FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. XLI No. 296 | INDORE | FRIDAY | APRIL 4, 2025 | Pages 14 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. 38281/83 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Iyer’s fury ignites KKR’s 80-run thrashing of SRH P.12 fp Briefs BANGKOK PM Modi in Thailand Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday held delegation-level talks with his Thai counterpart Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Modi, who arrived here on a two-day visit to attend the 6th BIMSTEC summit, earlier received a Guard of Honour and also witnessed a mesmerising Ramakien -- Thai Ramayana performance. "A special ceremonial welcome with Guard of Honour. PM @ingshin of Thailand warmly received PM @narendramodi at the Government House in Bangkok today," MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a post on X. See nation NEW DELHI Top Court jolt to Bengal teachers In a major jolt to the West Bengal government, the Supreme Court on Thursday invalidated the appointment of 25,753 teachers and other staff in state-run and state-aided schools, and termed the entire selection process "vitiated and tainted". A bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Sanjiv Khanna and Justice Sanjay Kumar upheld a Calcutta High Court verdict dated April 22, 2024, annulling the appointments and ordered the Trinamool Congress-led state government to initiate a fresh selection process to be concluded within three months. See nation NEW DELHI Prez Rule in Manipur The Lok Sabha early Thursday adopted a Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President's rule in Manipur with opposition supporting the decision but slamming the Centre for the situation in the state. Replying to a short debate, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the government has taken all possible steps to bring back normalcy in the restive northeastern state. He said there has been no violence in Manipur in the last four months. Today in IPL MATCH NO. 16 LSG Vs MI LUCKNOW; 7.30 PM (Detail on sports page) ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: INDORE MONEY UJJAIN PUNE BHOPAL NASHIK Cinema Of challenges and trolls P.14 NO ONE GUILTY Sevaram Gokuldas Galani and Murli Teumal, the president and secretary of the Shri Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple Trust acquitted COURTSPEAK Our Staff Reporter INDORE Juni Indore Police faces flak for flawed probe, particularly failure to hold municipal corporation officials accountable The bawdi that collapsed claiming lives of 36 devotees on March 30, 2023 File pic THE BACKGROUND The tragic incident occurred when a floor covering the ancient stepwell within the temple premises collapsed under the weight of devotees. The court's verdict raises serious questions about accountability and the handling of the investigation, leaving the families of the 36 victims seeking answers. tion was biased. A magisterial inquiry preceded the police charge sheet, yet only the trust officials were targeted, while municipal authorities escaped scrutiny. Testimony from 33 witnesses supported the defence, indicating no negligence on the part of the trust leaders. The court expressed strong disapproval of the investigating officers' and municipal authorities' carelessness. SEE PAGE 2 4Continued on | P8 The court expressed strong disapproval of the investigating officers' and municipal authorities' carelessness Police rebuked for incomplete investigation and trust officials deemed not liable, as they were unaware of the stepwell's existence PMO steps in to avoid Kumbh-like stampede IMC UNVEILS RS 8,236 CR BUDGET 5-member team from Prayagraj to review preparations Indore: Imagine a city aiming to be a world leader in converting garbage into bio-CNG, which is planning to make garbage lifting facility mobile app-based, which is aiming to be No 1 in air quality and is committed to make public transport a green initiative. Welcome to Indore, the city which was adjudged cleanest city seven times in a row, which is getting itself all future-ready with such types of initiatives. Reflecting all these and many more steps, mayor Pushyamitra Bharagav on Thursday presented Indore Municipal Corporation’s Rs 8,236.98 crore budget laying out the roadmap for the city's financial and infrastructural growth in the financial year 2025-26. SEE PAGE 3 The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) in New Delhi has stepped in to ensure that stampedes like the recent one in Prayagraj Mahakumbh do not recur during the Simhastha Mahaparva (Kumbh) to be held in Ujjain in 2028. On the instructions of the PMO, some top officials associated with the arrangements for the Prayagraj Mahakumbh are reaching Ujjain on April 7 on a three-day visit. This team the work of converting all the roads, including the Maksi Road to Ujjain, into four-lane will review the Madhya Prahad already begun. Many dedesh government’s preparapartmental officials also came tions for Simhastha. on his radar. According to sources, the He appeared dissatisfied with visit of chief secretary Anurag the projects related to cleaning of Jain to Ujjain on March 27 the water of river Kshipra, the alerted the PMO. He spent widening of the main roads a long time in the PMO leading to Ujjain and the before returning to railway work. the state services. It is said that the During his stay in CS briefed the PMO Ujjain, the CS not about the Simhastha E XC LU S I V E event in Ujjain. This only examined the ground realities of the is the reason why the Simhastha preparations PMO has directed