FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 14 No. 321 | BHOPAL | MONDAY | MAY 5, 2025 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY Nation Akhilesh bats for caste census P.7 India seeks partners, not preachers: EAM tells EU PTI India is looking for "partners" and not "preachers", External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said on Sunday, in a veiled message to Europe in the context of the conflict in Ukraine as he explained nuances of New Delhi's "Russia realism" and why the relationship between the two sides is an "important fit". In an interactive session, Jaishankar, delving into broader geopolitical upheavals, said Europe has "entered a certain zone of a reality check" and must display some sensitivity and mutuality of interest for deeper ties with India. India always advocated for "Russia realism" and there is an "important fit" and "complementarity" between India and Russia as a resource provider and consumer, he said in remarks that came amid persistent efforts by the Trump administration to strike a ceasefire deal between Moscow and Kyiv. In the course of the RussiaUkraine conflict, New Delhi remained engaged with Moscow and enhanced its procurement of Russian crude oil which triggered criticism from the West. India, however, maintained its ties with Russia are driven by national inter- ests. The external affairs minister also criticised earlier attempts by the West to find a solution to the Russia-Ukraine conflict without involving Russia, saying it "challenged the basics of realism". "Just like I am an advocate of Russia realism, I am also an advocate of America realism," he said at the 'Arctic Circle India Forum'. "I think the best way to engage today's America is also through finding mutuality of interests rather than putting ideological differences upfront and then allowing it to cloud the possibilities of working together," he said. The external affairs minister was broadly delving into the global consequences of developments in the Arctic and how the changing world order impacts the region. On the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Jaishankar said India has always been "very careful not to prescribe a solution". 4Continued on | P8 INDIA CUTS CHENAB WATER FLOW Air Chief Marshal meets PM Modi PTI NEW DELHI PTI NEW DELHI India has stanched the flow of water through the Baglihar Dam on the Chenab River and is planning similar measures at the Kishanganga Dam on the Jhelum River, a source said. The source familiar with the matter said these hydroelectric dams -- Baglihar in Ramban in Jammu and Kishanganga in north Kashmir -- offer India the ability to regulate the timing of water releases. India's decision to suspend the decades-old treaty follows the killing of 26 people, mostly tourists, in a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam. The Indus Waters Treaty, brokered by the World Bank, has governed the use of the Indus River and its tributaries between India and Pakistan since 1960. The Baglihar Dam has been a longstanding point of contention between the two neighbours, with Pakistan having sought World Bank arbitration in the past. The Kishanganga Dam has faced legal and diplomatic scrutiny, especially regarding its impact on the Neelum River, a tributary of the Jhelum. Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal A P Singh on Sunday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and is understood to have discussed the security situation arising out of the rising tensions between India and Pakistan over the deadly Pahalgam terror attack. The meeting came less than 24 hours after Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi apprised the prime minister on the overall situation in the critical sea lanes in the Arabian Sea. The Air chief held a meeting with PM Modi, sources said without giving further details. There is no official word on the Modi-Singh meeting yet. Citing "cross-border linkages" to the April 22 Pahalgam attack that killed 26 civilians, India has promised severe punishment to those involved in the strike. In a high-level meeting with the top defence brass, Prime Minister Modi on last Tuesday gave the armed forces "complete operational freedom" to decide on the mode, targets and timing of the response to the Pahalgam terror attack. Modi also emphasised the national resolve to deal a "crushing blow to terrorism". 4Continued on | P8 Pak shuts ports for Indian ships Pak envoy's nuke threat to India Pakistan has banned the use of its ports by Indian flag carriers, hours after New Delhi imposed fresh punitive measures, including a ban on import of goods and entry of Pakistani ships into its ports, against Islamabad. India on Saturday imposed a ban on the import of goods from or transiting through Pakistan and also the entry of Pakistani ships into its ports even as PM Narendra Modi said the country is committed to take "firm and decisive" action Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan over last month's Pahalgam terror attack, Pakistan's Ambassador to Russia has openly threatened India, asserting that Islamabad will use the "full spectrum of power", including nuclear weapons, if New Delhi attacks the neighbouring country. Muhammad Khalid Jamali, the envoy, claimed that some leaked documents revealed that India would strike certain areas of Pakistan fp Briefs AMRITSAR 2 held for spying Punjab Police have arrested two individuals for their alleged involvement in leaking sensitive information and photographs of Army Cantonment areas and Air Bases in Amritsar to Pakistan intelligence operatives, police said on Sunday. NEW DELHI SC to hear NEET PG plea The Supreme Court is slated to hear, on Monday, a plea