FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms Vol. 15 No. 92 | BHOPAL | MONDAY | SEPTEMBER 15, 2025 | Pages 12 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 FREE www.freepressjournal.in Sports INDIA’S ATIQA LIGHTNING LAP P.12 fp Briefs NEW DELHI SC decision on Waqf Act today A CJI B.R. Gavai-led Bench of the Supreme Court is set to pronounce, on Monday, its decision on issuing a stay on the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 — a law vehemently defended by the Union government as a tool to curb misuse of Waqf properties and ensure greater transparency in their management. On May 22, the Bench, also comprising Justice A.G. Masih, heard the petitioners’ and the Centre’s views over three hearings before reserving its order.The validity of the contentious Act, which came into effect on April 5 with the Presidential assent, has been challenged by, among others, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) MP Asaduddin Owaisi and Congress MP Mohammad Jawed. NEW DELHI INS Trikand in Greece The maiden bilateral maritime exercise between India and Greece will be steered by Indian Naval Ship Trikand, which was called at Salamis Bay, Greece, during her ongoing deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, an official said on Sunday. During the visit, INS Trikand, a stealth frigate which reached Greece on Saturday, will look to enhance interoperability, refine tactical skills and deepen operational synergy.During the port call at Salamis Bay, INS Trikand will engage in a host of activities to enhance bilateral and multilateral cooperation and collaboration. HYDERABAD School turned into drug unit Telangana’s Elite Action Group for Drug Law Enforcement (EAGLE) on Sunday continued its probe into how a private school in Secunderabad here was turned into a narcotics manufacturing unit. The premises of Medha High School in the Bowenpally area were being used to produce Alprazolam, EAGLE officials said. During the raid on Saturday, the EAGLE team seized 3.5 kg of Alprazolam, 4.3 kg of semi-finished Alprazolam, Rs. 21 lakh in cash, large quantities of raw material, and manufacturing equipment. BHOPAL MONEY India should reduce reliance on US digital systems UJJAIN PRESS PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit PM Modi visits Manipur, finally P.6 Brand Sutra The Life & Times Of Diwan Arun Nanda P.10 Park allotted to 91 firms’ Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL Chief Minister Mohan Yadav said around 1300 acre of land in PM Mitra Park, Dhar district, has been allotted to 91 prominent companies. These firms have submitted investment proposals worth over Rs 20,000 crore. Once the project is completed, it is expected to generate employment for about 3 lakh people. He said that even before the foundation stone ceremony of the park, around 114 textile companies had proposed investments exceeding Rs 23,000 crore. Several companies al- Country of 1.4 bn won’t buy one bushel of our corn, says US Commerce Secy PARK PROGRESS » LAND ALLOTTED: 1300 acres of PM Mitra Park, Dhar, given to 91 companies. » INVESTMENT: Over Rs 20,000 crore proposed by these firms; Rs 23,000 crore from 114 companies even before the foundation stone event. » MAJOR PLAYERS: Vardhman Textiles (Rs 2,000cr on 190 acres), AB Cotspin (Rs 1,300cr on 45 acres), Trident (Rs 4,881cr on 180 acres). » JOBS & INDUSTRY: Project expected to create 3 lakh jobs and strengthen yarn, fabric and garment production. lotted land have come forward with substantial investment plans. Vardhman Textiles Limited plans to invest Rs 2,000 crore to set up a unit on 190 acres, while AB Cotspin India Limited will invest Rs 1,300 crore for a unit on 45 acres. Trident Company intends to invest Rs 4,881 crore on 180 acres. These investments will sup- India brags about having 1.4 billion people but won't buy even a small amount of American corn, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick has said, asserting that New Delhi must bring down its tariffs or face a "tough time" doing business with the US. Lutnick made the comments during an interview on Saturday when he was asked whether the US is mismanaging "very valuable relationships" with "important allies" like India, Canada and Brazil with the tariffs imposed on these countries. "The relationship is one way, they sell to us and take advantage of us. They block us from their economy, and they sell to us while we are wide open for them to come in (and) take advantage," Lutnick said. "The president says, 'fair and reciprocal trade'," he added. "India brags that they have 1.4 billion people. Why won't 1.4 billion people buy one bushel of US corn? Doesn't that rub you the wrong way that they sell everything to us and they won't buy our corn. They put tariffs on everything," Lutnick said. He added that President Donald Trump has said "'bring down your tariffs, treat us the way we treat you'". The commerce secretary further said "we've got to right years of wrong so we want a tariff going the other way until we fix this". 4Continued on | P8 PTI NEW DELHI A beggars' home maintained by the state is not a discretionary charity and its administration must reflect the values of constitutional morality, the Supreme Court said while issuing a slew of directions to ensure that dignified living conditions are maintained continuously at such centres. A bench of Justices J B Pardiwala and R Mahadevan said all the states and Union Territories are required to institutionalise reforms in beggars' homes and analogous institutions under their control, so that the constitutional guarantee of life with dignity is meaningfully secured for this most vulnerable section of society. The top court said the failure to ensure humane conditions in such homes does not merely amount to maladministration; it constitutes a constitutional breach of the fundamental right to life with dignity. "This judicial articulation leaves no doubt that the state's responsibility towards indigent persons is affirmative and non-derogable. A beggars' home, maintained