senior but also chided senior adminadministrative officials from istrative officials during a Prayagraj to go to Ujjain and meeting. CS took an exception review the preparations for when, contrary to the truth, a the Simhastha in detail. responsible official claimed 4Continued on | P8 during the presentation that Tariffs on penguins: Trade war waddles on! India’s tariff game plan: Diplomacy over retaliation Nirukt Bhargava UJJAIN SIMHASTHA 2028 FP FP News Service Operation over, says Dr Trump FP News Service MUMBAI MUMBAI In his latest act of economic genius, Donald Trump has officially declared war on global trade—so much so that even the penguins aren't safe. Yes, the world's most powerful nation has slapped a 10% tariff on a group of barren, ice-covered islands that contain zero human beings but are home to a thriving population of utterly bewildered penguins. 4Continued on | P8 Breathe easy. It’s not the end of the world. India is unlikely to take recourse to rash or retaliatory action against the Trump tariff tornado that hit the world early Thursday morning. Instead, New Delhi is preparing to leverage the power of negotiations to safeguard its interests. In the end, it’s not about huffing, puffing, or retaliating—it’s about playing the long game. And India is doing just that. The Commerce Ministry, which has been in a huddle since NEW YORK morning following President Donald Trump’s announcement of reciprocal tariffs, is of the view that India must negotiate its way forward rather than react with countermeasures. A firestorm is on. President Donald Trump’s latest tariffs ripped through the world’s economies, sending stock markets plunging and igniting fears of a global recession. It was a streak of red on Wall Street as US stock markets opened for the first time since Trump unveiled higher-than-expected tariffs. For every stock increasing in value, ten were falling. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 summer blues Nal Jal Yojna at standstill in many panchayats Centre’s assessment report brings the picture to light Nitendra Sharma BHOPAL The Nal Jal Yojna has come to a standstill in several villages across the state. With the advent of summer, a large number of villages are facing severe water shortage. One of the major reasons for water shortage in villages is that operation of Nal Jal Yojna has not been properly carried out. It has come to light after the submission of the functionality report of the Government of India. On the basis of random survey, it came to light that 157 projects under Nal Jal Yojna, which handed over to the Gram Panchayats, have stopped working. Out of 157, 128 have been closed, because the Gram Panchayats barely took any Motor pumps were out of order or power bills remained unpaid About the Nal Jal Yojna it also came to light that the drinking water could not be supplied, because the Gram Panchayats failed to foot the power bills. At some places, motor pumps went out of order, so water could not be supplied. Seventeen villagers are passing through this situation. Leakages in the pipelines, non-payment to the pump operators, and shortage of water came in the way of supplying water to villages. interest in maintaining them. After the Government of India’s report, PHE is trying to restart these projects. E-paper Edit Waqf: Control not reform P.6 US tariffs evoke mixed response from India Inc BELESHWAR BAWDI TRAGEDY | Court criticises civic authorities, cops over probe into March 30, 2023 incident that claimed 36 lives In a much-awaited verdict, the Indore District Court has acquitted Sevaram Gokuldas Galani and Murli Teumal, the president and secretary of the Shri Beleshwar Mahadev Jhulelal Temple Trust, in connection with the devastating stepwell (Bawdi) collapse that claimed 36 lives during Ram Navami on March 30, 2023. The court's decision sharply criticised the Juni Indore Police for their flawed investigation, particularly their failure to hold municipal corporation officials accountable. The court highlighted the corporation's responsibility in maintaining public safety and infrastructure, a duty they seemingly neglected. Galani and Teumal were arrested on March 22, 2024, and charged with culpable homicide and other related offences. They had remained in custody until this verdict. The advocate representing the acquitted individuals argued that the police’s investiga- MUMBAI The Government of India told the PHE to find an alternative to operation and maintenance. After receiving instructions from the Centre, the PHE has also surveyed the condition of the Nal Jal Yojna. 4Continued on | P8 Stranded in Turkey: 200 Indians await rescue FP News Service QUBOOL HAI, SAY ELDERS TOO Agencies NEW DELHI MUMBAI Over 200 Indian passengers have been stranded for more than 18 hours at Turkey’s Diyarbakir Airport after a Virgin Atlantic flight from London to Mumbai made an emergency landing. The VS358 flight had to divert due to a medical emergency, but upon landing, it reportedly developed a technical fault, preventing its departure. Passengers initially remained onboard for five hours before being asked to disembark. Since then, they have been stuck at the airport with no clear updates from the airline. Frustrated travelers claim Virgin Atlantic has neither provided adequate assistance nor arranged alternative transport. "We are sleeping on floors and chairs. The food is inedible," one passenger lamented. A Virgin Atlantic spokesperson acknowledged the disruption, stating that passenger safety was a priority and engineers were inspecting the aircraft. The airline is exploring options to transport passengers to Mumbai at the earliest. 