filed by the United Doctors Front (UDF) challenging the National Board of Examinations (NBE) decision to conduct the NEET PG 2025 examination in two shifts. The petition demands that the examination should be conducted in a single and uniform session across the country. DRDO creates milestone with first flight of stratospheric airship FP News Service SHEOPUR Amidst ongoing India-Pakistan tension, the  Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)  has marked a significant achievement with the successful first flight of its stratospheric airship platform. The test flight was conducted from a site in Sheopur, Madhya Pradesh, showcasing India's advancing defence technologies. Developed by Agrabased  Aerial Delivery Research and Development Establishment, the airship was launched with an instrumental payload, reaching an altitude of approximately  17 PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Western bias against attack P.6 ‘Plumb mkt depths, but be ready to face rough waters’ REALITY CHECK | Jaishankar says Europe must display some sensitivity and mutuality of interest for deeper ties with India NEW DELHI UJJAIN Brand Sutra The New Code Of Safety P.12 3 soldiers killed as Army vehicle plunges into gorge in J&K PTI NCW panel meets victims, pushes for speedy justice Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL RAMBAN/JAMMU Three Army personnel, including a junior commissioned officer, were killed when their vehicle skidded off the road and plunged into a 500-metre deep gorge in Jammu and Kashmir's Ramban district on Sunday, officials said. The Army truck was part of a convoy moving from Jammu to Srinagar along national highway-44. The accident occurred near Battery Chashma at around 11.30 am, the officials said. They said a joint rescue operation was launched immediately by Army, police, State Disaster Response Force and local volunteers. Three soldiers travelling in the vehicle were found dead on the spot. 4Continued on | P8 A three-member inquiry committee from the National Commission for Women (NCW) visited the city on Sunday to interact with victims of a highprofile rape and blackmailing case. The committee praised the courage of survivors who came forward and registered complaints, and assured them of full support in their fight for justice. The NCW team, led by former Jharkhand DGP Nirmal Kaur, also included Jabalpur High Court lawyer Nirmala Nayak and NCW Under Secretary Ashutosh Pandey. They held discussions with police officials and reviewed the progress of investigations in the five FIRs registered in the case. During their visit to Bag Sewania police station, where the zero FIRs were initially filed before being transferred PTI NEW DELHI Responding to a question related to 1984 riots and the Congress' relationship with the Sikh community, Rahul Gandhi has said that a lot of the "mistakes" the Congress committed happened when he was not there, but added that he was more than happy to take responsibility for everything the party has ever done wrong in its history. Gandhi pointed out that he has publicly stated that what happened in the 80s was "wrong". The remarks by Gandhi were made on April 21 during an interactive session at the Watson Institute for Inter- No need yet to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine: Putin national and Public Affairs at the Brown University in the US. The video of the interaction was uploaded on the YouTube channel of the Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs on Saturday. A Sikh student asked a question as to what attempts he was making to reconcile with the Sikh community and referred to the 1984-Sikh riots in his lengthy poser. The student also referred to PTI AP MOSCOW kilometres. The flight lasted around 62 minutes and the test team successfully recovered the system post-flight. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh  congratulated DRDO for the remarkable progress. He also highlighted that the airship will greatly enhance India's  earth observation  and  Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. The achievement positions India among a select group of nations possessing such indigenous technology. Dr Sameer V Kamat, Secretary of the Department of Defence Research and Development 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 The portals of the Badrinath temple in Uttarakhand's Chamoli district were opened for devotees on Sunday after a six-month closure. Amid Vedic chants, the doors of the temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu were opened at 6 am. Fifteen tons of flowers of Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday unveiled the first genome-edited rice varieties 'DRR Dhan 100 (Kamala) and Pusa DST Rice 1' developed by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to address challenges of climate change and boost rice yields by up to 30 per cent. Jharkhand, Bihar, and West Bengal. various varieties adorned the temple and an Indian Army played devotional music on the occasion. Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state unit president Mahendra Bhatt and Tehri MLA Kishore Upadhyay were present for the ceremony. Flowers were showered on the devotees from a helicopter for around 10 minutes. PTI NEW DELHI An Air India flight from the national capital to Tel Aviv was diverted to Abu Dhabi on Sunday as there was a missile attack near the airport in the Israeli city, according to sources. The airline has also suspended the Tel Aviv flights till May 6. Scientists developed these varieties by enhancing two widely grown rice types --? Samba Mahsuri (BPT5204) and MTU1010 (Cottondora Sannalu) --? with improved stress tolerance, yield, and climate adaptability, while retaining their original strengths. Both varieties exhibit superior drought tolerance and high nitrogenuse efficiency. Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, 4Continued on | P8 The case so far l 3-member panel from National Commission for Women visits Bhopal l Committee meets rape and blackmailing survivors, assures support l SIT progress reviewed; directions issued for deeper probe l 5 arrested; 6th absconding, reward announced l Financial trail, patron network, and victim protection l NCW to submit detailed report with recommendations nounced for the absconding sixth accused, and separate SITs are working on his arrest. The NCW took suo motu cognizance of the case. The committee will submit a detailed report with recommendations to prevent similar incidents in the future. MP to grant industry-grade benefits to self-sustaining cowsheds: CM IANS GWALIOR The Madhya Pradesh government has decided to offer facilities at par with those offered to industries like lands and other financial subsidies for self-reliant Gaushalas (Cowsheds) in Madhya Pradesh. The Chief Minister said that every mayoral town has also been asked to set up cowsheds to accommodate 10,000 stray, sick or abandoned cows. “Milk procurement will also be ensured under a guaranteed purchase agreement from these cowsheds, stabilising the dairy sector and securing income for cattle caretaker farmers. Those interested in establishing largescale Gaushalas will receive 30 per cent financial assistance. We are already offering expenses of 50 cows if someone sets up a cowshed of 200 cows,” said the Chief Minister while addressing a programme in Gwalior at Rajmata Vijyaraje Scindia, Agriculture University. 4Continued on | P8 Tel Aviv flight diverted after missile attack at Israel airport Shivraj unveils genome-edited rice varieties NEW DELHI Gandhi's remark during an earlier visit to the US during which he had said the fight he was fighting was about whether Sikhs would be allowed to wear a turban in India or not. In his reply, Gandhi said, "I don't think that anything scares the Sikhs. The statement I made was that, do we want an India where people are uncomfortable to express their religion? As far as mistakes of the Congress party are concerned, a lot of those mistakes happened when I was not there, but I am more than happy to take responsibility for everything that the Congress party has ever done wrong in its history." Portals of Badrinath open for devotees BADRINATH Russian President Vladimir Putin said in comments broadcast Sunday that the need to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine had not arisen and that he hopes it will not. In a preview of an upcoming interview with Russian state television, published on Telegram, Putin said Russia has the strength and the means to bring the conflict in Ukraine to a "logical conclusion." Responding to a question about Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory, Putin said: "There has been no need to use those (nuclear) weapons ... and I hope they will not be required." "We have enough strength and means to bring what was started in 2022 to a logical conclusion with the outcome Russia requires," he said. "It is an important day for us... Soon, these two new rice varieties will be made available to farmers," Chouhan said, adding that the new varieties will enhance rice yields by 20-30 per cent, conserve water, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions from rice cultivation. These varieties are recommended for major ricegrowing states, including Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry, Bihar, to appropriate jurisdictions, the panel reviewed relevant documents and met Special Investigation Teams (SITs) handling the case. The committee urged police to expand the probe to identify others affected by the racket and to investigate financial sources of accused, who allegedly spent lavishly to lure and exploit girls. The NCW team stressed the need for a thorough investigation into those protecting the accused and demanded a swift trial with the goal of securing capital punishment for perpetrators.They also emphasised the need for protection of both victims and witnesses. ACP Nidhi Saxena confirmed the collaboration with NCW and stated, Except for one, all accused have been arrested. A reward has been an- Happy to take responsibility for Cong’s mistakes: Rahul offgrid PTI RAPE AND BLACKMAIL CASE 4Continued on | P8 The attack happened less than an hour before the Air India flight AI139, operated with a Boeing 787 aircraft, was to land at Tel Aviv, the sources said. "Air India flight AI139 from Delhi to Tel Aviv of 4 May 2025 was diverted to Abu Dhabi after an incident at Ben Gurion airport this morning. "The flight has landed normally in Abu Dhabi and will soon return to Delhi," the airline said in a statement. 4Continued on | P8 PM inaugurates Khelo India Youth Games Agencies NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually inaugurated the seventh edition of the Khelo India Youth Games (KIYG) 2025, marking a historic moment as Bihar hosts the prestigious national sporting event for the first time. Addressing the athletes, coaches, and staff members present at the event, he remarked that players from across the country had gath- ered, showcasing exceptional talent and determination.He highlighted their dedication and hard work, acknowledging their contribution to the sporting spirit of the nation. Emphasising the remarkable skills and commitment of the athletes, the Prime Minister affirmed that their passion for sports and continuous pursuit of excellence bring pride to the nation. He extended his best wishes to them for their future endeavors.