Vol. 68 No. 157 | Monday, April 7, 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 Time to replace collegium system, bring in NJAC or something better: Ashwani Kumar Briefs M A Baby new CPM Gen Sec Former Kerala minister M A Baby has been elected as the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at the party’s 24th congress, which concluded here on Sunday, party sources confirmed. While Baby’s name had been widely expected, a section of leaders had reportedly thrown their weight behind All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) president Ashok Dhawale for the top post. Born in 1954 to P M Alexander and Lilly Alexander in Prakkulam, Kerala, Baby’s political journey began in school when he joined the Kerala Students Federation, the forerunner to the Students Federation of India (SFI). He went on to serve as a Rajya Sabha member from 1986 to 1998 and has been a member of the CPI(M) Politburo—the party’s highest decision-making body—since 2012.The general secretary’s post fell vacant following the death of veteran leader Sitaram Yechury last year. Since then, former party chief Prakash Karat had been serving as interim coordinator. The five-day 24th party congress began on April 2 and concluded on Sunday. Veterans Prakash Karat, who was the interim coordinator, Brinda Karat, Manik Sarkar and Subhashini Ali stepped down from the Politburo due to the agecap criterion. They have been made invitees. Latur MC shoots self Latur Municipal Commissioner (MC) Babasaheb Manohare allegedly attempted suicide by shooting himself in the head late Saturday night at his residence on Barshi Road. The motive behind the act remains unclear. He was rushed to Sahyadri Hospital, where an emergency surgery was performed. Doctors confirmed the bullet pierced the right side of his skull, causing heavy bleeding. His condition is now stable, and he is responding to treatment. According to family members, Manohare had dinner and interacted normally before the incident. He had recently presented the civic body’s annual budget, and took charge as commissioner in Oct 2022. AICC returns to Gujarat Congress MP Jairam Ramesh announced that the Indian National Congress will hold its 84th National Convention in Ahmedabad on April 8-9, 2025, under party president Mallikarjun Kharge. This marks the party's sixth major session in Gujarat and its first in 64 years. Previous meetings were held in Ahmedabad (1902, 1921), Surat (1907), Haripura (1938), and Bhavnagar (1961). The two-day event will include an Extended CWC at Sardar Patel Memorial and an AICC session along the Sabarmati River. Senior leaders, including Sonia, Rahul, and Priyanka Gandhi, are expected. AICC has also formed several committees, including a drafting committee led by Randeep Surjewala. GAMES Cinema Anant Mahadevan on historybased films facing controversy Bumrah is available to play against RCB today as Mumbai Indians receive a boost Edit There is an urgent need to protect judiciary from itself DIVISION | India’s first vertical sea bridge dazzles with engineering brilliance, but a linguistic bridge and political rifts mar the celebration Bridge lifts a nation, but unity still fails to rise N Chithra CHENNAI A train passes on the newly-inaugurated Pamban sea bridge during the flagging off of the new Rameswaram-Tambaram (Chennai) train service by PM in Tamil Nadu. PIC: PTI It should have been a moment of unalloyed pride. On Ram Navami, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Pamban Sea Bridge—India’s first vertical lift railway bridge—linking Rameswaram Island to the Tamil Nadu mainland. But the spirit of unity symbolised by this engineering marvel was swiftly eclipsed by political grandstanding and linguistic fault lines, not to mention the delimitation issue. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, notably absent from the event, cited official engagements in the Nilgiris. From there, he fired off a political salvo, demanding a public assurance from the Prime Minister that the forthcoming delimitation exercise would not strip Tamil Nadu and other southern states of their parliamentary representation. Meanwhile, at Rameswaram, Modi seized the spotlight not just to hail the new bridge as a "21st-century engineering wonder", but also to critique Tamil Nadu leaders for failing to sign official correspondence in Tamil. "If we are truly proud of Tamil, I would request everyone to at least sign their names in Tamil," he said. 4Contd on | nation Semantics war MS Dhoni breaks silence between UBT & on IPL retirement rumours “I will be 44. I’ve got Shinde Sena 10 months to assess if I can play FPJ News Service MUMBAI From Khoke to ‘A Sam Shi’ and “Use & Throw” FPJ News Service MUMBAI The slugfest between Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena (UBT) and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena has now entered its snarkiest season yet—with both sides unleashing a torrent of barbed abbreviations. Forget fiery speeches—this battle is now being fought with alphabets. Leading the charge in acronym artillery are Uddhav and his son Aaditya Thackeray, who have started calling Maharashtra’s Deputy CM A Sam Shi, a clipped and cleverly As speculation over his IPL retirement intensifies, MS Dhoni has finally addressed the buzz, stating he is in no rush to decide his future in cricket. Following Chennai Super Kings’ clash with Delhi Capitals on Saturday, social media was rife with reports suggesting that the 2025 Russia unleashes relentless aerial onslaught caustic version of Eknath Sambhaji Shinde. The term may sound like a new-age tech start-up, but make no mistake—it’s a not-so-subtle swipe meant to strip the rebel of his borrowed Bal Thackeray aura. Since the dramatic party schism of June 2022, the Thackeray camp has peppered its campaign with words like gaddar (traitor) and khoke (a reference to alleged crores that greased the split). But now, instead of counting khokes, they're counting syllables. In one of its deadliest strikes yet, Russia launched a ferocious aerial assault on Ukraine, firing 120 missiles and deploying 90 drones. The attack, which began at dawn, targeted military sites, infrastructure, and civilian areas, leaving behind widespread destruction and numerous casualties. Among the munitions used were 21 ballistic and cruise missiles, including Kalibr variants, fired from multiple directions. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation another season” season could be Dhoni’s last. At 43, the legendary wicketkeeper-batsman admitted that while his performances have dipped, especially with the bat, the final call will depend on how FPJ News Service More than 50 countries have expressed interest in launching trade negotiations with the United States, according to White House Economic Adviser Kevin Hassett. His remarks come as global markets reel from President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of sweeping new tariffs, which have drawn retaliatory responses and ignited fears of a global economic downturn reported Reuters. Appearing on ABC’s This Week, Hassett denied claims that the tariff policy was designed to crash financial markets and force the Federal FPJ News Service MUMBAI Tens of thousands of demonstrators flooded streets across major U.S. cities on Saturday, mounting the largest wave of protests since Donald Trump’s controversial return to the White House. From Washington D.C. to Los Angeles, a groundswell of anger erupted as protesters rallied against what they called the President’s reckless, regressive policies—spanning sweeping government cuts, rising trade tariffs, and an erosion of civil liberties. In Manhattan, painter Shaina Kesner, 43, marched with a seething crowd. “I’m angry. Furious, actually. A bunch of privileged, white alleged rapists are running our country. It’s not great,” she said. In the nation’s capital, thousands descended on the National Mall, some travelling Palazhi Ashok Kumar MUMBAI A critical week lies ahead for Indian stock markets and the broader economy, with a confluence of domestic and global developments that could set the tone for the first half of FY26. At the heart of investor anxiety are two focal points: the escalating uncertainty around ‘Trumponomics’ and the Reserve Bank of India’s monetary policy meeting scheduled for April 7–9. The big question remains— is India among the major casualties of Trump’s new economic doctrine? With a sweeping tariff regime now confirmed, early signs suggest India may follow the example of Taiwan, Indonesia, and Israel—countries that have publicly stated they will not retaliate. However, the full impact of former US President Donald Trump’s protectionist economic policies—viewed by critics as “bad” and “sad” economic vandalism—has yet to un- fold. His return to the world stage appears set to once again reshape global trade and capital flows, potentially to India’s detriment. Amid this uncertainty, markets are closely watching the Ayodhya donned her finest on Sunday as the ancient city burst into colour, song, and celestial wonder to mark Ram Janmotsav—the birthday of Lord Ram—with unparalleled grandeur. But the true showstopper? A blazing disc of sunlight that kissed the forehead of Ram Lalla in a dazzling Surya Tilak that held an entire nation in collective awe. At the stroke of noon, science and spirituality shook hands. A miracle not of myth, but of mirrors and mathematics unfolded. After weeks of fine-tuning by scientists from ISRO and IITs, a precise alignment of lenses and reflectors directed a golden beam from the heavens straight onto the deity’s forehead. For four transcendent minutes, the