Vol. 67 No. 156 | MONDAY | APRIL 1, 2024 | 25 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Quality at Value www.freepressjournal.in MEMBER: AUDIT BUREAU OF CIRCULATION JANUARY TO DECEMBER 2023 EDITIONS: MUMBAI*, Pune, Nashik, Konkan, Indore, Bhopal, E-paper SALMAN KHAN’S NEXT EDIT Actor exits KJo’s The Bull after constant production delays CONSTITUTIONAL CONUNDRUM MUMBAI INDIANS CLASH WITH RAJASTHAN ROYALS Hardik Pandya’s men would look to open their account at Wankhede I AM NOT GOING TO STOP AAP KE LIYE FPJ NEWS SERVICE / NEW DELHI Clamour for the release of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and former Chief Minister of Jharkhand Hemant Soren marked the massive show of strength by the INDIA bloc at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on Sunday afternoon. The opposition leaders at the mega “Save Democracy” rally raised concerns about democracy in the country and accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of trying to decimate the opposition and stifle any dissenting voice through the use of central investigative agencies. Priyanka Gandhi of the Congress listed five demands of the opposition, including the provision of a level playing field for the Lok Sabha elections. Efforts to forcefully scuttle the finances of opposition parties should be immediately stopped, Gandhi said, without mentioning the freeze on Congress funds and the latest Income Tax notice. Action by the Enforcement Directorate, the Central Bureau of Investigation and the Income-Tax department should also be stopped, she said at the rally where the opposition united under the banner, “Judega Bharat, jitega INDIA, haregi BJP” (Bharat will unite, INDIA will win, BJP will lose)”. The alliance also demanded an investigation by a Supreme Court-monitored Special Investigation Team into what it called the BJP’s “extortion” of funds through the electoral bonds scheme. The leaders of various opposition parties said the “Loktantra Bachao Rally” is a mark of the INDIA bloc’s commitment to fighting, winning, and saving democracy in India. “If the BJP wins these fixed elections and changes the Constitution, the country will be on fire,” declared Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. “You have to decide if you want democracy or dictatorship... Those who support dictatorship need to be kicked out of the country said party ,” chief Mallikarjun Kharge. Punjab Chief Minister and senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Bhagwant Mann declared that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal was not a man CONTD. ON NATION but an ideology . P Tyranny won’t work: Sunita Kejriwal FPJ NEWS SERVICE / NEW DELHI Tyranny won't work and Arvind Kejriwal cannot be kept behind bars for long, said the jailed Delhi Chief Minister’s wife Sunita Kejriwal, who gave a fiery speech attacking the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led central government over alleged targeting of opposition leaders by central agencies ahead of Lok Sabha elections. NEW EPFO RULE COMES INTO EFFECT ONLINE REPORT / NEW DELHI April one marks the onset of a new financial year, which has a bearing on one’s wallet because most new tax rules announced in the budget by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman take effect on this day . PF TRANSFER: To begin with, switching jobs will not put a strain on your finances. The Employees' Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has put in place an automatic PF balance transfer system. This means no more manually requesting a transfer when you take up a new position. EPFO will automatically credit your PF balance to your new employer's account, ensuring a seamless continuation of your retirement savings. CONTD. ON NATION Sunita, who read out her husband’s message from Enforcement Directorate (ED) custody also asked people, in , her maiden speech, whether Kejriwal should resign as Chief Minister. “The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is demanding the resignation of Chief Minister Kejriwal. Should he resign? Is his arrest justified? He is a ‘sher (lion)’. They won’t be able to keep him behind bars for long,” she said and thanked people for showering blessings on her husband. The Delhi Chief Minister’s message included six guarantees on behalf of the INDIA bloc such as uninterrupted power supply free electricity , for the poor, government schools, mohalla clinics and multi-speciality hospitals, minimum support price for farmers, and full statehood for Delhi. CONTD. ON NATION Airport ceiling collapses in storm FPJ NEWS SERVICE / GUWAHATI A sudden downpour accompanied by a storm wreaked havoc at the Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport in Guwahati on Sunday blowing away a , portion of the roof and prompting the authorities to briefly halt operations and divert six flights to other destinations, according to a senior official. The storm uprooted a big tree at the Oil India complex outside the Adani Group-controlled facility and blocked a road, according to Chief Airport Officer (CAO) Utpal Baruah. “We rushed there and cleared the road for smooth supply of fuel to the terminal. It took us over halfan-hour,” Baruah said. When the rain and storm lashed the area, a portion of the roof was blown away in the forecourt area, according to the airport official. Water entered the terminal from the ceiling, he said. “It was very old and could not withstand the impact. As a result, the ceiling was damaged and water started flowing inside. However, there was no injury to anyone and everything is under control,” Baruah said. A purported video of the ceiling falling apart and rainwater gushing in has gone viral on different social media platforms. “I am monitoring