Vol. 68 No. 152 | Tuesday, April 1, 2025 | 25 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper ● Member: Audit Bureau of Circulation (July to December 2024) NATION Mamata Banerjee says BJP creating ‘ganda dharm’, party hits back Briefs Asian trio against tariffs South Korea, China, and Japan resumed economic dialogue after five years, aiming to counter U.S. tariffs and strengthen regional trade. The three trade ministers agreed to explore a high-level free trade agreement to boost economic ties and reduce dependence on the U.S. market. Discussions also covered supply chain cooperation, with Japan and South Korea seeking Chinese semiconductor materials, while China looks to import chips. The talks come ahead of President Trump’s expected tariff announcement on Wednesday, which he calls "liberation day" for U.S. trade. The three nations pledged closer cooperation to mitigate economic risks. Tump, in turn has warned of reciprocal tariff. Muhammad Yunus’ claims During his state visit to China, Bangladesh’s interim head, Muhammad Yunus, claimed that Bangladesh was the "only guardian of the ocean" for India’s Northeast, falsely suggesting the region was landlocked without access. He further proposed integrating it into China’s economy, calling it a "production house" for global markets. His remarks ignored India’s existing connectivity, including access via Assam and West Bengal. The statement, lacking basis, appeared to push China’s economic agenda, raising concerns about Bangladesh’s strategic intentions. Waqf Bill in Lok Sabha The Waqf (Amendment) Bill, referred to a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) in August 2024, is set to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on April 2, sources told CNN-News18. The BJP reportedly consulted its allies before introducing the legislation, which has triggered strong opposition protests. The bill’s progression follows months of scrutiny by the JPC, with critics alleging it could intensify controversies around Waqf Board powers. The government, however, maintains it aims to streamline management of Waqf properties. The move comes amid heightened political tensions, with opposition parties vowing to challenge the bill during parliamentary proceedings. (100 words) India slams NYT report India on Monday slammed a New York Times report alleging that Hindustan Aeronautics Limited sold sensitive technology to a blacklisted Russian arms supplier. The Ministry of External Affairs called the report "factually incorrect and misleading," accusing it of distorting facts to fit a political narrative. "The Indian entity mentioned has scrupulously adhered to all international obligations on strategic trade controls and end-user commitments," the MEA stated. HAL, a government-owned aerospace firm, has faced no official accusations of violations, reinforcing India’s stance against the report's claims. GAMES Cinema April Fool’s Day: How Bollywood takes you for a ride Ashwani Kumar scalps a sensational four-wicket haul on debut to propel MI to victory Edit Bangladesh at the crossroads of the great power rivalry LITMUS TEST | Top court to examine if 1991 law blocking religious site changes violates constitutional rights SC TO HEAR PLACES OF WORSHIP PLEA TODAY FPJ News Service MUMBAI The Supreme Court is set to hear a challenge to the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) Act, 1991, on April 1. A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar will examine whether the law’s mandate to maintain the religious character of sites as they stood on August 15, 1947, infringes on constitutional rights. The petition, filed by law student Nitin Upadhyay through advocate Shweta Sinha, questions the validity of Section 4(2) of the Act. This provision bars courts from entertaining cases seeking to alter the religious character of any place of worship. It also prohibits the filing of fresh lawsuits on such PM Modi is not retiring Prajakta Pol MUMBAI Is PM Narendra Modi considering retirement in 2029? A political storm erupted after Shiv Sena (Uddhav Thackeray faction) leader Sanjay Raut claimed that Modi discussed stepping down in a private meeting with the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS). Modi, who is currently 75, will be 78 in 2029. A few years ago, he introduced an unwritten rule that BJP leaders should retire from active politics at 75 to make way for younger leaders. Now, speculation is rife—will this rule apply to him? And if so, who will be the BJP’s next prime ministerial candidate? According to Raut, Modi’s recent visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur—the first in over a decade—was not just symbolic but politically significant. He suggested that the RSS would play a key role in choosing Modi’s successor, hinting that Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis could be the frontrunner. “Understand why Modi had to visit the RSS headquarters,” Raut remarked, implying that the meeting held deeper political meaning. He also pointed to BJP President J.P. Nadda’s recent assertion that the party does not need the RSS to achieve its “400-plus” seat target, suggesting a possible power shift within the BJP-RSS equation. 