by the state, is thus a constitutional trust, not a discretionary charity. Its Spin web in Dubai PTI DUBAI Dubai Double Act Hardik Pandya and Shubman Gill celebrate the dismissal of Pakistan’s Saim Ayub during the Asia Cup cricket match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in the UAE on Sunday IANS India’s bowlers produced a clinical collective show to strangle Pakistan to just 127/9 in their high-voltage Asia Cup Group A clash on Sunday. Hardik Pandya set the tone by removing Saim Ayub off the first legal delivery, before Jasprit Bumrah struck to leave Pakistan reeling at 6/2. Then the spin duo of Kuldeep Yadav (3/18) and Axar Patel (2/18) weaved a web around the middle order, tightening the noose with probing lines. Only Sahibzada Farhan (40 off 44, 1x4, 3x6s) showed some resistance, while Shaheen Afridi’s unbeaten 33 off 16 balls added late fireworks to push Pakistan beyond the 100-run mark. visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, police said. On the night of September 11, several banners and cutouts put up at Pearsonmun and Phailien Bazaar were vandalised. In connection with that incident, several youths were picked up by the police. While all of them were released after ‘Denial of marriage post consensual physical relationship not an offence’ a physical relationship would not have been established had there been no promise to marry, the court said in its order dated September 8. The counsel for the man, Sunil Choudhary, submitted that from the statement of the woman, it is clear that he and his client were in a relationship and initially they were also ready to get married. 4Continued on | P8 administration must reflect the values of constitutional morality - ensuring liberty, privacy, bodily autonomy, and dignified living conditions," the bench said. The apex court said every individual admitted to a beggars' home shall mandatorily undergo a medical screening by a qualified medical officer within 24 hours of admission. "Monthly health check-ups shall be conducted for all inmates by a designated medical team. A disease surveillance and early warning system shall be established at all beggars' homes, with special protocols for prevention, detection, and containment of communicable and waterborne diseases. 4Continued on | P8 Two factory watchmen rape 45-yr-old cook FP News Service GWALIOR questioning, two youths were arrested. Demanding their immediate release, a mob started a demonstration near the Churachandpur police station. The situation subsequently escalated, and they hurled at the security forces. A 45-year-old woman was allegedly gang raped by two watchmen in Gwalior on Sunday. The woman works at the factory as a cook. The incident took place inside the factory premises. On Saturday night, watchman Santosh Kumar called her to his room in the factory to cook food, where another watchman, Sitaram, was also present. As soon as she entered, both men allegedly raped her. The accused then threatened her with death, which forced her to remain silent initially. However, the accused did not stop their harassment and continued calling her repeatedly, trying to pressure her further. Feeling threatened and unsafe in her own surroundings, the woman finally decided to take action and went to the police station on Sunday to report the incident in detail. After receiving her complaint, the police immediately conducted a raid at the servant quarters of the factory. 4Continued on | P8 4Continued on | P8 Tension in Manipur’s Churachandpur than a couple of years and cohabit with each other, a presumption would arise that they voluntarily chose that kind of a relationship fully aware of its consequences," Justice Arun Kumar Singh Deshwal said. Therefore, the allegation that such a relationship was entered into because there was a promise of marriage is, in the circumstances, unworthy of acceptance, particularly when there is no allegation that such port creation of a complete production chain for yarn, fabric and garments in the state. Out of the total 2,158-acre area of PM Mitra Park, 1,300 acres have already been allocated. Beggars’ homes constitutional trust, ensure humane conditions, says SC PTI NEW YORK/WASHINGTON A mob clashed with security forces in Manipur's Churachandpur district on Sunday, protesting the arrest of two youths for allegedly vandalising the banners and cutouts put up in connection with the Merely refusal to get married by a man after a consensual physical relationship for four years would not constitute a cognisable offence, the Allahabad High Court has said while rejecting the plea of his live-in partner who had accused him of rape. "In our view, if two ableminded adults reside together as a live-in couple for more EDITIONS: Modi: Congress backing ‘1,300 acres in PM Mitra Pak-groomed terrorists PTI PTI iii QUALITY @ VALUE INDUSTRIAL BOOST | Rs 20,000cr investments to strengthen textile sector, create 3 lakh jobs CHURACHANDPUR/IMPHA PRAYAGRAJ ESTD-1983 PTI MANGALDOI/NUMALIGARH Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday accused the Congress of siding with terrorists groomed by Pakistan instead of supporting the Indian Army, and hailed the Assam government for "evicting infiltrators from encroached land". Addressing a public meeting at Mangaldoi in Darrang district, Modi slammed the grand old party for allegedly protecting infiltrators and anti-national forces. During the day, the PM launched development projects worth Rs 18,350 crore in the state, where the assembly polls are due next year. At another rally at Numaligarh in Golaghat district, Modi said the central government is taking steps to reduce crude oil and gas imports, focusing more on the exploration of fossil fuels and green energy. The US recently increased levies on Indian products for the country's purchases of Russian oil, bringing the total amount of tariffs imposed on New Delhi to 50 per cent. Rs 18,530cr projects launched Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday launched projects worth Rs 18,530 crore in Assam, including the world's first bio-ethanol plant using bamboo as raw material, along with major health and infrastructure projects at programmes in Darrang and Golaghat districts "The Congress, instead of supporting the Indian Army, backs terrorists groomed by Pakistan. During 'Operation Now, Unani medicine to be taught in Hindi Our Staff Reporter Sindoor', the Congress, instead of supporting our armed forces, which destroyed the terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan, was engaged in protecting infiltrators and anti-national forces," the PM alleged. 