the situa- tion so that passengers do not face any inconvenience. Visibility dropped drastically because of the storm and the heavy rain and we had to divert six flights,” the CAO said. The affected flights are those operated by IndiGo, Air India and Air India Express and have been diverted to Agartala and Kolkata, he said. “The visibility has improved and normal operations have resumed. Flights have started landing in Guwahati,” he said. President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday presented Bharat Ratna, the country's highest civilian honour, to BJP veteran and former Deputy Prime Minister LK Advani at his residence in Delhi. PM Modi, Amit Shah, Vice President and other dignitaries were in attendance. – PTI Even as PM lashes out at ceding of island to Sri Lanka in 1974, Kharge asks why no steps were taken to get it back during former’s 10-year rule FPJ NEWS SERVICE / NEW DELHI Hitting back at PM Narendra Modi over his charge that Indira Gandhi gave away Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka, Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday asked why he did not take steps to get it back during his 10year rule and alleged that raising the "sensitive" issue ahead of elec- tions shows his "desperation". The opposition leader also questioned why the prime minister gave a "clean chit" to China after 20 bravehearts made supreme sacrifice in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh. Kharge said that Katchatheevu island was given to Sri Lanka as part of a friendly agreement in 1974 and reminded the Modi government that it too Ram Lalla, the deity at the Ram Janmabhoomi temple, has transitioned to comfortable handloom cotton attire, according to a recent social media update by the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. The change in attire comes against the backdrop of temperatures soaring with the onset of summer. “The vastra (dress material) that Prabhu (God) is wearing today is made of temple. There is no fan or air-conditioner in the sanctum sanctorum till now and air-conditioners should be installed inside the garbhagriha,” he said. Das highlighted the need for suitable arrangements for devotees during summer, especially amid the influx of thousands seeking darshan of the deity and , stressed the importance of ensuring their comfort. The change in attire came as a pleasant surprise to first-time devotees Gaurav and Koustav, who travelled from Pune with their mother for darshan. “It was heartening to witness Lord Ram Lalla wearing comfortable cotton attire. We were elated to have the divine darshan in handloom clothing,” said Gaurav, expressing his delight. Another devotee praised the decision in an online post. “This thoughtful decision honours tradition while ensuring comfort amid the summer heat. Applause for the switch to handloom cotton with natural indigo dye — a beautiful and sustainable choice! Jai Shri Ram!” said the post. had made a similar "friendly gesture" towards Bangladesh on exchange of border enclaves. "Pradhan Mantri Narendra Modi ji, You have suddenly woken up to the issues of territorial integrity and national security in your 10th year of misrule. Perhaps, elections are the trigger. Your desperation is palpable," he said in a post on X. CONTD. ON NATION WINDFALL GAIN FOR INFOSYS BJP drops MP who won with biggest margin FPJ NEWS SERVICE / JAIPUR The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) dropped the MP who won the 2019 elections with the biggest margin in Rajasthan. The party on Sunday named state party general secretary Damodar Agarwal as the candidate for the Bhilwara Lok Sabha seat, dropping sitting MP Subhash Bahedia, who won the 2019 elections by 6.13 lakh votes and has been an MP for two terms. Bahedia, who had defeated Congress candidate Rampal Sharma had got 9.38 lakh votes, while the latter got 3.25 lakh votes. Sharma has recently joined the BJP Despite . the huge victory the local , leadership did not support Bahedia. Aggarwal will contest the election against senior Congress leader and former Speaker of Rajasthan Assembly CP Joshi, who was the MP for this constituency from 2009 to 2014. The BJP which has de, clared all the 25 candidates for Rajasthan with Agarwal’s nomination for the Bhilwara seat, has changed faces in 15 of constituencies to counter the anti-incumbency effect. It has dropped 11 sitting MPs and fielded three people for the Assembly elections. One seat was part of an alliance and the party has chosen to go to polls with its candidate this time. CONTD. ON NATION Summer cotton wear for Ram Lalla handloom cotton ‘malmal’, dyed with natural indigo, and adorned with ‘gotta’ flowers,” according to a post by the Trust. The post also tagged designer Manish Tripathi, who is responsible for Ram Lalla’s attire. “Due to the rising temperature, Lord Ram Lalla has been adorned with cotton clothes to minimise the effect of the heat,” said Acharya Satyendra Das, the chief priest of the temple. “ After the 'Pran Pratishtha' ceremony Ram , Lalla was placed inside the PM Narendra Modi on Sunday hit out at the Congress over its decision to hand over the strategic Katchatheevu island to Sri Lanka in the 1970s, accusing the party of "weakening" the country's integrity and interests. PM Modi was responding to a Right To Information (RTI) report which has revealed how the Congress government led by then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi handed over the island to Sri Lanka in 1974. Calling the RTI report "eye-opening and startling", PM Modi said the move "angered" the people and that the "Congress can never be trusted". The allusion is to the then Indira Gandhi government handing over the territory in Palk Strait to Sri Lanka. The decision