FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 253 | BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | FEBRUARY 25, 2026 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Shastri welcomes India’s ‘shake-up’ loss P.12 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY FY26 tech revenues seen at $315 bn KISAN MAHACHAUPAL | LoP says PM compromised interests of India’s agriculture, data, textile and import sectors US DEAL: Modi didn’t take Cabinet nod, says Rahul Gandhi dares PM to withdraw deal with US ‘Aggro’ CM slams ‘clueless’ Rahul Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The India-US trade deal was done by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi without taking the approval of the Cabinet. It is not an Indo-US deal but a Trump-Modi deal, said Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Rahul Gandhi. He was addressing the Kisan Mahachaupal here on Tuesday. The Congress launched a nationwide agitation against the trade deal from Madhya Pradesh. He also claimed that the PM did not consult senior Union ministers Rajnath Singh (Defence), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture) and Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways) in this regard. "This is not a deal, but an arrow struck in the hearts of the country's farmers," he said. He also alleged that through the trade deal, the PM has compromised the interests of India's agriculture, data, textile and import sectors. He further claimed, “The Indo-US trade deal was done by PM Modi under the press- fp Briefs NEW DELHI IYC president arrested Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL PM speaks in Mann Ki Baat, but does not say a word in Parl: Kharge Criticising PM Modi, AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “He had the time speak on Mann Ki Baat, but did not have time to present his statement in Parliament on trade deal.” Kharge asked, “ Modi always says he has talks with Trump... does he (Modi) discuss issues about selling the nation to Trump?” Speaking on the Youth Congress protest at the AI summit, Kharge said even the BJP workers had protested during the Common Wealth Games held in New Delhi thereby insulting the nation. ure of US President Donald Trump because of Epstein files and to save industrialist Adani.” Gandhi also challenged PM Modi to withdraw the deal but said that the PM was not in a position to do so because of the Epstein Files. Sharing descriptions written by former Army chief Gen M M Naravane's memoir, Rahul Gandhi accused the Prime Minister and Defence Minister of not taking decision when the Chinese army came near the line of control. Lauding the Indian Youth Congress leaders by calling them “Babbar Sher,” Gandhi asked them to stand firm against the atrocities of RSS and BJP on the farmers and citizens of the state. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav exhorted state LoP Umang Singhar to ask Rahul Gandhi which crop(s) is/were sown during the rabi and kharif seasons. He also asked Singhar to find out if Rahul knew which crops came under pulses and oilseed in the state. Following this, Singhar erupted and said he too wanted to know from the PM what’s in the Indo-US deal? Whether farmers of the state were benefitted? Earlier, targeting the CM, Singhar said even as Rahul had arrived here to attend the Kisan panchayat, the CM was trying to do his bit to woo the farmers. This enraged the CM to target Gandhi. NEW DELHI India, GCC launch FTA talks The negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) were formally launched here on Tuesday with the signing of a joint statement by Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and GCC Secretary General Jasem Mohamed Al-Budaiwi. PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK PTI Ahead of Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to India, the Canadian government is pushing to revoke the citizenship of a Pakistan-born businessman, Tahawwur Rana Hussain, accused of playing a key role in the 2008 Mumbai terror attack. Rana, 64, is a Pakistan-born Canadian national and close associate of one of the main conspirators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, David Coleman Headley, alias Daood Gilani, a US citizen. Documents obtained by Global News show that immigration officials have notified Rana that they intend to strip him of the Canadian citizenship he acquired in 2001. He immigrated to Canada in 1997 and was later convicted in the US of plotting to attack staff at a Danish newspaper. Rana, the mastermind behind the 26/11 attack, which killed 166 people, was extradited from the United States to India in April 2025. He was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) as soon as he landed in New Delhi. 