FP The publishers permit sharing of the e-paper's pdf on WhatsApp and other social media platforms FREE PRESS Vol. 15 No. 170 | BHOPAL | TUESDAY | DECEMBER 2, 2025 | Pages 16 ` 3 | Regd. No. Indore MP/ICD 216/2024-2026 | RNI No. mpeng/2010/35815 www.freepressjournal.in Sports Ray’s miraculous journey to swimming stardom P.15 ESTD-1983 iii QUALITY @ VALUE EDITIONS: BHOPAL MONEY ‘Current account deficit moderates to $12.3 billion’ UJJAIN PUNE INDORE NASHIK MUMBAI E-paper Edit Sadhugram at the cost of nature P.6 Cinema Ali meets kids displaced from Gaza P.16 WINTER SESSION | Opposition parties threaten to stall Parliament over SIR exercise in nine states, three UTs if issue not discussed ASSEMBLY WINTER SESSION DAY 1 PARLIAMENT A PLACE FOR Cong protests cough syrup deaths, MLA dresses as ‘Putna’ DELIVERY, NOT DRAMA: PM Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL PTI Raising issues not drama: Priyanka NEW DELHI Parliament is not a place for drama but for delivery, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday in a hard-hitting attack on the Opposition as he accused it of turning the House into a "warm-up arena" for elections and an outlet to vent out frustration after defeat. Speaking to reporters outside Parliament ahead of the start of the Winter session, he said the House must not become a stage for political theatrics but a platform for constructive and result-driven debate, and offered to give the opposition tips to bring positivity in politics. "There is plenty of room for drama; those who want to do it, keep doing it. Parliament is not a place for drama; it is a place for delivery," the prime minister said, targeting the Opposition for stalling parliamentary proceedings during the previous sessions. "Even for raising slogans, you can do so across the country. You have spoken DHAKA Hasina hit with fresh sentence A Bangladesh court on Monday convicted and sentenced deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina to five years of imprisonment and her niece, British parliamentarian Tulip Siddiq, to a two-year jail term in a land scam case. Judge Md Rabiul Alam of the Special Judge's Court-4 of Dhaka also handed down a sevenyear jail term to Hasina's sister, Sheikh Rehana. Raising issues concerning the people is not drama but not allowing democratic discussion on them is, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said on Monday while hitting out at PM Narendra Modi for accusing the opposition of indulging in drama in Parliament Manipur GST Bill passed Govt not averse to taking up discussion on SIR: Rijiju The Lok Sabha passed the Manipur GST Bill to replace an Ordinance promulgated to implement the GST 2.0 reforms in the North-Eastern state, amid protests from the Opposition on the SIR issue Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday asserted in the Rajya Sabha that the government is not averse to holding a discussion on SIR or electoral reforms, as he asked the Opposition not to insist on setting a timeline. He was responding to opposition members who were demanding an immediate discussion on the Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls or electoral reforms in the House where you have been defeated. You can also speak where you are yet to face defeat. But in Parliament, the focus should be on policy, not slogans," Modi, buoyed by the landslide victory of the NDA in recent Bihar polls, said in a swipe at rolls in Bihar. Opposition parties have also threatened to stall the Winter session of Parliament over the SIR exercise in nine states and three Union territories if the issue is not discussed in Parliament. "For some time now, our 4Continued on | P8 On the first day of Assembly’s winter session, Congress MLAs staged a protest over deaths of children due to toxic cough syrup in Chhindwara district. MLA Sena Patel drew attention by dressing as the demon ‘Putna,’ wearing a demon mask, black clothes and a garland made of cough syrup bottles. Protesting MLAs carried baby dolls and placards, raising slogans demanding government accountability for deaths. Leader of Opposition in Assembly Umang Singhar questioned Patel seeking answers on death of 22–24 children due to toxic syrup. The Congress leaders raised slogans holding government accountable for the deaths of children in Chhindwara district. Outcry in House over deaths of children and 8 BLOs The toxic cough syrup incident and the deaths of eight Block Level Officers (BLOs) also echoed in the Assembly on Monday. While paying tributes Congress leaders protest over killer syrup tragedy in Chhindwara, at Vidhan Sabha on Monday. to the departed, including former MLAs, Hawk Force Inspector Ashish Sharma, victims of the Delhi blast, and actor Dharmendra, Singhar also also expressed grief at the deaths of children after consuming adulterated cough syrup. He also paid tribute to the victims of the rat bite in Government MY Hospital in Indore as well as some BLOs who died during the SIR work in the state. Singhar said the state government should have included these incidents in the condolence list as a sign of empathy, though the ruling BJP rebuked the Opposition for mentioning incidents outside the list. Objecting to the mentioning of incidents outside the Daily Business List, state sports and youth welfare minister Vishvas Sarang said the House will function according to rules and regulations, adding that if they feel a name or incident has been omitted, they can mention it. Dead frog in mid-day Delhi cops arrest Datia labourer Change in admission rules