impacted fishermen from both countries who rely on the waters around Katchatheevu for their livelihoods. CONTD. ON NATION Old & jaded issue, new faultline OUR CORRESPONDENT BENGALURU Tangled in steel with no way out How the crew stuck in Baltimore is faring ONLINE REPORT / BATLIMORE Twenty-two seamen from India find themselves still trapped in the tangled wreckage of the ship that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge at Batlimore, reports the New York Times. In the mangled heap, with chunks of steel jutting out above the water like metallic icebergs, the 22 crew members, who have remained on the ship, named the Dali, since the disaster on Tuesday , are barely visible. Since the accident, which killed six construction workers, the crew members find themselves in unexpected media glare. While keeping the ship operable, they are swamped with questions from officials investigating the night-time disaster. According to a consulting firm, which assists the ship’s management company the , crew members have ample supplies of food and water, as well as plenty of fuel to keep the generators going. But there is still no exact timeline for when the ship might be extracted from the wreckage. Only one thing is certain: They will no longer cruise through the sea around South Africa toward their destination in Sri Lanka anytime soon. Normally cargo ship crew , members do have some leisure activities available to them onboard, such as video games, cabin gym workouts, table tennis sessions and movie nights. The Dali crew at least has a TV magazines , and books onboard. Some in Baltimore’s port community have had some contact with the Dali crew and sent them two Wi-Fi hot spots on Friday because they did not have internet onboard. But there is no trauma care and emotional support. CONTD. ON NATION LAST WORD BISWAJEET BANERJEE LUCKNOW Sunrise : 06:39 am Sunset : 06:04 pm FPJ NEWS SERVICE / NEW DELHI BISWAJEET BANERJEE / MEERUT rime Minister Narendra Modi commenced his Lok Sabha campaign in Meerut on Sunday where he pro, claimed that he was a crusader fighting a big battle to save his country from the corrupt. ‘‘That is why they are behind bars and not getting bail even from the Supreme Court," PM Modi said putting the recent arrests of politicians by the central agencies in perspective. Turning the crusade into an ideological battle, PM Modi further said, "While the NDA is championing the fight against corruption, its adversaries are striving to shield the corrupt. While Modi's mantra is 'Bhrashtachar hatao' (eradicate corruption), their credo is 'Bhrashtachari bachao' (protect the corrupt)." Taking a swipe at the Opposition, he suggested that their unease stems from his administration's crackdown on corruption. He further asserted his commitment to not only combating corruption but also restoring the pilfered wealth. "I am not just putting the corrupt in the pillory; I am ensuring that ill-gotten gains are returned to the rightful owners." This, in turn, he said was an extension of his crusade to safeguard the interests of the underprivileged. Asserting that he will not back off in his ‘relentless pursuit of justice, the prime minister warned, ‘‘Corrupt people should take note... no matter your tirade against me, this Modi is not going to stop.’’ Addressing a massive rally PM Modi set , the tone for the upcoming polls by calling for a 'Viksit Bharat' (developed India) rather than a mere political makeover. CONTD. ON NATION 0 PM touches a raw nerve ‘CRUSADER MODI’ ‘SAVIOURS OF DEMOCRACY’ 0 34 c. 23 c. India’s IT behemoth Infosys Technologies is expecting Rs 6,329 crore tax refund from the Income department while it is also facing a significant tax demand of Rs 2,763 crore. ``As per the orders, the company expects a refund of Rs 6,329 crores (including interest). The company is in the process of evaluating the implications of these orders on the financial statements for the quarter and year ending March 31, 2024,’’ a company regulatory note filed late on Saturday before the Bombay Stock Exchange said. Bengaluru based IT bellwether said that the company has received orders from the Income Tax Department for assessment years 2007-08 to 2015-16, 2017-18 and 2018-19. At the same time, the Income Tax department has raised a tax demand of Rs 2,763 crore for the assessment year 2022-23. This apart, the Bengaluru based IT bellwether also pointed that the taxmen have raised Rs 4 crore demand, including interest, for the year 2011-12. Further, a subsidiary of Infosys has received refund orders for assessment year 201617. The refund amount as per these orders is Rs 14 crores, including interest. TAILPIECE Charles’ walkabout on Easter ADITI KHANNA / LONDON A smiling King Charles III attended the Easter Sunday service at St. George's Chapel in Windsor, marking the British monarch's first major public appearance since his cancer diagnosis was made public last month. The 75-year-old royal was joined by wife Queen Camilla, 76, as the couple walked up waving to the gathered crowds outside the chapel, where royals have traditionally attended the annual holy service. Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton did not join the tradition this year after the Princess of Wales revealed her own cancer diagnosis last week and said she was undergoing “preventative chemotherapy”. The King's public appearance, which is not believed to indicate a full-time return to all his public-facing duties yet as he continues to undergo outpatient treatment, is seen as a move to reassure the British public after his daughter-in-law's video message sharing the news of her cancer – with Buckingham Palace not revealing the form of cancer in either of the royal's diagnoses for their privacy .