Tuesday, May 20, 2025 | 29 Pages | `5 & for State (+4 pages) `6 Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL Vol. 68 No. 194 | 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 Govt considering amendments to atomic energy act, nuclear liability law GAMES Cinema Anil Kapoor pens note on 41st wedding anniversary Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals lock horns in contest for pride today Edit MPs’ global tour draws scrutiny PM Modi’s Varanasi fails policing test Biswajeet Banerjee VARANASI In a shocking revelation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s parliamentary constituency, the Varanasi Police has come under serious scrutiny for its failure to address public grievances. A damning internal review has exposed the systemic apathy of inspectors and sub-inspectors, with 100% of sub-inspectors failing to act on public complaints received through the CM Window — Uttar Pradesh’s Integrated Grievance Redressal System (IGRS). Briefs Parking policy To tackle the growing menace of unauthorised parking, the state government is planning to introduce an integrated policy wherein new plazas will be built on plots meant for public amenities and under the gardens. Meanwhile, taking a serious note of abandoned or seized vehicles encroaching into public spaces, the Bombay HC has called for stringent enforcement of disposal guidelines. It has asked the traffic department to outline long-term solutions to which all police stations must adhere. SEE P2 SC mulls Varma FIR The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to urgently list a plea seeking FIR registration against Justice Yashwant Varma of the Allahabad High Court over a cash discovery case. A bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai asked petitioner Mathews Nedumpara to cure defects in the petition for it to be heard Wednesday. An in-house panel found the charges prima facie true, prompting former CJI Sanjiv Khanna to urge Varma’s resignation—an appeal that was rebuffed. Ashoka prof moves SC The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear a plea by Ashoka University professor Ali Khan Mahmudabad challenging his arrest over social media posts on Operation Sindoor. Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih said the matter would be listed on Tuesday or Wednesday. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Mahmudabad, argued he was arrested for a “patriotic statement.” The professor was arrested Sunday after two FIRs were filed in Sonipat. The policing performance audit, conducted for the first time since the implementation of the police commissionerate system in the state, paints a bleak picture. Out of 589 sub-inspectors assessed, not a single one showed initiative in disposing of citizen complaints. All of them scored zero in the crucial IGRS disposal metric, indicating they ignored complaints uploaded on the Chief Minister's dashboard. Even more alarming is the fact that none of the inspectors managed to pass with first division marks in the 100-point re- view. The so-called ‘star performers’ — once showcased for their effectiveness — couldn’t even cross the 60% threshold. Of the 589 sub-inspectors reviewed, 107 scored zero across all criteria, and 345 could not even manage double digits. Some scored as low as 1, 2, or 5 marks. Police Commissioner Mohit Agarwal, who conducted the review, was left visibly concerned. He confirmed that over 50 inspectors were not even capable of drafting an FIR. Mohit Agarwal 4Contd on | nation Meenu Singh COP OUT ■ Of the 589 sub-inspectors assessed, not a single one showed initiative in disposing of citizen complaints. ■ Disciplinary action is also being considered against the 107 sub-inspectors who scored a zero. ■ Over 50 inspectors were not even capable of drafting an FIR. ■ 400 inspectors had no notable achievements during their tenure. ■ 550 were flagged for negligence in urgent policing actions. SC sets up SIT lens on MP minister remarks Online Report NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday pulled up BJP leader and Madhya Pradesh minister Kunwar Vijay Shah for his remarks against against Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who briefed the media during India's recent military operation against Pakistan. The Bench of Justice Surya Kant and Justice N Kotiswar Singh was hearing a petition moved by Shah against a Madhya Pradesh High Court order directing registration of an FIR against him, Bar and Bench reports.. The entire nation is ashamed of you. It is up to you how you redeem yourself," the Court remarked. Shah had stirred controversy after he reportedly remarked: “Those who widowed our daughters, we sent a sister People are not reporting because, unfortunately, media people only pick up two words from you. They are not really going into depth of your video. You were at the verge of using very abusive language. Then you stop because you could not find any alternate word. SC Bench of their own to teach them a lesson." The High Court had then taken suo motu note of his comments and ordered registration of a criminal case against him. Justice Kant said Shah had made "crass" remarks and questioned the sincerity of the apology given by him later. "We don't require this apology. We know how to deal with him as per law. It is not that you have committed contempt of court that you require to tender an apology to us. You commit something and then come to the Court with apology. Is this the attitude?," the Court asked. It added that he had made the apology to evade the consequences of his actions. "What is that apology? 