meal triggers probe influenced by Pakistani terrorist to MD/MS courses for FP News Service Our Staff Reporter GWALIOR BHOPAL/DATIA A viral video has triggered an official investigation after a dead frog was discovered in food served under the MidDay Meal scheme at a government primary school in Gwalior. The incident has raised serious concerns about food safety and hygiene within the school feeding programme. The footage, reportedly from the Government Primary School in Gokulpura, shows the deceased frog in a cooked vegetable dish. The video sparked immediate public outrage and condemnation on social media platforms. In response to the uproar, the Chief Executive Officer of SC entrusts CBI with pan-India probe into digital arrest cases Asks states to accord assent PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday asked the CBI to carry out a unified pan-India probe into digital arrest scam cases and asked the RBI as to why it was not using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to find out and freeze bank accounts used by cyber criminals. Digital arrest is a growing form of cybercrime in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement, court officials or personnel from government agencies to intimidate victims through audio and video calls. They hold the victims hostage and put pressure on them to pay money. A bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi asked the states, including oppositionruled West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Telangana, to accord consent to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under the Delhi Special Police Establishment (DSPE) Act for probing digital arrest cases in their jurisdiction. It issued notice to the Re- opposition parties, while urging lawmakers to work with a sense of responsibility. The Monsoon session of Parliament was virtually washed out over the Opposition's protests on Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral Parliament is being used either as a warm-up arena for elections or as an outlet for frustration after defeat," Modi said. Referring to the drubbing of opposition parties in the Bihar polls, he said they were perturbed by the electoral loss and unable to digest failure. "Defeat should not be the ground to create disruption. Victory should not convert into arrogance either," the prime minister said. Highlighting the importance of informed debate, Modi urged members to offer constructive and accurate critiques where needed, so that citizens are better informed. "This work is demanding, but it is essential for the nation," he said. The prime minister cautioned political parties against allowing frustration over electoral defeats to overs h a d o w parliamentary Scan & Watch proceedings. The top court noted that mostly senior citizens were targeted and their hard-earned money was extorted by the cyber criminals serve Bank of India (RBI) and sought its response as to why AI or machine learning technology was not employed to identify mule accounts and freeze those which are used in cyber fraud cases. The top court, which passed the directions in a suo motu case registered on the complaint of an elderly couple from Haryana, noted that mostly senior citizens were targeted and their hardearned money was extorted by the cyber criminals. 4Continued on | P8 the District Panchayat ordered a prompt investigation. District Education Officer Hariom Chaturvedi has been directed to verify the authenticity of the video and examine the circumstances that led to the incident. Officials have stated that any verified negligence will result in strict disciplinary action. 4Continued on | P8 Leave now: Don’s ultimatum to Maduro Online Report US President Trump issued a stark ultimatum to Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro: flee the country immediately or face potential US land operations, according to reports. In a high-stakes phone call mediated by US officials, Trump offered Maduro, his wife and son safe passage out of Venezuela, but only if he resigned. Maduro’s negotiators pushed for what they called “global amnesty” and demanded to maintain control of the Venezuelan military, conditions the US immediately rejected. After the talks collapsed, US officials publicly declared that Venezuelan airspace should be considered “closed in its entirety,” a move widely seen as a signal that military operations could be approaching. The warning was underscored by comments from Benjamin Scharifker, a former Venezuelan diplomat quoted in the report, who said the conditions suggest operations could begin “imminently.” He described the US planning as a “capture-orkill scenario” aimed at only a small number of top regime figures — with Maduro at the top of the list. A labourer-turned-gun pedaller from Datia has been arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell after he came under the influence of gangster-turned-terrorist Shahzad Bhatti, officials said. Special Cell has dismantled a terror syndicate run by Pakistan-based Bhatti and his associates. Three people have been arrested for involvement in the November 25 grenade attack outside City police station in Punjab’s Gurdaspur, carried out on Bhatti’s instructions. Bhatti has been coordinating operations from Pakistan using encrypted platforms and social-media channels. Those arrested are Vikas native students challenged Modus operandi Pakistani handlers Shahzad Bhatti and associates targeted young Indians through social media, luring them with money and selecting recruits by