FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 14 No. 213 | BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 15, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Bumrah named ICC Men’s Player of Month for Dec P.14 Sharp drop in night temperature intensifies biting cold in Bhopal on Tuesday I n a remarkable display of faith and devotion, over 3.5 crore devotees took the 'Amrit Snan' at the Maha Kumbh on Makar Sankranti on Tuesday. The icy waters of the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers became the epicenter of spiritual fervor, as devotees sought to cleanse their sins and attain divine blessings. The event began with the grand Shahi Snan, led by the saints and sadhus of the 13 akharas representing various sects of Hinduism. The Shri Panchayati Akhara Mahanirvani initiated the sacred ritual, with cries of “Har Har Mahadev” and “Ganga Maiyya Ki Jai” resonating across the ghats. Each akhara, given 30 to 40 minutes for their ceremonial dip, moved in vibrant processions adorned with marigolds and accompanied by devotional music. In addition to the male Naga sadhus, female Naga ascetics were also present in significant numbers. NAGA SADHUS STEAL THE SHOW T he spectacle reached its zenith with the arrival of Naga sadhus—ascetic warriors who rushed toward the river amidst cheering crowds. Draped in garlands and wielding tridents, some rode horses while others were carried in elaborately decorated palanquins. Heads of akharas showered flower petals on the assembled devotees, adding to the air of celebration. All praise for Maha Kumbh infra M praised the arrangements made in Prayagraj Maha Kumbh. Such arrangements could be studied for management of big fairs. He informed that a delegation of MP officials has been sent to Prayagraj to study the arrangements made for Maha Kumbh. He said such arrangements open the gates over how to do better arrangements for pilgrims in religious fairs. C CM offers obeisance to deity at Kamtanath Temple, Chitrakoot plan is being prepared which is focused on development projects. On the basis of suggestions received in the meeting, efforts will be made to develop Chitrakoot in sync with its pride and glorious history. Minister, Members of Parliament, MLAs etc attended the meeting. 4Continued on | P6 INDORE NASHIK OUR STAFF REPORTER BHOPAL Sharp drop in night temperature continued across the state on Tuesday. There will be gradual Increase in temperature by 2 to 3 degrees Celsius in the next 4 days, according to Meteorological department officials. Bhopal recorded a day temperature of 23.4 degrees Celsius while it recorded a drop of 4.6 degrees Celsius in night temperature at 5.4 degrees Celsius. Indore recorded 23.7 degrees Celsius while it recorded a night temperature of 9.6 degrees Celsius. A drop of 6.6 degrees Celsius was recorded in Jabalpur while a drop of 5.5 degrees Celsius was recorded in Mandla and a MUMBAI E-paper Edit Rupee’s plunge: A crisis or an opportunity? P.8 Cinema 5 years of Aditya Dhar’s Uri P.13 5-degree drop was recorded in night temperature in Raisen at 5.7 degrees Celsius. Umaria and Malajhkhand recorded a drop of 4.8 degrees Celsius and 4.4 degrees Celsius in night temperature respectively. Impact of cold wave prevailed in Bhopal, Sehore, Ratlam and Shajapur districts. Cold day prevailed in Bhopal, Rajgarh, Ratlam, Shahdol, Malanjkhand, while severe cold day prevailed in Raisen, Dhar, Indore, Shajapur and Ujjain. Moderate to dense fog prevailed in Satna, Maihar, Rewa, Sidhi, Singrauli, Rajgarh, Panna and Chhatarpur districts. 4Continued on | P6 WEATHER WATCH Minimum temperature recorded at various places Sehore Bhopal Shajapur Mandla Rajgarh Raisen Pachmarhi Ratlam Shahdol Umaria Nowgong Jabalpur 3.2 C 5.40C 0 3.9 C 5.50C 0 4.6 C 5.70C 0 4.7 C 6.00C 0 5.0 C 6.40C 0 5.0 C 6.60C 0 A SEA OF DEVOTION The festival grounds were transformed into a lively tent city, housing over a million makeshift shelters. Pilgrims clad in colorful traditional attire performed rituals, lit diyas, and offered flowers along the banks. Families recited scriptures, conch shells sounded, and temple bells chimed, creating a symphony of faith. “It’s an unforgettable experience,” said Neha Sharma, a first-time visitor from Kanpur. “The energy here is divine. It feels like being part of something eternal.” Devotees of all ages thronged the Sangam. Among them was Ramesh Gupta, a 55-yearold trader from Delhi, who described the icy water as “the goddess’s blessings in liquid form.” is being circulated to gather co-sponsors for it. As of Monday, the bill already had 10 sponsors. It is being led by Republican congressman Andy Ogles and congresswoman Diana Harshbarger. This makes it official that Donald Trump, who will become US President next week, is serious about buying Greenland and making its a part of the United States. Hearty congratulations to all revered saints, Kalpvasis & devotees who took a holy dip of faith in the holy Sangam on auspicious occasion of 'Makar Sankranti' in the grand gathering of faith, equality & unity 'Maha Kumbh-2025, Prayagraj -Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister TARNISHING INDIA’S IMAGE House panel to summon Mark Zuckerberg's Meta PTI NEW DELHI Seeking an apology from social media giant Meta for "tarnishing" India's image, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, who heads the Parliament's Standing