THE SUNDAY Vol. 36 No. 36 | Sunday, June 1, 2025 26 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only | Reg. No. MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 46955/1988 M.p.c.s. office Mumbai-400001 FREE PRESS JOURNAL ● www.freepressjournal.in WEEKEND Weekend Mystery of the leaning temple of Varanasi Briefs Film ratings get specific The government has revised film certification rules to promote age-appropriate viewing. The Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) can now issue nuanced ‘U/A’ ratings: U/A 7+, U/A 13+, and U/A 16+, allowing films to reflect suitability for specific age groups under parental guidance. This replaces the earlier generic U/A category for under-12 audiences. The rules, notified under the Cinematograph Act, 1952, modernise the system first overhauled in 1983. That version introduced UA and ‘S’ (specialised) categories in addition to ‘U’ and ‘A’. UN faces deep cuts Over 60 UN entities have been instructed to submit proposals to slash staff by 20 per cent amid a severe budget crunch. The cuts will affect around 2,800 positions funded by the regular budget, from a total of 14,000. Agencies impacted include those focused on political affairs, humanitarian relief, gender equality, refugee support, urban development, and environmental protection. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric confirmed the reform drive aims to streamline and consolidate operations. The proposals are due mid-June. Don doubles steel tariffs US President Donald Trump announced a steep hike in steel import tariffs, raising them from 25% to 50% to bolster domestic production and intensify trade pressure. Speaking at a Pennsylvania rally, Trump said, “We’ll further secure the steel industry in the United States.” Taking aim at China, he declared America should be built with “the pride of Pittsburgh, not shoddy steel from Shanghai.” SEE WORLD Drunk driver injures 12 Twelve people, including six MPSC students, were injured after a speeding Hyundai Aura crashed into a tea stall near Bhave High School in Sadashiv Peth, Pune, around 5.45 pm. The driver, Jayram Shivaji More, allegedly drunk, lost control of the vehicle. Rahul Gosavi, seated beside him, is also under investigation. Four victims sustained serious injuries; one female student is paralysed from the waist down and has been shifted to Deenanath Mangeshkar Hospital. Others are being treated at Suncity Hospital. ● Leader in E-paper circulation l www.freepressjournal.in ● EDITIONS: ● MUMBAI ● INDORE ● PUNE ● BHOPAL ● NASHIK ● KONKAN ● E-paper Live Smart Resume red flags Neeraj Ghaywan returns to Cannes with ‘Homebound’ Sunday Read Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia on guru-shishya bond and more SYMBOL OF STRENGTH | PM Modi terms Operation Sindoor as the biggest one against terrorism in history of India ‘The answer to a bullet will be with cannon ball’ FPJ News Service Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday described Operation Sindoor as the biggest and most successful anti-terror operation in the nation's history. He was speaking at the 'Women Empowerment Maha Sammelan' in Bhopal to commemorate Devi Ahilyabai Holkar's 300th birth anniversary. Referring to terror attacks in Pahalgam, he said these assaults were not only attacks on innocent lives but also on India's cultural unity. He emphasised that the terrorists, in challenging the power of Indian women, had sealed their own fate. "Sindoor has long stood as a symbol of feminine strength, India will no longer tolerate proxy wars through terrorism," said PM Modi. "Ab goli ka jawab gole se milega (now we will respond to bullets with cannon ball),” he said. 4Contd on | nation 4Contd on | nation Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday flagged off the Indore Metro, marking a historic day for the Malwa region as it coincided with the 300th birth anniversary of the legendary queen, Devi Ahilyabai Holkar. In a symbolic gesture linking India's cultural heritage with its contemporary valour, a metro station has been named after Operation Sindoor. Indore Mayor Pushyamitra Bhargava said, "The priority corridor will start from the Devi Ahilyabai Metro Terminal and pass through stations named after women warriors like Rani Avanti Bai and Rani Jhalkari Bai, culminating at the Operation Sindoor Metro Station." devotion, and sacred duty in Indian tradition," PM Modi said. Citing Hindu mythology, he noted that even Lord Hanuman's devotion to Lord Rama is intertwined with the symbolism of sindoor, representing loyalty and sacrifice. Trump again claims credit for ceasefire Agencies WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed credit for brokering a cessation of hostilities between India and Pakistan, not once but twice the same day, asserting that his administration's trade negotiations potentially averted a nuclear war between the two nations. This brings the total number of times he has asserted this to ten. During an interaction with reporters here, Trump expressed pride in achieving peace through trade rather than military conflict, reigniting debates over the US role