FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 14 No. 226 | BHOPAL | WEDNESDAY | JANUARY 29, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Masterclass in relentless consistency across formats P.12 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL UJJAIN MONEY PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Consensus missing on Waqf board P.8 MobiKwik, CRED launch CBDC e-rupee in partnership with RBI Cinema Rang De Basanti turns 19 P.14 55% TRUCKERS HAVE POOR EYESIGHT Don’s ‘tariff-maker’ warning to India 50,000 PTI A TOTAL OF NEW DELHI About 55.1 per cent of truck drivers in India have compromised vision, while 53.3 per cent require distance vision correction and 46.7 per cent need near-vision treatment, a new report released on Tuesday revealed. The report prepared by IIT Delhi further said that about 44.3 per cent of drivers exhibited borderline or above TRUCK DRIVERS IN Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu were screened by IIT Delhi in collaboration with the Foresight Foundation. body mass index (BMI), 57.4 per cent had elevated blood pressure levels, and 18.4 per cent showed borderline or high blood sugar levels. According to the report, A VICTORY | Double bench of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait & Justice Vivek Jain also cleared the way for all stalled recruitments HC okays 27% OBC quota; rejects 87:13 formula Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Principal bench of Madhya Pradesh High Court at Jabalpur on Tuesday rejected 87:13 formula thus paving the way for 27% reservation for OBC in recruitment. Double bench of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain also cleared the way for all stalled recruitments. Advocate Rameshwar Singh said that the 87-13 formula was determined under the order of the petition dated August 4, 2023, which was re- fp Briefs NEW DELHI 5 fishermen hurt in SL Navy firing Five Indian fishermen sustained injuries, including two seriously, in an incident of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy in the proximity of Delft Island early Tuesday, triggering a strong reaction by India. The acting high commissioner of the island nation in New Delhi was summoned to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and a strong protest was lodged with the top diplomat. In its reaction, India said use of force is not ‘acceptable under any circumstances whatsoever "An incident of firing by the Sri Lankan Navy during the apprehension of 13 Indian fishermen in the proximity of Delft Island was reported in the early hours of this morning," it said. New quota format 27% 16% 20% 10% 37% OBC SC ST EWS General LAKHS TO BENEFIT he HC order for 27% OBC reservation would benefit lakhs of students whose appointment was blocked as 13% seats were held back in all recruitments. All advertisements for recruitment clearly mentioned that recruitment would be made on the basis of 87:13 formula. Now with rejection of this formula, seats that were put on hold would be filled. T jected by the High Court on Tuesday. He further said that process of appointment would soon begin agaist the stalled 13% posts. The high court through an interim order passed on August 4, 2023 had directed the state government to imple- ment 87%-13% formula. After this order, all recruitments in the state were stopped. 4Continued on | P6 Japan tour will script new chapter of friendship: Yadav Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said that his Japan tour will script a new chapter of friendship between Madhya Pradesh and Japan. It is a matter of happiness that the state is having trade relations with Japan. In 2023-24, the state did export of $92.8 million to Japan. He was addressing an interactive session on Investment Opportunities in Madhya Pradesh on the first day of his Japan tour on Tuesday. DISCUSSION WITH TOYOTA OFFICIALS CM held discussion with Toyota officials. He discussed potential trade ties with Toshiyuki Nakahara, Department CM Mohan Yadav calls on Tokyo’s governor Yuriko Koike during his Japan visit on Tuesday General Manager, Administration and Support Department, India & Middle East Division and Masahiro Nogi, Project General Manager, Administration and Support Department, India and Middle East Division, Toyota Motor Corporation. 4Continued on | P6 Stone pelting on two Kumbh special trains CM meets Indian Ambassador After reaching Japan’s capital Tokyo, the CM met Indian Ambassador to Japan, Sibi George and discussed to strengthen ties between India and Japan. He is on Japan tour till January 31. Master Plan: HC pulls up T&CP for non-implementation Our Staff Reporter Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL/CHHATARPUR BHOPAL Two Kumbh Mela special trains were pelted with stones at Harpalpur station, Chhatarpur district after passengers waiting on the platform found the doors of the compartments locked on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. One train was travelling from Mhow (Ambedkar Nagar) to Prayagraj while the other was travelling from official agencies' un-authorised occupation. State governments have also been asked to share details of cases where their authorities are engaged in a legal dispute with Waqf boards over ownership or possession of any property. Waqf Board