4Continued on | P8 Cinema CBFC clears film with 16 changes P.14 Trump’s new 10% global tariff comes into effect Agencies US President Donald Trump’s new global tariffs have taken effect at 10 per cent, even though he had threatened a higher rate of 15 per cent. After Trump suffered a defeat at the hands of the US Supreme Court on Friday, which struck down his sweeping tariffs, he angrily reacted by announcing a 10 per cent global tariff, which he raised to 15 per cent on Saturday in a post on his social media platform Truth Social. According to a notice from the US customs agency, “an additional 10 per cent ad valorem duty on imported articles of every country” has been imposed for a period of 150 days from Tuesday, unless specifically exempt. Last week, the top court declared many of Trump’s tariffs illegal. It ruled that a 1977 law designed to address national emergencies did not provide the legal justification for most of the Trump administration’s tariffs on countries across the world. The court's 6-3 ruling handed Trump a stinging loss on an issue crucial to his economic agenda. Furious about the defeat, Trump lashed out at the Supreme Court, saying that he was "ashamed" and called the ruling "deeply disappointing". NEW DELHI The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday approved three Railway ministry projects with a total cost of approximately 9,072 crore. The three projects include the doubling of the Gondia-Jabalpur section and the laying of the third and fourth lines between Punarakh-Kiul and Gamharia-Chandil sections. The government said that these projects covering eight districts across Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Jharkhand will increase the existing network of the Indian Minor delivers baby in school washroom during Class 10 exam FP News Service PITHAMPUR (MHOW) A minor girl appearing for her Class 10 board examination delivered a baby boy in the washroom of a private school here on Tuesday. The incident has raised serious concerns about minors’ safety and need for awareness about their well-being. The student, originally from Sagar district, was taking her second paper in a private school in Sector 1 of the Pithampur industrial area. She attends a government school but was writing the exam at this centre. "The proposed multi-tracking project will enhance connectivity to approximately 5,407 villages which have a population of about 98 lakhs," an official statement said. It added, "The increased line capacity will significantly enhance mobility, resulting in improved operational efficiency and service reliability for Indian Railways. 4Continued on | P8 HC judge recuses self from Som Distilleries’ case Our Staff Reporter JABALPUR Midway through the examination, she went to the washroom complaining of discomfort and unexpectedly went into labour, giving birth to a full-term baby boy. When the school authorities came to know, they immediately rushed her to the government hospital in Pithampur. Both the mother and the new-born are reported to be stable and healthy. The girl’s family lives in a rented house in the Betma police station area and her parents work in Pithampur. A single judge bench of High Court recused himself from hearing a petition filed by Som Distilleries related to recent suspension of its license by the Excise department. Justice Vishal Mishra ordered, “Let the matter be listed before some other Bench for consideration, in which I (Justice Vishal Mishra) am not a member”. Further the court ordered to list the petition on February 26 for hearing before other bench. The court issued the order on February 6 during the hearing of the petition. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 5K sailors on USS Ford face 650 failing toilets The United States is building the largest force of American warships and aircraft in the Middle East in decades, as US President Donald Trump warns of a military action against Iran. However, the conflict with Iran is the least of the troubles for almost 5,000 sailors on the world's largest aircraft carrier. USS Gerald R. Ford's Ex- E-paper Edit Turn solid waste into resource P.6 loo profile Agencies MUMBAI BENGAL POLL ROLL REVISION SC asks Cal HC to deploy civil judges for SIR Aritra Singha KOLKATA The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered the Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court to additionally deploy civil court judges for the SIR process and also, if necessary, he can appoint his counterparts from Odisha and Jharkhand. According to sources, the apex court had also mentioned that retired judicial officers can also be roped in for the exercise. “The matter was taken up for urgent hearing after a letter was received from the Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice mentioning about the ‘enormity’ of the work. In the letter, it was mentioned that if a judge takes 250 matters per day then the entire exercise would get dragged for upto 80 days for which extra people would be required to complete the work on time,” said the apex court sources. Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP and lawyer Kalyan Banerjee also confirmed that the Supreme Court had asked the CJ of HC to deploy civil court judges for the SIR process and also if needed judges from Odisha and Jharkhand can be deployed. “It was questioned that if judges from Odisha and Jharkhand are brought then Canada moves to 3 rly projects worth `9k cr okayed Nidhi Chhibber revoke Rana’s given additional citizenship ahead of Connectivity to Kachnar Shiv Temple, Kanha National Park, Gangulpara charge as NITI Carney’s India visit Dam, Pench National Park, Dhuandhar waterfall, Bargi Dam to get boost PTI Railways by about 307 km. TORONTO Delhi Police on Tuesday arrested Indian Youth Congress president Uday Bhanu Chib as the "main conspirator" and "mastermind" of the shirtless protest at the AI Summit last week, and added charges of rioting against him and other seven IYC workers held earlier. UJJAIN tended Deployment The USS Gerald R. Ford has been at sea since June last year. The Republican leader's decision to extend its deployment for a second time has snowballed into a growing list of problems, such as blocked toilets and sewage troubles. Read | "US Military Buildup Around Iran Like Dante's Inferno": Ex-NATO Commander The Ford played a major role in the capturing of former Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro in January. After the mission, the crew got to know that their deployment would be extended for potential US strikes on Iran and are now heading toward the Middle East to join another carrier. Typically, a carrier deployment lasts 6 months during peacetime, Mark Montgomery, a retired rear admiral, told the Wall Street Journal. Ford's sailors have been at sea for 8 months, and the stint could extend to 11 months, he said, breaking the record for a continuous deployment by a US Navy ship. 4Continued on | P8 Aayog CEO IANS NEW DELHI According to sources, the apex court had also mentioned that retired judicial officers can also be roped in for the exercise there can be a language issue but the Supreme Court had mentioned that Jharkhand and Odisha were once part of Bengal and people know each other,” Banerjee mentioned. Meanwhile, after getting bomb scare mails at different session courts across the state, Chief Secretary Nandini Chakraborty along with Kolkata Commissioner of Police Supratim Sarkar and DGP Piyush Pandey assured that all measures are being taken to ensure safety of the people. 4Continued on | P8 PTI NEW DELHI The Union Cabinet on Tuesday approved a proposal of the Kerala government to change the name of the state to Keralam, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said. The decision, which comes ahead of the assembly elections in the state, was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at its first meeting held at Seva Teerth, the new PMO complex. The Union Cabinet approved the proposal for altering the name of Kerala to Keralam, Vaishnaw said. Prime Minister Modi hailed the Cabinet decision, saying it reflects the will of the people of the state. "It is in line with our efforts to strengthen the connect with our glorious culture," he said in a post on X. The Kerala assembly elections are due in April this year, with the tenure of the 140member current assembly ending on May 23. After the Union Cabinet's approval, the president of India will refer a Bill, namely the Kerala (Alteration of Name) Bill, 2026, to the Kerala Assembly for expressing its views under the proviso to Article 3 of the Constitution of India. 4Continued on | P8 France ups ante in beef with US envoy, blocks access to officials AP PARIS The government has given additional charge of Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog to Nidhi Chhibber after the completion of BVR Subrahmanyam's three-year term on Tuesday. Chhibber is currently serving as Director General of the Development Monitoring and Evaluation Office (DMEO) under NITI Aayog. In her present role, she has been responsible for monitoring and evaluating several flagship schemes of the central government to assess their performance and impact. A 1994-batch IAS officer of the Chhattisgarh cadre, Chhibber has held important positions in her career. Centre nod to renaming Kerala as Keralam France's spat with the US ambassador to Paris took another turn on Tuesday with the French foreign minister saying the top US diplomat in France must respond to a summons and won't have access to French government officials until he complies. French authorities had summoned Ambassador Charles Kushner — the father of US President Donald Trump's son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner — for a meeting on Monday evening over comments from the Trump administration that France objected to. French diplomats said Kushner did not show up. Speaking Tuesday, French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot described the failure to attend the meeting as “a sur- French authorities had summoned Ambassador Charles Kushner for meeting. French diplomats said Kushner did not show up prise” that flew in the face of diplomatic protocol and will dent Charles Kushner's ability to serve as an ambassador. “It will, naturally, affect his capacity to exercise his mission in our country,” Barrot said, speaking to public broadcaster France Info. He said that Kushner "is bringing difficulties on himself. Because for an ambassador to be able to do his job, he needs access to members of the government. 4Continued on | P8 Grand Braj Holi begins, devotees throng Barsana, Nandgaon IANS MATHURA Thousands of devotees and tourists from across India and abroad have begun arriving in the Braj region to witness the world-famous Holi celebrations in Barsana, Vrindavan and Mathura, as the traditional festivities formally commenced with ritual ceremonies on Tuesday. The grand Braj Holi began with groups of women from Barsana visiting Nandgaon to extend a ceremonial invitation for the iconic Lathmar Holi. With this customary exchange, the vibrant Phag (Holi) celebrations in the region have officially started. Later in the evening, Laddu Prasad was scheduled to be showered in the courtyard of the revered Shri Radha Rani Temple (Ladli Ji Temple), drawing large crowds of devotees. Visitors expressed deep joy at witnessing the centuries-old traditions. A devotee from Mumbai said, “We have come from Mumbai, and it feels very good to be here. Everything looks extremely beautiful. It is wonderful to see these celebrations.” Another visitor described the experience as “full of joy and spiritual bliss,” ad- ding that everyone should witness it at least once. Authorities have made elaborate arrangements to manage the massive influx of pilgrims. Superintendent of Police (Security) Suresh Chandra Rawat said the world-renowned celebrations are being held under tight security. 4Continued on | P8