'Operation Sindoor' was successful due to Ma Kamakhya's blessings, Modi said, adding that he was honoured to be present on this sacred land. Continuing his tirade against the grand old party in Mangaldoi, the PM said that Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma had on Saturday night shown him a video in which a former Congress president was seen saying that the "BJP was honouring singers and dancers". The Congress leader's comment came after the BJP had bestowed the Bharat Ratna on Bhupen Hazarika in 2019, Modi said. 'The wounds inflicted by Jawaharlal Nehru, during the Chinese aggression in 1962, on the people of Assam are yet to heal, but this insult to Hazarika is like adding salt to the wound," the prime minister claimed. Four members of a family die of diarrhoea in Mandla Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL BHOPAL The study of Unani system of medicine will now be taught in Hindi in Madhya Pradesh, Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar announced while inaugurating the two-day event “BharatiyaMatrubhasha Anusthan (Sabyata, Sanskriti aur Ashmita Ka Sutra)” at Rabindra Bhawan on Sunday. Minister Parmar said the government has provided students with a voluntary language option for engineering and medical education in Hindi, and this move now extends to Unani medicine. He said that teaching in Hindi will help students better grasp AYUSH education. “Many countries are advancing through education in their mother tongue. By shedding our inferior complex, we must aim to become global leaders through Hindi,” Parmar said. He also pledged that all universities will include in- Higher Education Minister Inder Singh Parmar addresses Bharatiya Matrubhasha Anushthan function at Ravindra Bhawan on Sunday struction in allotted Indian languages, which will assist students in securing jobs in other states. Padma Shri Vishnu Pandya, former chairman of Gujarat Sahitya Academy, Ahmedabad, said language is like a flowing stream and stressed the importance of establishing pride in Hindi. 4 members of a family in Mandla died of vomiting and diarrhoea, with three deaths occurring within two days. Among the deceased was an 18-monthold child. The tragedy took place in Simaria village of Lafangram panchayat in Ghughri tehsil. The victims were identified as Munna Keram (48), Narvadia Keram (68), Devisingh Keram (44) and Aditya (18 months), son of Amarsingh Keram. Aditya was the first to die three days earlier. On Sunday, the health department reached the village to investigate and examine affected families. BMO Dr. Neeraj Raj, SDM HunendraGhormare and PHE SDO Joshi visited the site. Mandla Collector Somesh Mishra told media that water samples would be sent to Jabalpur for testing and the cause would be confirmed after investigation. 4Continued on | P8 Denied admission, woman delivers outside hospital FP News Service SHIVPURI A woman delivered on the floor outside district hospital on Sunday, just a few steps away from a dustbin, almost 20 minutes after she reached the hospital to get herself admitted. As per information, China Adivasi, had been referred from a health centre and went into labour pain upon reaching the hospital gate. With no medical staff A group of women quickly used a sheet to provide a makeshift cover, assisting in the delivery present, a group of women quickly used a sheet to provide a makeshift cover, assisting in the delivery under the open sky. Her family members reported rushing inside for help, but were delayed by a guard who demanded to see a token and refused entry. While the mother and her newborn are now stable, the family accused the hospital of negligence. Civil surgeon, Dr BL Yadav, claims the baby was born in the ambulance and was promptly admitted. However, the family has alleged she was forced to deliver outside as the hospital kept postponing her admission and did not act in time. Par panel to govt ‘Develop solutions to counter AI-based fake news’ PTI NEW DELHI A parliamentary committee has asked the government to develop concrete legal and technological solutions for identifying and prosecuting individuals and entities responsible for spreading Artificial Intelligence-generated fake news. The Standing Committee on Communications and In- formation Technology, in its draft report, called for a balanced approach for deploying AI to curb fake news, noting that the technology is being used to detect misinformation but can be a source of misinformation as well. The draft report of the committee, headed by BJP MP Nishikant Dubey, was recently submitted to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla. It will be tabled in Parliament during the next session. The Committee also urged for "close coordination between the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), and other ministries and departments concerned to develop concrete legal and technological solutions for identifying and prosecuting individuals and entities responsible for disseminating AI-generated fake news", according to sources. The Committee has recommended inter-ministerial coordination for exploring the feasibility of licensing requirements for AI content creators and mandatory labelling of AI-generated videos and content. The committee's suggestions are not binding on the government. However, the government often looks to implement them as parliamentary committees are representative of Parliament, and their recommendations often carry the weight of bipartisan spirit. 4Continued on | P8