Committee on Communications and Information Technology, said on Tuesday that the panel will summon the firm following its chairman's comments that India's ruling dispensation lost the Lok Sabha election last year. "My committee will summon Meta for this incorrect information. Incorrect information about any democratic country tarnishes its image. This organisation will have to apologise to the Indian Parliament and the people here for this mistake," Dubey said in a post on X. 4Continued on | P6 SAINTS CALL IT A RARE BLESSING A charya Mahamandaleshwar Swami Kailashanand Giri of Shri Panchayati Niranjani Akhara explained the significance of the day: “The sun’s transition into Uttarayan is a deeply sacred moment. The Rajasi Shahi Snan is a privilege even the gods aspire to. This year, we anticipate 3-4 crore participants in this holy ritual.” Echoing the sentiment, Akhara Parishad President Ravindra Puri lauded the arrangements: “The management of time slots for each akhara has been impeccable. This is not just an event; it is a divine celebration of unity and devotion.” BJP DECLARES ANOTHER INDIAN 12 DIST CHIEFS, DIES IN RUSSIA WAR TAKING THE FIGURE TO 32 India to Russia: Release all Indians working in military immediately Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL PTI Continuing with the appointment of district party presidents, the BJP issued another list of 12 names on late Tuesday night. Shyam Tiwari has been appointed as Sagar district president, while Rani Patel Kushwah has been given the charge of Sagar( Rural). Jai Prakash Rajoria appointed District President of Gwalior and Ratnesh Sonkar of Jabalpur (City). Deepak Tandon Joshi has been appointed Katni district unit chief. 4Continued on | P6 NEW DELHI India on Tuesday pressed Russia to release all the Indians recruited by the Russian military, following the death of another Indian national in the Russia-Ukraine conflict zone, taking the death toll to 10. Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said an Indian national from Kerala has died and another has sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at a hospital in Moscow. Jaiswal said the matter has been strongly taken up with Russian authorities in Moscow as well as with the Russian embassy in New Delhi. "We have also reiterated our demand for an early discharge of the remaining Indian nationals," he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had strongly raised the issue of early discharge of the Indian nationals working in the Russian Army during his talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow in July last year. 4Continued on | P6 Army Day special Official turn on Trump's plan to buy Greenland D PUNE 4Continued on | P6 Our Staff Reporter onald Trump's plan to buyout Greenland has taken a serious turn. Republicans have started gathering support in the House of Representatives to pass a new bill to authorise the US President to enter formal negotiations to purchase Greenland. The bill titled 'Make Greenland Great Again Act' UJJAIN OVER 3.5 CR TAKE AMRIT SNAN BHOPAL/CHITRAKOOT Online Report BHOPAL SACRED SPLASH | Seers, Naga Sadhus and devotees take holy dip on day 2 of Maha Kumbh Chitrakoot Dham will be developed like Ayodhya: CM Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that Chitrakoot Dham will be developed on the lines of Ayodhya. He added that a meeting was held for development of Chitrakoot Dham and many valuable suggestions were received in it. He was interacting with media persons after attending the meeting in Chitrakoot on Tuesday. He added that the state government is making efforts to re-establish the pride of Chitrakoot by connecting it with the historical era of Lord Ram. He informed that a work EDITIONS: RBI rate cut delay will lead to more growth sacrifice MERCURY TO RISE BY 2-3 DEGREES AFTER 4 DAYS Biswajeet Banerjee iii QUALITY @ VALUE MONEY State shivers with further drop in temp MAHAKUMBH NAGAR ESTD-1983 ‘Army's success rooted in staying apolitical’ Bharat Dholi/Khushi Arya MHOW Lieutenant General Vijay Madan (retd) "Keep politics out of the army" - this golden rule set by Field Marshal Kodandera Madappa Cariappa continues to be the backbone of Indian Army's success, shared Lieutenant General Vijay Madan (retd), a former commandant of the Army War College, Mhow in an Army Day in- WHEN CARIAPPA TRAINED IN INDORE ield Marshal Cariappa embarked on his military journey at Daly Cadet College in Indore in 1919, a significant institution in the training of young Indian officers at that time. As one of the pion- F terview. Indian Army Day, observed annually on January 15, marks the historic day in 1949 when Ca- eering Indians selected to become King's Commissioned Indian Officers (KCIOs), he distinguished himself in a competitive pool of 70 applicants, securing the 42nd position on the selection list. His riappa became the first Indian commander-in-chief of the Indian Army. The significance of this date goes beyond just a ceremo- nial handover - it represents the beginning of an era that shaped the army's core values. Lt Gen Madan emphasised dedication and hard work at the college paid off, culminating in an impressive academic achievement where he finished seventh in his class, setting the stage for his illustrious career in the Indian Army. how Cariappa transformed the army through three fundamental principles. 4Continued on | P6