4Contd on | nation matters. According to the plea, the Centre has overstepped its legislative authority by denying judicial recourse. “The right to judicial remedy is a basic fea- ture of the Constitution. The government cannot strip courts of their power to adjudicate such disputes,” it argues. While the Act prevents conversions of places of worship, it does not explicitly prohibit structural modifications. The petition contends that such changes should be allowed if they restore a site's original religious character. Furthermore, it argues that scientific and documentary surveys should be permitted to ascertain historical facts about contested sites. 4Contd on | nation Kalpesh Mhamunkar A violent altercation broke out at Beed District Jail on Monday, involving Walmik Karad, the alleged mastermind in the Santosh Deshmukh murder case, and accused Sudarshan Ghule. They were attacked by Mahadev Gite, a supporter of NCP (SP) leader Baban Gite, and his accomplice Akshay Athavale during breakfast hours. Jail authorities intervened before the situation worsened. According to officials, the brawl stemmed from a dispute over phone access between the Mahadev Gite group and the Sonawane-Fad gang. Director General of Jail Police Jallinder MIN A/C BALANCE: New rules; penalties for non-maintenance. MUTUAL FUND & DEMAT: KYC, nominee re-verification required. NO DIVIDEND: PAN-Aadhaar linking mandatory for payouts. CREDIT CARD: Changes in reward points for SBI cards. CHEQUE CLEARANCE: E-verification needed for cheques above ₹50,000. TCS: Limit raised to ₹10L for foreign travel, investments. GST: Multi-factor authentication now mandatory. INCOME TAX: No tax up to ₹12L; ₹75,000 standard deduction. PENSION: Govt staff (25+ yrs) get 50% of last year’s basic salary. TDS: Exemption limit for senior citizens raised to ₹1L. HOME LOANS: Limits set at ₹50L (metro), ₹45L (Tier-2), ₹35L (small cities). UPI: Inactive mobile numbers will lose UPI access. HOTEL GST: 18% GST on restaurant services in ₹7,500+ tariff hotels. Text: Palazhi Ashok Kumar Sonia Gandhi vs BJP: India braces for Education war escalates extreme heat FPJ News Service Congress leader accused the Centre of sidelining state governments, coercing them into compliance MUMBAI Congress leader Sonia Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Modi government's education policy, branding it a "carnage" driven by centralization, commercialization, and communalization. Writing in The Hindu, she accused the government of sidelining state governments, coercing them into compliance, and systematically eroding the public education system. Gandhi alleged that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 masked a deeper agenda—tightening Union control over education, pushing privatization at the cost of the poor, and rewriting history to suit the ideological leanings of the BJP and RSS. She cited examples such as the exclusion of Mahatma Gandhi’s assassination and Mughal history from textbooks and the appointment of “regime-friendly” academics to key institutions. She further claimed that the Centre had stripped states of their role in appointing university vice-chancellors through draft UGC guidelines and had leveraged education grants to force the adoption of PM-SHRI model schools. "This is one of the gravest threats to federalism," she warned, accusing the government of using the education system to foster "hatred and indoctrination." The BJP hit back hard. Party leader Tarun Chugh dismissed Gandhi’s claims, accusing the Congress of having a "colonial mindset" and distorting history for decades. "For 60 years, Congress promoted communalism, appeasement, and nepotism in education while ignoring real Indian heroes," he charged. He claimed the NEP was rectifying past distortions by bringing in a more "Indianized" curriculum. FPJ News Service MUMBAI India is expected to face hotter-than-usual temperatures from April to June, with an increased number of heatwave days in central and eastern India, as well as the northwestern plains, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) reported on Monday. Most of the country will experience higher-than-normal maximum temperatures, with the exception of certain areas 4Contd on | nation FPJ News Service MUMBAI The Japanese government issued a grave warning on Monday, revealing updated projections of a potential catastrophic megaquake off the Pacific coast that could result in up to 298,000 fatalities and economic losses exceeding $1.81 trillion (270.3 trillion yen)—nearly half the nation’s GDP reported