Friday, July 4, 2025 | 31 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. 233 | 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) GAMES NATION Fuel ban on overage vehicles not feasible, put on hold: Delhi minister Sirsa Cinema Deepika Padukone to get star on Hollywood Walk of Fame Liverpool star Diogo Jota killed in a car crash in Spain, 10 days after marriage Edit The Puri Rath Yatra and the lesson that is never learnt REFORMS PUSH | A ‘strong India’ to propel a ‘more stable, prosperous world’: PM 3 Indians in Mali ‘Global South is key to growth’ Agencies ACCRA PM Narendra Modi on Thursday said a strong India would contribute to a more stable and prosperous world as he pushed for effective reforms in global governance in the wake of changing circumstances. "In these times of global uncertainty, India's democratic stability shines as a ray of hope. India's rapid progress is a catalyst for global growth. As the world's largest democracy, India is a pillar of strength for the world. A strong India will contribute to a more stable and prosperous world," he said in his address to Ghana's parliament, stressing that progress cannot come without giving voice to the Global South. India is the fastest-growing emerging economy and will soon become the third-largest economy, he said, laying emphasis on the foundations of stable polity and governance. "We already contribute nearly 16% to global growth. Our demography is paying its dividend. India now has the world's third-largest start-up ecosystem. India is an innovation and tech- nology hub,” he said. The two countries elevated their ties to the level of comprehensive partnership, with Modi and Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama resolving to expand the bilateral relations in a range of areas, including defence, food security and pharmaceuticals. Modi said both sides have set a target of doubling the twoway trade in the next five years and that India is not just a partner but a co-traveller in Ghana's development journey. 4Contd on | nation INDIA SNUBS CHINA: ONLY DALAI LAMA CAN PICK HEIR Storm brews over language violence Agencies MUMBAI FPJ News Service NEW DELHI In a strong, direct response to China’s objection to the Dalai Lama's succession plan, India made it clear that only the Tibetal spiritual leader and the established Buddhist institution have the right to decide on his reincarnation. “The Dalai Lama is the most important and defining institution for the Buddhists. All those who follow him believe that the incarnation must be decided as per the established conventions and the wish of the Dalai Lama himself. Nobody else has the right to decide,” Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said. The Federation of Retail Traders Welfare Association (FRTWA), representing thousands of traders across the Mumbai metropolitan region, has expressed deep concern over the rising number of attacks on shopkeepers in the name of promoting the Marathi language. Federation chairman Viren Shah said, “We’ve recently seen several disturbing videos circulating on social media and news platforms, showing political workers physically assaulting shopkeepers and their staff under the pretext of language enforcement.” 4Contd on | nation With 269, Gill posted highest score by an Indian in England, surpassing Gavaskar’s House passes Trump’s tax & spending bill 221 PM Modi was conferred with ‘The Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana’. He has received highest civilian honours from 24 nations, the most by an Indian leader. Urvi Mahajani MUMBAI The Bombay High Court on Thursday questioned the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) over the continued occupation of high-rise buildings in Mumbai without Occupation Certificates (OC) and Fire NOCs, warning that civic inaction could be construed as “tacit approval” of such illegalities. “Are you going to shut your eyes or are you going to take some action?” a bench of Justices Girish Kulkarni and Arif Doctor asked the BMC. “We want in the affidavit what should be done as on date when the fire Haridev Pushparaj MUMBAI Shubman Gill has been the cynosure on India's tour of England well before it began as he took on the captaincy mantle. Now, despite the brickbats that came his way post India's disappointing defeat in the first Test in Leeds, the Fazilka-born batting star has conjured a landmark moment in Birmingham. Going where no other Indian batter has gone before, not even the legendary Sunil Gavaskar, Gill ratcheted up the highest individual score by an Indian batsman in England in the process of scoring his maiden double hundred. The 25-year-old went past Gavaskar's 221 that the 'Little Master' had struck at The Oval in 1979 to slam an incredible 269 in 387 balls. The Punjab batter also became the third Indian batsman after Gavaskar and Rahul Dravid to score Test double hundreds in England. Adding more weight to his captaincy credentials, Gill became the second youngest Indian captain to smash a Test double hundred in 25 years and 298 days behind the iconic Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi, who slammed one of his own at 23 years and 39 days in 1964 against England in Delhi. Pak hockey free hit in India? Agencies Amid frosty bilateral ties following the recent Pahalgam terror attack, indications have emerged that Pakistani hockey teams will not be barred from participating in next month's Asia Cup and the Junior World Cup, both scheduled to take place in India. According to a source from the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports, any move to block Pakistan from multilateral sporting events would violate the Olympic Charter, which prohibits discrimination against athletes based on nationality. Such actions could negatively affect India’s chances of securing hosting rights for future international competitions. While the Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in Bihar's Rajgir from August 27 to September 7, the junior World Cup will be organised in Chennai and Madurai from November 28 to December 10. 