4Contd on | nation India foiled Pak bid to SAMBHAL attack Golden Temple MOSQUE SURVEY CLEARED Biswajeet Banerjee PRAYAGRAJ FPJ News Service MUMBAI In an unprecedented fusion of faith and firepower, the Indian Army and Air Force successfully repelled a large-scale Pakistani aerial assault targeting the Golden Temple in Amritsar during the early hours of May 8. India responded swiftly by deploying a “holistic air defence umbrella” over Amritsar. This included L-70 anti-aircraft guns, Akash surface-to-air missiles, and the strategic placement of air defence guns within the Golden Temple complex itself—a highly sensitive move sanctioned in cooperation with temple authorities, ANI reported. The Pakistani attack, involving drones and long-range missiles, was part of its retaliation for India’s cross-border Operation Sindoor, which decimated nine terror launchpads across Pakistan and PoK. For the first time since Operation Bluestar in 1984, the Golden Temple was plunged into darkness—not out of mourning, but as a calculated strategic move. Temple authorities, fully briefed on the threat, switched off all lights to aid Indian air defence systems in locating and neutralising incoming threats. The Allahabad High Court on Monday gave the green signal to continue the survey at Shahi Jama Masjid in Uttar Pradesh’s Sambhal, rejecting a petition filed by the mosque management committee. Justice Rohit Ranjan Agarwal, who presided over the single-judge bench, ruled that both the original suit and the order appointing a court commissioner were legally maintainable. The case stems from a civil revision petition filed by the Jama Masjid Management Committee, which had challenged a Nov 19, 2024, order of the Sambhal Civil Court. The lower court had directed the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) and an Advocate Commissioner to conduct a survey of the mosque premises. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation power sharing Congress rift erupts in Karnataka Vinay Madhava Gowda DK Shivakumar pushes for top post with 86 MLAs in tow. Jarkiholi threatens exit, BJP eyes fresh opening BENGALURU As the Congress government in Karnataka marked its second anniversary with a grand rally in Hospet on Tuesday, an internal power tussle has cast a shadow over the celebrations. The “Samarpan Sankalp – 2025” rally, attended by AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, Rahul Gandhi and senior party leaders, was meant to project unity. Instead, it has exposed renewed friction within the party. Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar, who played a key role in Congress’ 2023 victory, has once again staked his claim to the Chief Minister’s post. Having submitted a list of 86 MLAs supporting him to Kharge, K.C. Venugopal and Rahul Gandhi, Shivakumar warned this may be his final shot at the top job. He reportedly threatened to reconsider his future in the party if overlooked again. However, CM Siddaramaiah’s camp is resisting any leadership change. They are instead backing PWD Minister Sathish Jarkiholi—also from a backward community—as a potential successor if a transition becomes inevitable. Jarkihole, in turn, has warned he would quit if Shivakumar were elevated. While the Congress high command had verbally promised to consider a power-sharing formula after two years, it has since gone silent on the issue. 4Contd on | nation UCO Bank’s ex-CMD held Ashish Singh MUMBAI The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has arrested Subodh Kumar Goel, former Chairman and Managing Director of UCO Bank, from his residence in New Delhi in connection with a probe against Concast Steel & Power Ltd. (CSPL) and others in an alleged bank fraud case. Goel was taken into custody by the ED’s Kolkata Zonal Office on May 16 under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002, the agency said on Monday. 4Contd on | nation NO MEDIATION | Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri tells parliamentary committee that exchange of fire during Op Sindoor remained conventional No nuclear signalling by Pakistan Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI fire on May 10 and taking credit for it and also bringing up the Kashmir issue in his remarks. Held in the Parliament House Annexe, the meeting was important as it also provided a backdrop into Operation Sindoor to several MPs who have been picked by the Centre as part of the seven delegations that would be going to 33 countries to explain India’s position on the operation, which was taken up as a fight against terror following the Pahalgam attack. The Congress’s on Monday sharpened its attack on External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar for allegedly “leaking” information on Operation Sindoor and thereby helping leading terrorists in Pakistan escape with Opposition Rahul Gandhi stating that it was “not a lapse, but a crime” and spokesperson Pawan Khera terming the External Affairs Minister “gaddar.” Gandhi had taken the lead on attacking Jaishankar on May 17, when while sharing his interaction with the media, he posted on “X”: Informing Pakistan at the start of our attack was a crime. EAM has publicly admitted that GOI did it. 1. Who authorised it? 2.  How many aircraft did our air force lose as a result?” And with Jaishankar not bothering to respond to his charge, Gandhi doubled down on him on Monday, and wrote another post saying, “EAM Jaishankar’s silence isn’t just telling — it’s damning.” 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Gaurav Vivek Bhatnagar NEW DELHI Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri on Monday told the Standing Committee of Parliament on External Affairs that during Operation Sindoor there was no nuclear signalling by Pakistan and the exchange of fire from both sides remained conventional. He also claimed that External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar had not made any revelations on the start of Operation Sindoor that were detrimental to India’s interests. The meeting, chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, was told that during the standoff with Pakistan there was “no nuclear signalling by Pakistan” and that the United States had no role to play in the brokering of or the execution of the ceasefire between the two countries and it was a purely bilateral decision. These remarks came in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump announcing the cease- Rahul aims again at ‘aircraft loss’