chairman Dr Sanwar Patel told Free Press, ‘JPC has demanded details of Waqf Board from all states including Madhya Pradesh. The High Court, principal bench of Jabalpur pulled up Town and Country Planning (T&CP) for non-implementation of master plan in state. Nagrik Upbhokta Manch, Jabalpur had filed a petition. Similarly, Citizens Forum of Bhopal also had filed a petition. T&CP has been given three weeks’ time to reply otherwise its director will be called in the HC. The double bench of Chief Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Vivek Jain passed the order. Nagrik Upbhokta Manch president PG Najpande informed Free Press, ‘T&CP has been given three weeks to reply. HC pulled up T&CP for non-implementation of master plan. We have filed a petition stating that in absence of the master plan, there is random development.’ Citizens Forum, immediately after Assembly elections had approached the HC for implementation of master plan in Bhopal. 4Continued on | P6 4Continued on | P6 Jhansi to Prayagraj. Stone pelting on Mhow-Prayagraj train occurred at 1:00 am and on Jhansi-Prayagraj occurred at 2:00 am. 4Continued on | P6 JPC SEEKS DETAILS OF WAQF BOARD PROPERTY IN STATE Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), New Delhi has demanded details of Waqf Board properties in Madhya Pradesh. There are 14,986 properties of Waqf Board and the JPC has demanded details including current status, khashra numbers and other records. According to the report, the JPC asked states to furnish details of properties 14,986 Properties belong to Waqf board, MP that have been claimed by the Waqf board using Section 40 of the Waqf Act. The JPC has decided to get an update on information on Waqf properties that are allegedly in state governments or about 33.9 per cent of drivers reported moderate stress, while 2.9 per cent were found to have high-stress levels, emphasising the need for mental health support. Releasing the report, Union Minister of Road and Transport Nitin Gadkari said, "With 70 per cent of traffic on roads and logistics costs soaring at 14-16 per cent, India faces significant challenges in transportation". 4Continued on | P6 Avoid Ayodhya visit for 20 days, urges Ram temple Trust amid rush IANS PTI Bumrah is ICC men's Cricketer of the yr ‘Modi will do what is right’ WASHINGTON The United States will impose tariffs on the countries that "harm" America, President Donald Trump has said, as he named China, India and Brazil as high-tariff countries. "We're going to put tariffs on outside countries and outside people that really mean harm to us. Well, they mean us harm, but they basically want to make their country good," Trump told House Republicans at a Florida retreat on Monday, the first after he became the president for the second term last week. "Look at what others do. China is a tremendous tariff US President Donald Trump has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will do "what is right" on illegal immigrants, underlining that discussions are going on with India. maker, and India and Brazil and so many other countries. So we're not going to let that happen any longer because we're going to put America first," he said. He said that the US will establish a "very fair system where money is going to come into our coffers and America is going to be very rich again". PTI DUBAI India pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah on Tuesday won the prestigious Sir Garfield Sobers Award for ICC men's Cricketer of the Year after delivering "a master-class in skill, precision, and relentless consistency" across formats in a record-shattering 2024. (SEE SPORTS PAGE) PRAYAGRAJ The Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra on Tuesday made an appeal to the devotees of Lord Ram, living in areas nearby Ayodhya to postpone their visit by 15-20 days, to give those from faraway places 'priority' in Lord’s darshan, in the wake of unprecedented rush on the auspicious period. With the onset of Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj from January 13, the holy cities of Ayodhya as well as Varanasi are also witnessing a strong surge of devotees, making it difficult for state administration to effectively manage the situation. 4Continued on | P6 Saurabh Sharma, Chetan Singh arrested by Lokayukta police Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL ‘Self-appeared’ former transport department constable Saurabh Sharma was dramatically arrested by Lokayukta police when he was going to appear in court, here on Tuesday. Lokayukta police arrested one more aide Chetan Singh Gaur and presented them in Saurabh aide detained court and demanded police remand till February 4. The court accepted Lokayukta police demand and gave the PR, officials said. Earlier on Monday, Saurabh appeared in the Special Court of Lokayukta along with his advocate Rakesh Parashar seeking his surrender. 4Continued on | P6 okayukta police has detained Sharad Jaiswal after the arrest of Saurabh Sharma and Chetan Singh L 5hrs of detention and then arrest Saurabh was brought to Lokayukta office and in front of members of the special team and the investigation officer was interrogated for five hours. After interrogation it was decided to take him on remand. Gaur, officials said here on Tuesday. 4Continued on | P6