FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 14 No. 198 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | DECEMBER 31, 2024 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL Sports Bhaker leads the way in Paris P.15 BHOPAL Places Neemuch Rajgarh Piparsama Shajapur Guna Shivpuri Nowgong Ratlam Tikamgarh Pachmarhi mini temp (deg/cel) 3.5 5.4 5.5 7.2 7.2 7.9 8.1 8.4 8.8 9.3 Our Staff Reporter INDORE The Madhya Pradesh Public Service Commission (MPPSC) announced the results of the State Service Main Examination 2023 on Monday. A total of 800 candi- E-paper Edit As polls near, Delhi tussle intensifies P.8 Cinema Debutants of 2024 P.16 Sexual abuse case: Appeals court upholds $5 mn award against Trump UCC waste to be shifted on Dec 31 midnight Celsius, while it recorded a 2.2 degrees Celsius drop in night temperature settled at 13.2 degrees Celsius. According to the meteorological department, cyclonic circulation lies over northeast Bihar and neighbourhood. A fresh western disturbance in quick succession is likely to affect Northwest India by January 4. dates have been selected for 229 posts, with 659 passing in the main list and 141 in the provisional list. The selection exceeds the required number of candidates by over three times. Successful candidates will now proceed to the interview stage, though the exact dates are yet to be finalized. The commission has begun the interview process, and candidates must submit applications by January 20 without a late fee. 4Continued on | P6 A federal appeals court on Monday upheld a jury's finding in a civil case that Donald Trump sexually abused a columnist in an upscale department store dressing room in the mid-1990s. The 2nd US Circuit Court of Appeals issued a written opinion upholding the USD 5 million award that the Manhattan jury granted to E. Jean Carroll for defamation and sexual abuse. The longtime magazine columnist had testified at a 2023 trial that Trump turned a friendly encounter in spring 1996 into a violent attack after they playfully entered the store's dressing room. Trump skipped the trial after repeatedly denying the attack ever happened. But he briefly testified at a followup trial earlier this year that resulted in an USD 83.3 million award. The second trial resulted from comments thenPresident Trump made in 2019 after Carroll first made the accusations publicly in a memoir. Trained REEL handlers continue clean- up drive Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL The Union Carbide Corporation’s (UCC) chemical waste is expected to be transported to Ramky Enviro Engineers Limited (REEL) in Pithampur at midnight on December 31. According to the Bhopal Gas Tragedy Relief and Rehabilitation department (BGTRRD) officials, UCC’s 337 MT waste will be transported by the end of the current year. The loading of the waste con- 'Fatwa' issued against New Year revelry IANS BAREILLY tinued in the REEL containers. However, gas victims said that it will be transported to REEL, Pithampur, by midnight December 31. They have already called 337 MT chemical wastes as the tip of the iceberg and demanded the BGTRRD to ensure total cleanup of the UCC plant. Meanwhile, the clean-up drive continued for the second day on Monday. The drive started on Sunday amid tight security after the MP High Court order. The HC had given the state government four weeks on December 3, 2024, on the 40th anniversary of the Bhopal gas tragedy. Ahead of the New Year, a controversial statement was made by Maulana Shahabuddin Razvi Bareilvi, President of All India Muslim Jamaat. On Sunday, he spoke about a fatwa issued against participating in New Year's celebrations and offering greetings for the occasion. He advised Muslims not to engage in such activities and stated that those who do would be considered criminals according to Sharia law. He stressed that Muslims should refrain from participating in these practices. In a video message, he said: "Chashma Darul Ifta Bareilly Sharif has issued a fatwa regarding the celebration of the New Year. The fatwa states that celebrating the New Year as per the English calendar in January is inappropriate for Muslims. It also mentions that many Muslim boys and girls celebrate the New Year and exchange greetings, which is a religious ritual of Christians. Islam prohibits participating in or following the religious rituals of any other religion." 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 ED finds assets India's defence exports crossed BJP targets Rahul over Vietnam trip worth Rs 23 cr in record Rs 21,000 cr: Rajnath after ex-PM’s death Sharma’s name FP News Service MHOW WASHINGTON Our Staff Reporter Jimmy Carter passes away BHOPAL Jimmy Carter, the 39th US president and the third American head to make a trip to India, during which a village in Haryana was named Carterpuri in his honour, has died peacefully at his home in Plains, Georgia. Carter, who died Sunday at 100, was the longest-lived president in US history. "Today, America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian," President Joe Biden said in a statement. Datia, Panna, Katni, Dhar and Barwani districts. Bhopal recorded 22.6 degrees Celsius day temperature, while it recorded a sharp drop of 6.4 degrees Celsius in night temperature