FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 14 No. 184 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | DECEMBER 17, 2024 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports Mumbai’s next wonder kid who took SMAT by storm P.12 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK MONEY MUMBAI E-paper Edit INDIA bloc's leadership crisis P.8 RBI Guv exhorts staff to strive for perfection Nation Sitharaman vs Kharge in RS P.7 Give Money To Beggars, Face Police Case Online Report INDORE India's cleanest city Indore, which now aspires to be beggar-free, has decided on an extreme measure to ensure its streets are free of beggars. From January 1 onwards, the district administration will start registering FIRs against anyone who gives money to beggars. District collector Ashish Singh told the media that the administration has already issued an order ban- fp Briefs NEW DELHI India's WPI inflation eases to 1.89% India's annual rate of inflation based on the Wholesale Price Index (WPI) eased to 1.89 per cent in November compared to 2.36 per cent in October as the rise in food prices slowed during the month with the fresh crop arriving in the market, data released by the Commerce and Industry Ministry on Monday showed. "The positive rate of inflation in November is primarily due to an increase in prices of food articles, food products, other manufacturing, textiles, machinery & equipment," according to an official statement. TBILISI 12 Indians found dead at restaurant in Georgia Twelve Indian nationals were found dead at a restaurant in Georgia's mountain resort of Gudauri, according to the Indian mission here. Georgia's Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement that no signs of injuries or signs of violence were detected in an initial inspection. All victims died from carbon monoxide poisoning, local media reported. The Indian mission in Tbilisi said that all 12 victims were Indian nationals. However, Georgia's internal affairs ministry statement said 11 were foreigners ning begging in Indore. "Our awareness campaign against begging will continue till the end of this month. If any person is found giving alms from January 1, an FIR will also be registered against him/her," he said. "I appeal to all residents of Indore not to become partners in the sin by giving alms to people," the official added. Efforts to make Indore streets beggar-free are being made under a pilot project of the central government to rehabilitate beggars. The project covers 10 cities -- Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Indore, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Patna and Ahmedabad. During the anti-begging campaign, the Indore administration made some startling revelations. Project officer Dinesh Mishra said, "When we prepare reports, we find some beggars have a pucca house, and others' children work in a bank. Once we found ` 29,000 on a beggar. Another beggar loaned money and claimed SRI LANKAN PREZ IN INDIA | Anura Kumara Disanayaka holds wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Modi ‘Lanka’s land won’t be used against India’ PTI India, Sri Lanka decide to ramp up defence, energy, trade ties NEW DELHI Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka on Monday clearly conveyed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the island nation's soil will not be allowed for use against India's interests, an assurance that came amid concerns in New Delhi over China's attempts to increase its influence over Colombo. Disanayaka, on a three-day visit to India, held wide-ranging talks with Prime Minister Modi that saw both sides deciding to soon conclude a defence cooperation agreement and ramp up energy ties by establishing electricity grid connectivity and multi-product petroleum pipelines. In his media statement, Modi said he and the Sri Lankan president were in "full agreement" that security interests of both the countries are interconnected and it was decided to quickly finalise the India and Sri Lanka Monday adopted a futuristic vision to expand their partnership, resolved to soon conclude a defence cooperation pact and decided to ramp up energy ties by establishing electricity grid connectivity and multi-product petroleum pipelines. The decisions were taken during wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayaka. Prime Minister Modi said both sides decided to emphasise investment-led growth and connectivity for the India-Sri Lanka economic partnership, and it was decided that physical, digital and energy connectivity will be key pillars of the cooperation. Diversity is cornerstone of democracy: Disanayake Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Disanayake, during his visit to Delhi, highlighted unity, social protection, and sustainable development as the cornerstones of his administration's vision. Speaking alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he reflected on Sri Lanka's historic electoral mandate and democracy's strength in diversity, as both leaders witnessed the exchange of MoUs to bolster bilateral ties. security cooperation agreement. Modi conveyed to Disanayaka India's consistent support to the island nation in its quest for economic re- covery and stability. Sri Lanka was reeling under a massive economic crisis two years back and India extended financial assistance worth USD 4 billion to the country. ED cracks down on Cong leader Golu Agnihotri The two leaders instructed officials to finalise discussions on the bilateral MoU on debt restructuring. 4Continued on | P6 21 'fake univs' operating in country Our Staff Reporter IANS INDORE NEW DELHI Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday detained working president of City Congress Vishal Agnihotri alias Golu Agnihotri at Delhi airport in connection with money laundering case and brought him back to the city. Another team searched his residence in connection with cricket betting linked with Ujjain gambler Piyush Chopra. Golu is a younger leader and close aide of ex-CM Kamal Nath. The entire action was kept confidential owing to his status. The operation is being controlled and executed by ED’s Delhi team under the cover of Central In- There are 21 "fake universities" operating in the country and the respective state governments are taking action against them, the Parliament was informed on Monday. Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said in a reply in Lok Sabha that the list of fake universities is available on the website of the University Grants Commission (UGC) at https://www.ugc.gov.in/universitydetails/Fakeuniversity. Out of these 21 "fake universities", a maximum of eight are functioning in Delhi, according to the website. dustrial Security Forces (CISF). According to reports, in a simultaneous action, one ED team detained Golu at Indira Gandhi International Airport on Monday morning and another team launched search action at his bungalow in Chandan Nagar at Dhar Road. No one was allowed to enter or leave the bungalow. Officials remained busy searching his house and collecting the evidence of money laundering. The action continued till late Monday night. 