4Contd on | nation job we get High degrees, low khaki ranks Rajesh Moudgil CHANDIGARH In an age where MBAs chase corporate perks and MTechs eye Silicon Valley, Haryana seems to have flipped the script — for the love and lucre of uniform. A stunning number of highly qualified youngsters, including a PhD and several postgraduates, have proudly taken the oath as police constables in the state. At the passing-out parade last week at the Haryana Po- lice Training Centre in Bhondsi, Gurugram, the state police unveiled its latest batch of 783 constables — not just physically fit but academically elite. The class includes a PhD, eight MBAs, three MTechs, 34 BTechs, six MCAs, eight BCAs, two LLBs, over 30 BEd degree holders and at least 200 postgraduates. Call it the bleak job market or the magnetic pull of the uniform — the police badge is clearly the new MBA badge of honour. PhDs and postgrads queue up for constable jobs as Haryana’s job market pushes brains into boots. Haryana DGP Shatrujeet Kapur credited the transparent recruitment process for this intellectual influx. “Highly qualified, well-aware youth joining the force will make a significant differ- India has expressed concern over the abduction of three Indians in Mali, a West African nation witnessing a series of terrorist attacks. The MEA said the incident occurred on July 1 at the Diamond Cement Factory in Kayes, where the Indians were employed. A group of armed assailants launched a coordinated attack on the factory and took the three Indian workers as hostages, MEA said. 4Contd on | nation State, civic bodies also HC puts BMC in dock over OC fuel housing price hike 4Contd on | nation NEW DELHI PTI NEW DELHI Gill eclipses Sunny glow 4Contd on | nation Washington: House Republicans propelled US President Donald Trump’s $4.5 trillion tax breaks and spending cuts bill to final congressional passage on Thursday, overcoming multiple setbacks to approve his signature second-term policy package before a Fourth of July deadline. The tight roll call, 218-214, came at a potentially high political cost, with two Republicans joining all Democrats opposed. GOP leaders worked overnight and the president himself leaned on a handful of sceptics to drop their opposition and send the bill to him to sign into law. Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York delayed voting by holding the floor for more than eight hours with a record-breaking speech against the bill. “We have a big job to finish,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “With one big beautiful bill we are going to make this country stronger, safer and more prosperous than ever before.” —AP Retailers’ federation demands action after attacks on non-Marathi shopkeepers by political workers. abducted; Qaeda role suspected ence,” he said. Of the new recruits, 718 hail from rural areas — reaffirming that ambition in Haryana is often born in the heartland. Kapur also highlighted the department’s recent wins — a 50% dip in cybercrime this year and fivefold recovery in cyber frauds. He claimed a steady drop in crimes against women and underlined the police’s intensified war on drugs. 4Contd on | nation NOC is not there. If that statement is not there, then we’ll interpret that it is tacit approval… that all buildings which are occupied without fire NOC can be occupied and lives of the people can be risked in this manner.” The court was hearing a plea by Sunil B. Jhaveri (HUF), a member of the Wellingdon View Co-operative Housing Society in Tardeo. The 34-storey building has an OC only up to the 16th floor, but all floors above, up to the 34th, have been occupied since 2011 despite lacking a Fire NOC from the Mumbai Fire Brigade. 4Contd on | nation Ravikiran Deshmukh MUMBAI Court demands affidavit on enforcement; says inaction on fire safety may imply tacit approval In a rare admission, the Maharashtra government has acknowledged that taxes and fees imposed by itself and local bodies significantly contribute to the rising cost of housing units. Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, who also heads the Housing and Urban Development departments, stated that the prices of residential flats in Mumbai and other cities continue to rise partly due to these levies. Responding in writing to a question regarding the nearly 30% gap between construction costs and the final sale prices of housing units—often leading to hefty builder profits—Shinde provided a detailed explanation. He noted that in addition to the rising prices of key construction materials like cement, steel, bricks, and sand, several statutory costs were also pushing up prices. 4Contd on | nation