in the recent India-Pakistan ceasefire following the escalation of tension after the Pahalgam Terror Attack and India's subsequent reply through Operation Sindoor. "I think the deal I'm most proud of is the fact that we're dealing with India, we're dealing with Pakistan, and we were able to stop potentially a nuclear war through trade as opposed to bullets. You know, normally they do it through bullets. We do it through “We can’t trade with people that are shooting at each other and potentially using nuclear weapons'.” Donald Trump said that leaders in India and Pakistan are “great leaders” and “they understood, and they agreed, and that all stopped” trade. So I'm very proud of that. Nobody talks about it. But we had a very nasty potential war going on between Pakistan and India. "It was getting very bad. It was getting very nasty. They are both nuclear powers," he said. And now, if you look, they're doing fine," the US President said. "Pakistani representatives are coming in next week. We're very close to making a deal with India. The Prime Minister lauded the armed forces for the success of Operation Sindoor, stating they penetrated deep into enemy territory, dismantled terror hideouts, and delivered justice with precision. "This operation has sent a clear message to the world. COLOMBIA IN U-TURN ON PAHALGAM ATTACK PTI BOGOTA [COLOMBIA] Colombia has withdrawn a statement offering condolences to Pakistan for the loss of lives following India's military strikes in response to the Pahalgam attack after an Indian parliamentary delegation explained Islamabad's relentless support to crossborder terrorism. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, leading an all-party delegation to the South American country, confirmed Bogota's withdrawal of the controver- sial statement after meeting Vice Foreign Minister Rosa Yolanda Villavicencio. In the last two days, the nine-member delegation held a series of meetings with Columbia's senior political brass, apprising India's policy of "zero tolerance for terrorism" and its retaliatory strikes against terror infrastructure on Pakistani soil following the April 22 Pahalgam attack. "Began today with an excellent meeting with the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs of Colombia, 4Contd on | nation Bogota has withdrawn statement offering Pak condolence after interaction with all-party delegation CDS admits to aircraft loss FPJ News Service MUMBAI Acknowledgement has come from the Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, the higest ranking general that India lost aircraft during Operation Sindoor. In what has been the clearest indication that perhaps more than one aircraft was lost, the CDS told Bloomberg's Halsinda Amin on Saturday on the sidelines of the Shangrila security dialogue in Singapore that “I think what is important is not the jet being downed but why they were being downed.” Bloomberg asked the CDS: “Whether or not Pakistan downed an indian jet or in fact more than that. Can you confirm?” The CDS responded: “I think what is important is not the jet being downed but why they were being downed.” Bloomberg: “At least one jet was downed?” Gen Chauhan: “...the good part is that we understood the tactical mistake that we made. Valmik Thapar passes away Agencies NEW DELHI Valmik Thapar, one of India’s most prominent wildlife conservationists and authors, passed away at his residence on Saturday. He was 73 and had been diagnosed with cancer in 2024. Born in New Delhi in 1952, 4Contd on | nation Thapar devoted over five decades to the conservation of India’s tigers, especially those in Ranthambhore National Park. He co-founded the Ranthambhore Foundation in 1988, which focused on involving local communities in conservation efforts. Thapar was a vocal advocate for stricter anti- poaching laws and the protection of tiger habitats. He came from an influential family—his father Romesh Thapar was a journalist, his aunt is historian Romila Thapar, and his cousin is journalist Karan Thapar. FPJ News Service MUMBAI At the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth on Saturday called for stronger alliances across the Indo-Pacific, identifying India as a pivotal partner in Washington’s efforts to counter Beijing’s growing assertiveness. “We will continue to wrap our arms around our friends and find new ways to work together — not only with our treaty allies, but also with key defence partners in ASEAN and across the Indo-Pacific,” Hegseth said. “Look no further than our growing defence relationship with India, where we’re hitting new milestones daily — from joint ventures in defence production to greater operational coordination and interoperability between our two militaries.” Hegseth also highlighted collaboration with New Delhi on autonomous systems, saying such partnerships, coupled with increased US military spending and forward deployment, would ensure “peace through strength” in the region. While stressing that the US seeks to avoid direct conflict with China, Hegseth made it clear that Washington is intensifying efforts to deter Beijing’s expansionist ambitions through deeper cooperation with regional allies — especially India. 