FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. XLI No. 250 | INDORE | SUNDAY | FEBRUARY 16, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 4 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 FREE www.freepressjournal.in iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE WORLD Sports Gulveer shatters National Record P.14 COMMITTEE TO PORE OVER I-T BILL ESTD-1983 UJJAIN PRESS PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Readers’ corner NIRMAL BUDGET... P.6 3 Israeli hostages set free Cinema Yami’s idea of love P.16 MAHAKUMBH RUSH | Situation takes chaotic turn as passengers were waiting to catch trains to Prayagraj 15 killed in stampede at New Delhi Rly Station IANS Naveen Jindal Mahua Moitra Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has constituted a Select Committee under the chairmanship of BJP MP Baijayant Panda to examine the Income Tax Bill 2025 which was introduced by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in the House on February 13. The new Bill seeks to simplify the language and structure of the Income-tax Act, 1961. The Committee would comprise 31 MPs. Some of the prominent names include Nishikant Duber, Naveen Jindal, Anil Baluni and Bhartrihari Mahtab of the BJP, Supriya Sule of Nationalist Congress Party (Sharatchandra Pawar), Mahua Moitra of Trinamool Congress, Deepender Singh Hooda of the Congress, Ravindra Dattaram Waikar of Shiv Sena and N.K. Premachandran of the Revolutionary Socialist Party. Ravindra Waikar Incidentally, this is the third major committee to be formed to discuss a Bill after the 18 th Lok Sabha was constituted following the 2024 general elections. The other two were Joint Parliamentary Committees. The first of these were constituted in August for the Waqf Amendment Bill and its proceedings were marred by several protests, disruptions and allegations of bias. The second was constituted in December 2024 for scrutinising the two Bills pertaining to “One Nation One Election” for conduct of simultaneous Assembly and Lok Sabha elections in the country. The Income Tax Bill 2025 was introduced by Sitharaman amid protests from some Opposition MPs despite her claiming that it has been brought to make “substantial changes” to the 84-year-old law. 4Continued on | P8 NEW DELHI At least 15 people have been killed after a massive crowd of passengers in a rush to catch trains to Prayagraj in the New Delhi Railway Station led a stampede late on Saturday night, officials said. A senior official from the LNJP Hospital confirmed the deaths. The situation began taking a chaotic turn at around 8 p.m. on platform numbers 14 and 15 of the station as passengers were waiting to catch trains to the holy city Prayagraj to attend the Mahakumbh Mela. According to officials, additional security personnel have been deployed to control the situation at the New Delhi Railway Station. At least four fire engines were also rushed to the spot. Amid all the chaos, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had posted on social media a while ago that the situation was under control. "Situation under control at New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS). Delhi Police and RPF (railway police Heavy rush of passengers to catch a train for Mahakumbh, at New Delhi railway station force) reached. Injured taken to hospital. Special trains being run to evacuate sudden rush," the Minister had posted on X. He also wrote: "Situation under control at New Delhi railway station (NDLS) Delhi Police and RPF reached. Injured taken to hospital. Special CM INAUGURATES 'RUDRA SAGAR SETU' round 200-meterlong bridge has been connected with the 'Shakti path', which is one of the entry gates for Mahakal Lok as part of second phase of Mahakal Lok corridor, will provide another pathway. Constructed at a cost of more than Rs 22 crore the bridge will also give a new look at the site. People visiting Mahakal Lok to offer prayers to Lord Shiva will find a glimpse of the beauty of the site from the bridge A he bridge will provide easy passage for visitors for upcoming Maha Shivratri, during which a large number of devotees of Lord Shiva will arrive from across the country T GIS to go green with renewable energy, e-buses Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL M performed 'bhumi pujan' for food court complex on Ujjain-Devas Road and two other projects related to irrigation. C adav inaugurated some road projects in the city. The infrastructure of Ujjain is also being developed at a fast pace given the Simhastha Kumbh Mela to be organised in 2028. Y Groom dies of heart attack on horseback Our Staff Reporter 4Continued on | P8 Revanth Reddy claims PM not from Backward Class by birth Agencies BHOPAL The upcoming Global Investors Summit (GIS) 2025, scheduled to take place at the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS) campus from February 24, will be a model of sustainability, relying entirely on renewable energy sources and green transport. The event will utilise solar, hydel, and wind power for all electrical equipment, lighting and cooling systems. In a move to prioritise sustainability, the Madhya Pradesh Industries Development Corporation Ltd. (MPIDC), which is organising the summit, has partnered with local power discoms to ensure the venue is powered solely by renewable energy. hief Minister has asserted that organising the hosting of Simhastha is the top priority of the state government C Jat’s death isn’t an isolated case of a youngster succumbing to a heart-related ailment. Last week, a 23-year-old woman, Parinita Jain, from Indore died of cardiac arrest while dancing at her cousin’s wedding in Vidisha. 