pratishthan. Industrialist Gautam Adani was the chief guest, but it was the Pawars’ joint presence that sent the louder political message. Within hours, the Ajit Pawar-led NCP and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) confirmed that they would jointly contest both the PMC and PCMC polls. The understanding was first finalised for PCMC and soon extended to Pune city, signalling a last-minute course correction driven by ground realities. 4Contd on | Nation With Mumbai in full election mode ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation polls, the Maharashtra government’s latest decision on mill workers’ housing is being seen as a politically astute move that could benefit the ruling Mahayuti coalition. In an order issued on Monday, the state government scrapped a contentious condition that had barred mill workers or their heirs from reapplying for housing if they had earlier declined an allotted unit or shown no interest in it. The clause formed part of a policy decision taken in March last year and had triggered widespread resentment among mill workers’ families. According to official figures, around 1.74 lakh mill workers or their legal heirs have applied for housing under the state scheme. These applicants are linked to 58 textile mills in Mumbai that were declared sick or shut down over the years. Under the policy, beneficiaries are entitled to a 300 sq ft home priced at ₹15 lakh, with the state government subsidising ₹5.5 lakh. Mill workers remain a politically significant constituency, not only because of their numbers but also due to the multiplier effect of voters within each family. Beyond electoral arithmetic, Mumbai’s textile mills occupy a deeply emotional space in the city’s social and cultural history, mak- ing policy decisions related to them especially sensitive. So far, the government has provided 15,870 housing units to eligible mill workers and heirs. To address the mounting demand, it had proposed generating additional housing RUSSIA POOH-POOHS TALK OF UKRAINE DEAL PTI PALM BEACH US President Trump on Sunday insisted Ukraine and Russia are “closer than ever before” to a peace deal as he hosted Ukrainian President Zelenskyy at his Florida resort, but he acknowledged that negotiations could still break down and leave the war dragging on for years. Russia took a different stance, however. The US president's statements came after the two leaders met for a discussion that took place after what Trump described as an “excellent, two-and-a-halfhour phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose invasion of Ukraine launched the war four years ago. Trump insisted he believed Putin still wants peace, even as Russia launched another round of attacks on Ukraine. “Russia wants to see Ukraine succeed,” Trump said during a late afternoon news conference following a meeting with Zelenskyy, whom he repeatedly praised as “brave”. FPJ News Service The Indian Navy has quite literally stitched history back to life. On Monday, the Indian Naval Sailing Vessel INSV Kaundinya ( meaning a sage or wise person in Sanskrit ) slipped out of Porbandar’s waters and into the Arabian Sea, beginning her maiden transoceanic voyage to Muscat. The departure was ceremonial, but the ship itself is anything but symbolic fluff. Built without a single metal nail, inspired by a 5th-century ship painted on cave walls, and stitched together by hand using coconut fibre, Kaundinya carries the weight of India’s forgotten maritime genius into open seas. Flagged off from Porbandar’s Coast Guard Jetty in the presence of Oman’s Ambassador Issa Saleh Abdullah Saleh Al Shibani and Western Naval Command chief Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, the voyage retraces ancient trade routes once crowded with Indian merchants, monks and mariners. Long before GPS, steel hulls and diesel engines, these sea lanes connected Gujarat to Arabia, Southeast Asia and beyond. INSV Kaundinya is a “stitched ship” — a term that sounds poetic until one real- Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal on Monday took a swipe at the government over the death of booth-level officers (BLOs) across the country during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, asking whether the presence of one alleged “infiltrator” was unacceptable but the deaths of BLOs were being ignored. Sibal’s remarks came a day after a BLO was found dead in West Bengal’s Bankura district, fuelling allegations that workrelated pressure linked to the SIR exercise may have played a role. “Yet another suicide by a Bengal BLO. Total pan-India: Hindu homes burnt in B’desh MUMBAI Kaundinya charts history, stitch by stitch FPJ News Service PTI NEW DELHI 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | World offgrid MUMBAI stock through private participation, by offering land parcels in Thane district and Raigad district. Private developers have reportedly expressed interest in constructing nearly 80,000 units. However, as most applicants have consistently demanded housing within Mumbai itself, the earlier condition risked disqualifying a large section of them. This became a major source of discontent against the government, prompting the reversal. With most mill workers residing in Byculla, Lalbaug, Parel, Sewri, Worli, Dadar and Prabhadevi, the withdrawal of the condition is likely to ease political pressure on ruling party candidates in these crucial pockets. ises its audacity. Instead of iron nails or welded joints, her wooden planks are sewn together with coir rope made from coconut fibre. Natural resins, oils and cotton seal the hull. The technique, known as the Tankai method, makes the ship flexible rather than rigid. In rough seas, the hull absorbs wave energy instead of resisting it — a design philosophy centuries ahead of its time. 4Contd on | Nation A pre-dawn fire that reduced multiple houses of a Hindu family to ashes in southern Bangladesh has once again exposed the deepening insecurity faced by religious minorities in the country. The incident occurred on Dec 28 in Dumritola village of Pirojpur district, around 240 km from Dhaka, where at least five houses belonging to the Saha family were destroyed in what is widely suspected to be a targeted attack. Family members said they were asleep when they were jolted awake by intense heat and smoke. Panic turned to terror when they realised the doors had allegedly been locked from the outside, trapping them inside the burning homes. With flames spreading rapidly, the families managed a desperate escape by cutting through tin sheets and bamboo fencing. All eight members survived, but their homes, belongings and pets were completely destroyed. Police have said the exact cause of the fire is yet to be conclusively established. However, preliminary accounts suggest that inflammable material may have been deliberately placed inside one of the rooms and set alight, allowing the blaze to engulf adjoining structures within minutes. 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | World 33. If one alleged ‘ghuspetia (infiltrator)’, that’s not OK, if 33 BLOs die, is that OK?” Sibal said in a post on X. Last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government would throw out infiltrators from the country and alleged that some political parties were opposing the SIR exercise as they wanted the names of infiltrators to remain on the electoral rolls. The latest death occurred in the Ranibandh block of West Bengal, where the body of Haradhan Mandal was recovered from a school premises on Sunday morning. Police said a suicide note was found at the spot. 4Contd on | Nation Lanka seeks China’s help PTI COLOMBO Sri Lanka on Monday sought urgent assistance from China to rebuild bridges and railway tracks damaged by Cyclone Ditwah, which struck the island nation in November and caused widespread destruction. Foreign Minister Vijitha Herath, during a meeting with Chinese Ambassador Qi Zhenhong, called for immediate help to restore critical infrastructure hit by the cyclone. The storm triggered severe flooding and landslides, leading to large-scale damage and putting immense pressure on the country’s disaster-response capacity. According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry, Herath also urged China to set up electric vehicle (EV) charging points, noting that Sri Lanka has seen a rise in the import of Chinese EVs. The Chinese envoy assured support to help Sri Lanka recover and rebuild in the aftermath of the disaster. 4Contd on | Nation