4Contd on | nation From TDS to FAFO: America decodes FPJ News Service In India, TDS is a tax; in America, it’s a pandemic of political proportions. Welcome to the land where Trump is both symptom and diagnosis. MUMBAI disease," according to the man himself, that "destroys the mind before the body, but the body eventually goes.” Move over, COVID. We’ve got TDS now, and it's going viral. Satirical ads, medical diagnoses, and now legislative bills—yes, actual American lawmakers (with functioning titles and possibly non-functioning logic) have attempted to classify TDS as a mental illness. Symptoms include uncontrollable eye-rolling at press conferences, muttering “not again” during his rallies, and being able to pronounce “Zelensky” correctly. Some call it delusion. Others call it Tuesday. What some perceive as extreme or irrational behaviour (delusion) has become so routine or expected that it's now just another ordinary day (Tuesday) But don’t worry, Trump’s critics aren’t just sitting in padded rooms muttering “covfefe.” They’ve fired back with their own acronyms. Welcome to the political alphabet soup that is America in 2025. First up: TACO, which sadly has nothing to do with guacamole and everything to do with Trump’s trademark indecisiveness. Coined by Financial Times columnist Robert Armstrong, TACO stands for “Trump Always Chickens Out.” 4Contd on | nation Remedied, rectified, and then implemented again after two days and flew all our jets and again targeting at long range.” 4Contd on | nation Court rejects Rahul plea on Savarkar kin PTI PUNE 4Contd on | nation Constitution keeps nation united: CJI Chief Justice of India (CJI) Justice BR Gavai on Saturday credited the Indian Constitution for the country’s unity and resilience during times of crisis, contrasting India's stability with the political upheavals witnessed in neighbouring nations. "India has consistently stayed united and strong through crises, thanks to the Constitu- Chief of Defence Staff General 4Contd on | nation Miss World 2025 Biswajeet Banerjee Anil Chauhan tion," he said. "Look at the condition of our neighbouring countries. While India progressed after Independence, others struggled. The credit goes to the Constitution." Justice Gavai was speaking at the inauguration of a new multi-storey complex with 2,500 chambers for lawyers and a multi-level parking facility at the Allahabad High Court. 4Contd on | nation Thailand's Opal Suchata was crowned Miss World 2025 in Hyderabad, Telangana, on Saturday. PRAYAGRAJ What is important is why they went down. That is more important for us and what did we do after that. That's more important. A court here on Saturday rejected Rahul Gandhi's application seeking details of the maternal lineage of Satyaki Savarkar, the grand-nephew of V D Savarkar, over his defamation complaint filed against the Congress leader for his alleged objectionable remarks against the Hindutva ideologue. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Amol Shinde dismissed the application, observing that the case pertains to an alleged defamatory speech made by Gandhi in London and not to the family tree of late Himani Ashok Savarkar, the mother of Satyaki Savarkar. Himani Savarkar was the daughter of Gopal Vinayak Godse, the younger brother of Mahatma Gandhi's assassin Nathuram Godse. Gandhi, through his counsel Milind Pawar, had submitted that while the complainant had provided details of his paternal ancestry while filing the complaint, his maternal lineage had not been disclosed. The defence argued that this information was crucial for the hearing. "The case is not related to or disputed on the family tree of late Himani Ashok Savarkar. Therefore, this court does not find any merit in the application of the accused. There is also no need to send the matter for further investigation," the court said in its order. US paints India as China counterweight alphabet soup If you're an Indian salaried employee, the letters TDS trigger immediate heartburn. Tax Deducted at Source—the three most dreaded words after “we need to talk.” But fly westward across the Atlantic, and TDS has been diagnosed as something far more dangerous than a monthly nibble at your paycheck. Behold, Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS)—a "terminal FPJ News Service KARNATAKA Karnataka has notified a legislation that prohibits hookah bars, raises the legal age for buying tobacco products from 18 to 21 years, and increases the fine for violations to Rs 1,000. The notification was issued on May 30, following the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) (Karnataka Amendment) Bill, 2024, receiving the assent of the President on May 23. The Act that prohibits the use of tobacco products in public places says, no person shall use tobacco products in any public place. It says, "use" means smoking and spitting of tobacco. Under Section 21, 24 and 28 of the Act, the fine for smoking in a public place and for sale of tobacco to people aged 21 and below, Metro Station Sindoor BHOPAL/INDORE KARNATAKA CRACKDOWN ON TOBACCO