child form of Ram shimmered in solar splendour—bathed in a 75 mm disc of pure light. The crowd erupted. Bells rang. Devotees wept. Chants of “Bhaye Pragat Kripala Deen Dayala, Kaushalya Hitkari” T Reserve to lower interest rates. Trump had earlier posted a video on Truth Social suggesting that such a strategy might pressure the Fed. Hassett, however, insisted there would be no political meddling in central bank decisions. he Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an affiliate of the RSS, has called on India to withdraw from “exploitative” WTO agreements such as TRIPS and TRIMS, following the US decision to impose 26% tariffs on Indian goods. SJM’s Ashwani Mahajan said India incurs over USD 17 billion annually in royalty payments 4Contd on | nation Scientists from ISRO and IITs, a precise alignment of lenses and reflectors directed a golden beam from the heavens straight onto the deity’s forehead. For four transcendent minutes, the child form of Ram shimmered in solar splendour— bathed in a 75 mm disc of pure light. filled the air, as garlands fluttered and conches roared in triumph. Ram Lalla, dressed in gleaming yellow silks and crowned with gold, seemed to come RBI’s next move. “It is expected that the Reserve Bank may reduce the repo rate by another 50 basis points over FY26,” said a senior economist. “In February 2025, the central bank cut the repo rate by 25 bps to 6.25%—its first reduction since May 2020— while maintaining a neutral stance. We anticipate another 25 bps cut to 6% on April 9.” However, not all experts are convinced. 4Contd on | nation RSS affiliate urges India Kamra wants police video to exit WTO pacts conferencing under TRIPS and suffers from unfair trade practices, including subsidised Western agriculture and Chinese dumping. With developed nations openly flouting WTO norms, he advocated a shift towards bilateral trade deals and urged India to tap emerging global value chain opportunities, especially in defence. alive under the solar spotlight. The temple had opened its gates at an unholy hour—3:30 AM—but the darshan was worth every bleary-eyed second. Shringar, Raag-Bhog, FPJ News Service MUMBAI Aarti—each ritual sparkled with opulence and love. The logistics were no less divine. Ayodhya Dham railway station resembled a well-drilled army cantonment. Inspector Yashwant Singh marshalled 200 RPF officers, conducted flag marches, and guarded the surging pilgrim tide with military precision. With three entry gates, two exits, and a no-nonsense ban on track-crossing, the city ran smoother than a chariot on fresh oil. Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra, who stirred controversy with a joke targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, has written to the Mumbai Police requesting that his statement be recorded via video conferencing. His request follows three summons issued by Khar Police Station, the latest on April 2, directing him to appear for questioning on April 5. Kamra has not responded in person to any of the summonses, citing logistical issues. In his letter, he urged the police to consider a remote interaction instead. The authorities have yet to respond to this appeal. On April 4, a team from Khar Police travelled to Pondicherry to probe the FIR filed against him. Kamra, who resides in Tamil Nadu, has meanwhile secured interim anticipatory bail from the 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Heavenly glow: Ayodhya cheers Ram Lalla’s solar tilak Biswajeet Banerjee 4Contd on | nation Trumponomics looms, RBI decision April 9 offgrid AYODHYA from across the country. “We brought around 100 people from New Hampshire,” said Diane Kolifrath, 64, a bike tour guide. “This outrageous administration is isolating us globally and devastating lives at home. They’re gutting our government.” Boston, Chicago, and Houston also saw mass mobilisations, while in Los Angeles, a protester dressed as a character from The Handmaid’s Tale waved a flag reading: “Get out of my uterus”—a sharp rebuke of Trump’s anti-abortion stance. In Denver, a lone placard declared: “No king for USA.” The Hands Off! movement, spearheaded by a coalition of progressive groups including MoveOn and Women’s March, staged demonstrations in over 1,000 cities and every congressional district, organisers said. ALL EYES ON POLICY MEET Over 50 nations approach US for trade talks amid tariff chaos MUMBAI his body holds up. Speaking on Raj Shamani’s podcast, Dhoni clarified, “I’m still playing the IPL and taking it one year at a time. By July, I’ll be 44. I’ve got 10 months to assess if I can play another season—it’s not just up to me, it’s up to my body.” With the 18th IPL season concluding in May, fans will have to wait until early 2026 to know whether ‘Thala’ will return. Massive ‘Hands Off!’ anti-Trump protests sweep U.S. cities