4Continued on | P8 Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar has levelled serious corruption allegations against Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput, accusing him of being involved in a large financial scam tied to former RTO constable Saurabh Sharma. During a press conference on Saturday, Singhar alleged that the government was shielding Sharma and failing to investigate his activities during a 40day period of his disappearance. Singharsaid that Sharma’s call records, which have not been madepublic, could expose numerous officials and politicians. He alleged that approximately Rs 2 crore was being funnelled every month from the Transport Department to a Union Minister. The Leader of Opposition accused Rajput of masterminding a corruption network involving retired officers Dashrath Patel and Aleem Khan, along with businessmen Sanjay Dhande. According to Singhar, this network had generated nearly Rs 1,500 crore over five years, with Rs 150 crore being earned every A video showing a Russian beer can featuring Mahatma Gandhi is going viral on Instagram. It captures the can carrying the image and signature of the Indian freedom fighter. Visuals showcase brand Rewort's Hazy IPA cans designed with a Gandhi touch. While it is widely known Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar PTI NEW DELHI MUNICH In what could spell more trouble for former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal, the Central Vigilance Commission has ordered an investigation by the Central Public Works Department into how he increased the size of his official bungalow – now referred to as Sheesh Mahal (glass palace) by the Opposition– by over 50,000 square yards and how luxury items worth crores were installed there using public money. External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar took a dig at the Western countries for treating democracy as a "Western characteristic", accusing them of not practising abroad what they valued at home. Jaishankar made these remarks on Friday at a panel discussion titled "Live to Vote Another Day: Fortifying Democratic Resilience" at the Munich Security Conference. He also said that "if you do want democracy eventually to prevail, it's important the West also embraces success- 4Continued on | P8 ful models (democracy) outside the West." "There was a time I have to say this in all honesty - when the West treated democracy as a Western characteristic and was busy encouraging non-democratic forces in the Global South. It still does. Everything you value at home, you don't practice abroad." "So, I do think the rest of the Global South will view the successes, shortcomings and the responses of other countries," he said. Tharoor tareef over tariffs has Congress blushing Shankar Raj Pawan Khera said, the MP was not in tune with the party. Rahul Gandhi had criticised outcome of Modi’s visit Senior Congress MP Shashi Tharoor Saturday put the Congress in a spot when he praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the US as a success and also hailed the CPM-led LDF government in Kerala for “its initiatives in economic innovation and sustainable growth.” He praised Modi for bringing back substantial gains from the US for India. “I welcome the fact that there is now an agreement to have a negotiation for the next 9 months on trade and tariffs. It's far better than Washington hastily and unilaterally imposing some tariffs on us, which could have damaged and hurt our exports.” Tharoor said. Reacting to this, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera told reporters of news channels in Kerala that the MP was not in tune with the party’s stand on this matter. While senior leader Rahul Gandhi criticised the outcome of Modi’s visit to the US, Tharoor was on a different page. To criticism flowing from Delhi, Tharoor said: “For 16 sipping a drink named after the Indian freedom fighter. This brewery not only produces cans dedicated to Gandhi but also other prominent leaders. Rewort reportedly comes up with beers named after Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King Jr as well. style beer made the headlines during the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals. Football Singhar provided documents and detailed allegations, claiming that Rajput has amassed disproportionate assets worth Rs 1,250 crore. He accused the Minister of acquiring properties in Delhi’s posh Defence Colony at undervalued rates through associates, including