settled at 10.4 degrees Celsius. Indore recorded a rise of 5.9 degrees Celsius in day temperature settled at 27.3 degrees State Service Mains 2023 results out NEW DELHI AAP supremo Arvind Kejriwal on Monday said that if re-elected, his party would launch a 'Pujari Granthi Samman Yojana' to give a monthly allowance of Rs 18,000 to Hindu temple priests and granthis of gurdwaras. The announcement comes ahead of the Delhi Assembly elections, with AAP seeking to retain power for a fourth consecutive term. MUMBAI NEW YORK Our Staff Reporter Rs 18K a month for priests NASHIK AP Bhopal shivers at 6.4°C fp INDORE Bull run in gold will continue in 2025 Chill prevails as state sees sharp drop in night temp Briefs PUNE MONEY COLD NIGHTS | Temp dips in several divisions; 3.5° C in Neemuch A sharp drop in night temperature was recorded across the state on Monday. Minimum temperature fell in Bhopal, Ujjain, Gwalior, Indore, Rewa and Sagar divisions.  Maximum temperatures went down appreciably in Indore, Ujjain divisions and rose appreciably in Rewa and Shahdol divisions. The impact of the cold wave prevailed in Marukheda (Neemuch). Shallow to moderate fog prevailed in Damoh, Jabalpur, Chhatarpur, Sagar, Tikamgarh, Niwari, Balaghat, Bhind, Morena, Gwalior, Sheopur, UJJAIN PRESS The Directorate of Enforcement (ED), Bhopal, has found property worth Rs 23 crore belonging to former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma during the search operations at eight locations, the officials said here on Monday. The ED conducted the searches on December 27, which covered the residential premises of key persons, including Sharma, Chetan Singh Gaur, Sharad Jaiswal and Rohit Tiwari who were the suspected beneficiary of the Proceeds of Crime (POC) or have allegedly abetted in the laundering of the same. The ED initiated investiga- Sharma’s mother records statement before I-T officers Income Tax department officers have recorded the statement of former transport constable Saurabh Sharma’s mother on Monday. She reached the I-T office around 12 noon and stayed there till late evening. 4Continued on | P6 tion on the basis of the FIR registered by Lokayukta, Special Police Establishment, Bhopal. 4Continued on | P6 ED calls Gaur to record his statements The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has called Chetan Singh Gaur, the aide of former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma, to record his statements, here at Bhopal office on Monday sources said. The ED have asked about his relations with the constable, his investment in properties, their modus operandi of collecting money and also investing them. In coming days, more associates of the constable will be called to give their statements to ED officials. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said India's defence exports have crossed a record Rs 21,000 crore from Rs 2,000 crore a decade ago. The Defence Minister accompanied by Chief of Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, visited the training institutes of the Indian Army in Mhow on a two-day official visit. The visit included engagements at the Army War College (AWC), Infantry School, and the Military College of Telecommunication Engineering (MCTE). Senior officers of the Indian Army were also present during the visit. On Monday,  Singh visited Army War College, where he was received by Lieutenant General HS Sahi, Commandant, Army War College. The Commandant briefed Singh about the role and significance of the institution in shaping future military leaders. Addressing the officers of Mhow Garrison,  Singh commended the relentless dedication of the Indian Army towards safeguarding the nation’s borders. He lauded the PTI NEW DELHI IN MAHAKAL’S DARBAR: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on Monday initiatives undertaken by the Army War College, Infantry School, and MCTE to impart contemporary and relevant training to future military leaders, emphasising the importance of drawing lessons from ongoing global conflicts. He urged the Armed Forces to stay alert to the evolving geopolitical scenario and remain prepared for any eventuality. Highlighting the critical role of the premier training institutions in Mhow, the  Defence Minister praised their efforts in advancing the professional excellence of Indian Army personnel in military strategy and warfare. He reiterated the government’s vision to make India a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047, with the Armed Forces playing a central role in achieving this goal. During his visit to MCTE,  Singh, was briefed by the Officiating Commandant of MCTE on the establishment of the Advanced Incubation and Research Centre and the institution’s collaborative initiatives through various Memorandums of Understanding. 