4Continued on | P6 interest. One gang came with children from Rajasthan to beg here. They were rescued from a hotel where they were staying." Madhya Pradesh Social Welfare Minister Narayan Singh Kushwaha said an Indore-based organisation has come forward to support the government in its efforts. "The organisation will provide shelter to them for six months and try to find work for them. We are working tirelessly to free people from begging," he said. ADJ dies of cardiac arrest while playing badminton Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Additional Judge (Atrocity) Mohit Diwan, District and Sessions court, Chhindwara, died due to cardiac arrest while playing badminton at Satpura Club on Monday. He developed pain in his chest and fell down on the badminton court. He was rushed to a hospital, where doctors performed CPR, but ADJ Diwan could not survive. According to the doctors, cold wave has swept the state and the night temperature was 6.7 degrees Celsius on Monday. The ADJ was a patient of diabetes and BP. Chhindwara CMHO Dr NK Shashtri said, “ADJ Mohit Diwan died due to cardiac arrest. He was playing badminton in the morning hours. He developed pain in the chest and fell down on the badminton court.” 3.3°C in Bhopal, lowest in 58 yrs 1.9 degrees Celsius in Pachmarhi; severe cold wave continues in Bhopal, Sehore, Raisen Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Bhopal recorded 3.3 degrees Celsius night temperature breaking the 58-year old record. It had recorded 3.1 degrees Celsius on December 11, 1966 according to the meteorological department report. Bhopal recorded a day temperature of 27 degrees Celsius after a rise of 2.7 degrees Celsius. Indore recorded a day temperature of 28.6 degrees Celsius after a rise of 1.9 degrees Celsius while it recorded 9.6 degrees Celsius night temperature. Impact of cold wave prevailed in Rajgarh, Khandwa, Badwani, Pachmarhi, Shajapur, Umaria, Shahdol, Jabalpur, Mandla and Seoni. Impact of severe cold wave prevailed in Bhopal and Sehore. It was a cold day in Nars- inghpur. Alert for severe to moderate cold wave has been issued for districts like Bhopal, Raisen, Sehore, Rajgarh, Vidisha, Narmadapuram, Khandwa, Dewas, Satna, Shahdol, Umaria, Jabalpur, Seoni, Panna, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Shajapur, Agar, Mandla, Chhatarpur, Rewa and Narsinghpur. As per meteorological department, anti-cyclonic circulation lies over east Rajasthan and north-west Madhya Pradesh, which will influence northerly winds till the next 48 hours. Relief is likely after a couple of days. The western disturbance as a trough in middle and upper tropospheric westerlies. An upper cyclonic circulation lies over central Pakistan adjoining Jammu Division. Sub-tropical westerly jet stream with core winds prevail over north-west India. Congress protest fizzles out after mass arrest on stage Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Tear gas, water cannon and heavy security arrangements were in place to stop Congress leaders from reaching the state Assembly, however, the opposition leaders concluded their demonstration at a dais set up at Jawahar Chowk on Monday. The Congress leaders and workers from across the state gathered on the first day of the winter session to lay siege to the state Assembly to raise the government’s failures, but no aggressive protest was reported. The Congress alleged that in the Sankalp Patra for the last Assembly elections, the BJP had promised several sops for the people, but the BJP government failed to fulfil Opposition walkout over fertiliser shortage During zero hour, Opposition staged walkout by asserting that there was shortage of fertiliser in the state and due to this reason, farmers are at the receiving end. The Opposition leaders raised slogans against the state government and accused it of ignoring farmers’ plight. their promises. To raise their voices, a huge dais was prepared on which the leaders from AICC, leader of opposition Umang Singhar, former chief minister Kamal Nath, Congress MLAs, district committee presidents, block presidents and other party leaders were present.   4Continued on | P6 offgrid HC vacates stay on NGT order World loses rythm, tabla its mate in Zakir over payment of compensation PTI HARDA CRACKER FACTORY BLAST Our staff reporter BHOPAL The High Court, principal bench of Jabalpur, has vacated to the limited extent pertaining to the death cases in Harda fireworks factory blast on Monday. A double bench of Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf passed the order. At least 13 people died and 149 were injured in a massive blast followed by a fire in a firecracker factory in Harda district in the first week of February. As per the HC order, it would be open to the petitioner to raise objection with regard to classification, genuineness of claimants/victims in respect of the injuries and the categorisation, classification and quantum to be paid to individual for loss of property and destruction of houses and displacement. In case, such an objection is raised by the petitioner, the NGT shall consider the same in accordance with the law. 4Continued on | P6 NEW DELHI Zakir Hussain, the exuberant maestro of tabla who once called the instrument his "mate, brother and friend" and embodied the universality of music in his 60-year career, died in a San Francisco hospital early Monday. He was 73. Hussain, the globally recognised musician and one of India's most celebrated, was suffering from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a lung disease, his family said in a statement. Confirmation of the death of the music legend -- who cruised through genres, be it western or jazz, with the same ease and mastery with which he drummed out rhythm and magic from the tabla -- came after hours of fevered speculation on social media.Regarded as the greatest tabla player of his generation, Hussain is survived by his wife Antonia Minnecola and their daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. Born on March 9, 1951, Hussain was the son of alltime tabla great Ustad Alla Rakha. The legacy of genius was perhaps destined. Hussain once recalled that his father recited "tabla rhythms" in his ears when he was born instead of the usual prayers. His mother was livid and then life took on its own trajectory. He was just seven when he gave his first performance and started touring at the age of 12. In his early career, Hussain went on to collaborate with virtually all of India's performers of the time, including Ravi Shankar, Ali Akbar Khan and Shivkumar Sharma. As news spread about the death of the loved musician, a distinctive figure with his broad smile, curly locks that kept rhythm with the rapid, blurry movement of his fingers on the tabla, the tributes poured in.