government officials. The market value of these properties is estimated to be Rs 39 crore. Jaishankar tears into West over global democracy years, I have been in politics. My attitude has been that when somebody in the government, whether it's our government or some other party's government, does the right thing or does something well, one should acknowledge and praise it, and when they do something badly, one should criticise it,” Tharoor was quoted by ANI. 4Continued on | P8 Outrage as Russian beer cans feature Mahatma Gandhi Gandhi advocated abstinence from alcohol all his life, this drink brand featured him on its cans. As the video of these cans rolled out online, it attracted a wide range of reactions. People believed beer cans depicting Gandhi's image and autograph on its packaging would get banned soon. Notably, in 2018, this IPA- ‘Graft network uncovered’ Probe into Kejriwal’s Sheesh Mahal 4Continued on | P8 offgrid FP Online month. Singhar questioned the state government's commitment to its ‘zero tolerance’ policy on corruption, accusing it of protecting ministers and officials rather than holding them accountable. He also demanded an explanation as to why individuals named in Sharma’s call records have not been interrogated and criticised the Chief Minister for avoiding accountability. Delhi Railway Station. My deepest condolences to the families of victims of this tragedy. Have spoken to Chief Secretary & Police Commissioner and asked them to address and redress the situation." THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Amid a row over the caste survey in Telangana, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy has said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is not from a backward class by birth but belongs to a "legally converted backward class". The caste PM Modi belongs to, Reddy claimed, was added to the backward classes by the Gujarat government after the BJP leader became the state's chief minister in 2001. Slamming Reddy, the BJP said the Telangana chief minister wanted to hog headlines by making such comments because he does not do any work. Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL trains being run to evacuate sudden rush," followed by another post which read: "High-level inquiry ordered." Meanwhile, Delhi Lt Governor V.K. Saxena wrote: "There has been an unfortunate and tragic incident of loss of lives and injuries due to disorder & stampede at New HYDERABAD A 25-year-old former National Students’ Union of India (NSUI) district president died of a heart attack while still on horseback during his wedding procession (Baaraat) in Sheopur on Friday. Pradeep Jat, also the nephew of PCC secretary Yogesh Jat, was taken to the hospital where attending doctors declared him dead upon arrival. Sheopur City Superintendent of Police (CSP) Rajeev Gupta said, “It was Pradeep Jat’s wedding on Friday night. His neighbours said he was a heart patient and already had a stent inserted.”  Transport min involved in RTO scam: Singhar lovers at a bar in Russia's Nizhny Novgorod drew the attention on the internet for Beers named on Mahatma see action This isn't the first time netizens have come across alcoholic drinks carrying Mahatma Gandhi's identity. A decade ago, a US company apologised for using his image on beer cans and bottles after a petition was filed in a Hyderabad court. Similarly, in 2019, a Czech brewery branded Gandhithemed India pale ale (IPA) after receiving flak. 4Continued on | P8 Everything you value at home, you don't practice abroad S Jaishankar External Affairs Minister He also said India, for "all the challenges that we have had, even at a low income, we have stayed true to the democratic model, which is almost if you look at our part of the world. We are pretty much the only country that has done that." 4Continued on | P8 Plane carrying second batch of deportees from US lands PTI AMRITSAR/CHANDIGARH A plane carrying 116 illegal Indian immigrants from the US landed at the Amritsar International Airport late on Saturday night, official sources said. This is the second such batch of Indians to be deported by the Donald Trump administration as part of its promised crackdown on illegal immigrants. The flight landed at the airport around 11:30 pm as against the expected time of 10 pm, they said. Earlier, there were reports that the plane would carry 119 immigrants, but now as per an updated list of passengers, the number of deportees in the second batch was 116, they added. Among the deportees, 65 are from Punjab, 33 from Haryana, eight from Gujarat, two each from Uttar Pradesh, Goa, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and one each from Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir. Most of the deportees are in the age group of 18 to 30, as per the sources. The families of some of the deportees reached the airport to receive them. On February 5, a US military aircraft carrying 104 illegal Indian immigrants landed at the Amritsar Airport. Of them, 33 each were from Haryana and Gujarat, and 30 from Punjab.