4Continued on | P6 Launching a scathing attack on the Congress, the BJP on Monday alleged that Rahul Gandhi "exploited" former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's death for his "expedient politics" and flew to Vietnam to ring in the New Year while the country is mourning his demise. The Congress hit back and asked when will the "Sanghis stop this 'take diversion' politics". "While the country is mourning Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown to Vietnam to ring in the new year," BJP's IT cell head Amit Malviya said in a post on X. Gandhi politicised and exploited Dr Singh's death for his expedient politics but his contempt for him is unmissable, he charged. "The Gandhis and the Congress hate Sikhs. Never forget that Indira Gandhi While the country is mourning Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh's demise, Rahul Gandhi has flown to Vietnam to ring in the New Year Amit Malviya BJP's IT cell head desecrated the Darbar Sahib," Malviya added. Reacting sharply, Congress leader Manickam Tagore wrote in a post on X, "When will the Sanghis stop this 'take diversion' politics?" He alleged that the way Prime Minister Narendra Modi denied Dr Singh a place for cremation on the Yamuna banks and his ministers cornered his family was "shameful". "If Gandhi travels privately, why does it bother you?" he asked Malviya and said "Get well in New year.” Debate over future H-1B Visa system Ravi Shastri questions Rohit, endorses Kohli broken, says Musk Agencies Online Report Days after vowing to "go to war" to defend the H-1B visas, tech billionaire Elon Musk on Sunday said the system, which is used to bring skilled foreign workers to the US, is "broken" and needs a "major reform". Musk and Indian-American tech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have recently clashed with supporters of US President-elect Donald Trump over the issue of immigration. Musk and Ramaswamy, who are set to be part of the incoming Trump administration, have backed the H-1B visa program. In response to a post on X, the social media site he owns, Musk said he has "been very clear" that the program is "broken" and "needs major reform". He was responding to a user who said the US needs to be a destination for the "world's most elite talent", but the H-1B program "isn't the way to do that". Musk, who himself migrated from South Africa on an H-1B, said the system can be "easily fixed" by raising the minimum salary significantly and adding a yearly cost for maintaining the H-1B, making it "materially more expensive to hire from overseas than domestically". Former India head coach Ravi Shastri feels that Virat Kohli will play Test cricket for another “three-four more years” but said that current skipper Rohit Sharma might need to take a call on his career once the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series conclude. Kohli scored an unbeaten century in the first Test in Perth, but since then, the former captain has endured scores of 7, 11,3, 36 and 5. Rohit, who skipped the first Test due to the birth of his second child, has also struggled to find form with scores of 3,6,10, 3 and 9. “As far as Rohit is concerned, it’s a call. At the top of the order, his footwork isn’t the same. He is probably, at times, a little late in meet- ing the ball. So it’s his call at the end of the series,” said Shastri. Former all-rounder Irfan Pathan added fuel to the fire by suggesting Sharma wouldn't make the playing XI based on his current form, had he not been the team’s captain. His comments highlight the pressure on Sharma, whose batting slump has become a talking point. His remarks come as the cricketing world debates Rohit’s future in the longest format following another string of poor scores in the ongoing 2024-25 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. “A player who has made about 20,000 runs—yet the way Rohit is struggling now, it seems his form is not supporting him at all. What’s happening now is that he is the captain, so he is playing. If he were not the captain, he might not be playing right now. You would have had a set team. K.L. Rahul would have been playing at the top. Jaiswal would have been there. Shubman Gill would have been there. If we talk about reality, considering how he is struggling with the bat, there might not have been a place for him in the playing XI," Irfan Pathan told Star Sports. Pathan argued that if not for his captaincy, India might have fielded other in-form options such as KL Rahul, Yashasvi Jaiswal, or Shubman Gill at the top of the order. You need guts to tell Rohit, Virat to sit down: Surinder Khanna Former India wicketkeeperbatter Surinder Khanna has called for benching out of form senior batters Rohit and Kohli. Rohit, who has been struggling on the tour to score runs, has only accumulated 31 runs in the five innings across three Tests. On the other hand, Kohli has failed to replicate his Perth century knock in the following five innings. He had scores of 7, 11, 3, 36 and 5 in the last three Tests of the tour. Despite showing good technique in the first innings of the Boxing Day Test, Kohli faltered to convert the stable start to a big score before making the same mistake in the second essay. The veteran cricketer added that team management needs to show guts to talk to them to make way for other players. "Since Rohit has returned, he has played in the middle order, and top order too but he is not scoring runs. This is a problem that Gambhir, selectors and Rohit himself are not addressing. You need the guts to tell the captain and Kohli to sit down and have a one-to-one chat so somebody else can play. You need to make some harsh decisions to get good results," the former cricketer added.