Reuters. The Cabinet Office report, revising earlier estimates, attributes the increased risk to inflationary pressures and expanded flood-prone zones identified through updated terrain data. This alert follows Japan’s first-ever megaquake advisory in 2023, prompted by a magnitude-7.1 tremor near the Nankai Trough, a 900-km (560-mile) undersea region where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the Eurasian Plate. Authorities now estimate an 80% likelihood of a magnitude 8-9 quake along this seismically volatile trough within decades, with historical pat- terns indicating such events recur every 100-150 years. In the worst-case scenario— a magnitude 9 quake striking during a winter night—tsunamis and building collapses could displace 1.23 million people (10% of the population) and claim nearly 298,000 lives. The economic impact, revised upward from 214.2 trillion yen, Outside Bandra Station, a sea of faithful gathered for the Eidal-Fitr namaz, marking the end of Ramzan under the vigilant watch of Mumbai Police. As one of Islam’s most joyous celebrations, Eid-ul-Fitr brought its festive spirit to Bandra— Mumbai’s ‘queen of suburbs’— on Monday. PIC: VIJAY GOHIL 4Contd on | nation FPJ Special Sikandar sinks: Time for Salman Khan VRS? S Balakrishnan Is it time for Salman Khan to take VRS? That’s what many on social media are suggesting after the lackluster performance of his latest flick, Sikandar, at the box office. The film, directed by the hugely successful Chennaibased A.R. Murugadoss, was released on Sunday to coincide with Eid-ul-Fitr. It grossed only `54 crore on its opening day—a disappointing figure for a Salman Dhoni’s knees crack, CSK hopes wobble Eid prayers Mumbai style Supekar clarified that Karad had no direct involvement and that no inmates suffered serious injuries. Political leader Suresh Dhas alleged that VIP inmates receive special privileges, including exclusive phone lines and separate meals. MUMBAI in western and eastern India, where temperatures are expected to remain normal. Minimum temperatures are also predicted to be above average across most regions, according to IMD chief Mrutyunjay Mohapatra, who spoke at an online press conference. "From April to June, most parts of north and east India, central India, and the northwestern plains are expected to see two to four additional heatwave days compared to the norm," Mohapatra stated. India typically records four to seven heatwave days during this period. States likely to experience above-normal heatwave days include Rajasthan, Gujarat, Haryana, Punjab, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, 4Contd on | nation JAPAN MEGAQUAKE DIRE WARNING Gang war rocks Beed jail MUMBAI NEW FINANCIAL RULES KICK IN starrer—while Vicky Kaushal's Chhava, directed by the lesser-known Laxman Utekar, raked in `47.25 crore. Sikandar was no match for the Mohanlal-starrer Empuraan, which collected `67 crore on its first day despite controversy surrounding certain scenes depicting the 2002 Gujarat riots. In comparison, Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan opened with `109 crore in September 2023. According to industry watchers, Salman has lost steam, and audiences found it hard to digest a 59-year-old hero (who will be a senior citizen by year-end) romancing 28-year-old Rashmika Mandanna. Most non-paid reviews slammed the film, citing its failure in nearly every department. This was also his first Eid release in two years. Many suggested that Salman—who remains on the radar of the dreaded Lawrence Bishnoi gang for gunning down sacred blackbucks years ago— should hang up his boots or consider character roles. But the controversial actor has other plans. He has already announced his next film alongside his close friend Sanjay Dutt. However, many who attended the Sikandar press conference felt the actor looked jaded, frequently speaking about fate and death. Trade sources attributed Sikandar’s poor showing to widespread piracy, with as many as 600 illegal prints circulating on Saturday. But few were convinced by this explanation. Ketan Narottam Tanna MUMBAI MS Dhoni walking in to bat in the 9th or 10th over? Perish the thought. On Monday, Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming made it clear that those hoping to see the legend wield his willow early in the innings are in for disappointment. The reason? Dhoni’s knees have seen better days, and so has his ability to run amok for extended stretches. In CSK’s latest IPL 2025 stumble—a six-run loss to Rajasthan Royals—Dhoni came in at No. 7, contributing a runa-ball 16 in a chase of 183. Earlier, against Royal Challengers Bengaluru, he turned up at No. 9 when CSK were gasping at 80/6 in the 13th over. He did smash an entertaining 30* off 16 balls, but the decision to send him in so late left fans, experts, and commentators scratching their heads. 4Contd on | nation