4Continued on | P8 The Waqf (Amendment) Bill 2025 was cleared with a majority in the Rajya Sabha late on Thursday (2.30 am) after an over 12-hour long debate. The Upper House passed the legislation with 128 in favour and 95 against it. Thirteen members abstained. Earlier, Minister Kiren Rijiju said several suggestions made by the Joint Parliamentary Committee had been incorporated in the revised bill. "When the Waqf Amendment Bill was first drafted and the bill that we are passing now, there are a lot of changes. The bill would have been completely different if we had not accepted anyone's suggestions," he said. He said the BJP-led government was not scaring anyone and accused the opposition parties of trying to create a scare among members of the minority community. "You are trying to create a scare and trying to take (them) away from the mainstream. Do not mislead in the future..it (the bill) will benefit crores of Muslims," he said. Rijiju said once a property is declared a Waqf property, its status cannot be changed and this has to be done by following the due process. Rijiju said that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, will be renamed as the UMEED (Unified Waqf Management Empowerment Efficiency and Development) Bill. Lok Sabha, which took up discussion on the Waqf (Amendment Bill) on Wednesday, passed it past midnight after a marathon debate. Meanwhile, Chairperson CPP and Congress MP Sonia Gandhi also arrived at the Parliament as the debate on the Waqf Amendment Bill. The government introduced the revised bill after incorporating the recommendations of the Joint Parliamentary Committee, which examined the legislation introduced in August last year. The bill seeks to amend the Act of 1995 and improve the administration and management of waqf properties in India. The Bill aims to overcome the shortcomings of the previous act and enhance the efficiency of Waqf boards, improving the registration process and increasing the role of technology in managing waqf records. Festival turns tragic as eight drown in well during cleanup FP News Service KHANDWA Eight people drowned while cleaning a well for Gangaur immersion in Kondawat village situated some 30 km from Khandwa on Thursday evening, officials said. Khandwa collector Rishav Gupta said that all eight bodies have been brought out after a four-hour operation involving around 100 people, including a 15-member SDERF team and locals. Eyewitnesses said that the men descended into the well at around 3 pm but at around 5 pm when they failed to get out or respond to calls, the villagers be- SC judges to bare assets on website FP News Service came alarmed and formed local police. in- 4Continued on | P8 Indore boasts of over 1L Yoga Mitras, claims Vijayvargiya NEW DELHI Our Staff Reporter All 33 sitting judges of the Supreme Court have agreed to disclose their assets to the public by publishing the same on the top court's website. The decision was taken at a full court meeting held on April 1. A resolution in this regard was adopted and will apply to future judges as well. The decision was taken in the wake of recent controversies surrounding opacity in the functioning of the judiciary, especially after a huge pile of cash was allegedly discovered at the residence of Justice Yashwant Varma, currently a judge of the Allahabad High Court. The publication of assets on website was not mandatory earlier but was discretionary, INDORE subject to whether an individual judge wanted to do the same. It was in 2009 that a full court of the Supreme Court of India first took the significant decision – one which came about after great pressure from the public and from within the judiciary. On August 26 that year, the country’s apex court decided to publish  details of judges’ assets on the court website. Urban administration and housing minister Kailash Vijayvargiya claimed that more than one lakh people are yoga mitras (do yoga) in the city. "Indore is No. 1 in cleanliness and aiming to become a leader in greenery, health and other areas. The city has planted 51 lakh trees last year, including more than 12 lakh trees in a single day. This year, we will also plant 51 lakh trees. Besides, this city has more than 1 lakh yoga mitras, which is a step towards a healthier Indore," the minister said at IMC council meeting on Thursday. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 26 players, coaches selected for MP Sports awards for 2023 They include 12 Vikram, 11 Eklavya, 3 Vishwamitra awards Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Madhya Pradesh Government announced Shikhar Khel Puraskar for 2023 on Thursday. A total of 26 players and coaches have been selected for Vikram, Eklavya and Vishwamitra awards. Ratanlal Verma has been selected for Lifetime Achievement Award for the year 2023 for his significant contribution in gymnastics, Ujjain. Pijush Kanti Baroi (Kayaking-Canoeing) from Bhopal, Ashok Kumar Yadav (Archery) from Jabalpur and Lokendra Sharma (Hockey) from Bhopal have been selected for Vishwamitra Award for 2023. Vikram Award is given to 12 senior players, of which 6 are given in individual category, 3 in team category, 1 award in handicapped category and 1 award in traditional sports (except sports not played in Olympics, Asian Games and National Games) and 1 award in adventure sports. Vikram awardees include Aishwarya Pratap Singh Tomar (Shooting), Khargone, Jahnvi Srivastava (Kayaking-Canoeing), Bhopal, Ragini Marko (Archery), Jabalpur, Shivani Pawar (Wrestling), Chhindwara, 4Continued on | P8