scanning their profiles. They remotely controlled reconnaissance, cash payments, logistics and target selection. Interrogation has revealed a structured, foreign-controlled terror module using monetary lure, remote instructions and disposable foot soldiers to execute grenade attacks at public places in India Prajapati, alias Betu, Hargunpreet Singh, alias Gurkaranpreet Singh and Asif, alias Arish. Police have seized a semi-automatic pistol and 10 live cartridges from them. Their phones contained incriminating social-media chats with Bhatti and his abroadbased module. Vikas Prajapati, who worked as a labourer at the grain market in Indergarh, was influenced by social-media image of Bhatti. He contacted Bhatti through Instagram and, lured by quick money, got involved in illegal pistol trade and agreed to work for him. Bhatti sent him to Gurdaspur to receive a parcel. During a video call, Bhatti guided him to open the parcel, which contained a grenade, and explained its activation method. 4Continued on | P8 HC notice to director medical education FP News Service JABALPUR High Court has served notices to director Medical Education and others on a petition filed by two doctors challenging the notification of September 3, 2025 for having institutional preference/ reservation in admissions to post graduate MD/MS medical courses that deprive benefits to native students. Counselling for admission to post graduate MD/MS medical courses is scheduled to start on first week of December. Dr Vivek Jain and Dr Daksh Goyal are domiciles of MP but have done MBBS from Gujarat. They have challenged the notification of September 3, 2025, wherein an amendment has been made in admission norms, which they argue are contrary to various directives issued by the Supreme Court. A division bench of Chief Justice Sanjeev Sachdeva and Justice Vinay Saraf issued notices during the hearing of their petition. The petitioner doctors sought direction that they should be treated at par with the domicile students who have done MBBS from Madhya Pradesh, and they should get preferential merit-based allotment as they are natives of this state, the petitioners counsel Aditya Sanghi said. SC refuses to extend time 45-year-old bridge collapses to upload Waqf property in Raisen dist; jawan killed details on UMEED portal Injured PTI NEW DELHI The Supreme Court on Monday refused to extend time for the mandatory registration of all waqf properties, including 'waqf by user', under the UMEED portal. A bench comprising Justices Dipankar Datta and Augustine George Masih asked the petitioners to approach the respective tribunals before deadline. "Our attention has been drawn to the proviso to Section 3B. Since the remedy be- fore the tribunal is available before the applicants, we dispose of all the applications by granting them liberty to approach the tribunal by the last date of the six month period," the bench said. Besides the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB), AIMIM leader Asaduddin Owaisi and various others have moved the top court, seeking extension of time for mandatory registration of all waqf properties. 4Continued on | P8 referred to AIIMS Our Staff Reporter BHOPAL A 45-yr-old bridge collapsed on State Highway-19 at Nayagaon village on Pipariya road in Nagar Bareli of Raisen district on Monday. One person died and three others were injured. All injured were rushed to Government Civil Hospital, Bareli, and later referred to AIIMS Bhopal. Ex-CRPF jawan Devendra Dhakar died. As per AIIMS administration, Dhakar was brought dead. Repair work was in progress when a span suddenly fell, injuring four. Collapse disrupted traffic on Bareli–Pipariya route. Manager AA Khan has been suspended, and showcause notices have been issued to AGMs of MP Road Development Corporation (MPRDC). A three-member committee headed by Chief Engineer has been formed and asked to submit report within seven days. 4Continued on | P8 offgrid SIR brings estranged sons, daughters in touch with family PTI BAREILLY The ongoing Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the electoral rolls in Uttar Pradesh's Bareilly has reopened long shut doors, nudging several people, estranged after love marriages, to call home again after years for their old voter details. Snehlata (40), a resident of Jogi Nawada, had severed ties with her parents 15 years ago, when she left with her partner Omkar Chaudhary. After her family lodged an FIR, she appeared before the court and gave a statement in favour of Chaudhary, following which she cut off all contact with her parents. During the ongoing SIR drive, officials asked her for her EPIC ID based on the 2003 voter list. Unable to recall the details, Snehlata finally dialled her parents after years of silence, seek- ing information from the old electoral roll. Deputy district election officer/additional district magistrate (finance and revenue) said such cases are surfacing frequently during the verification exercise. especially those linked to love marriages. However, the process remains smooth as all information is available on the Election Commission's website. If details are missing, applicants may opt for the third category in the SIR enumeration form. Booth Level Officers (BLOs) across the district have encountered several such cases, where women or men who left home after love marriages were compelled to get in touch with their parents again for voter list details. A woman hailing from Bulandshahr, Sulekha, and now known as Rihana after embracing Islam post-marriage to Faridpur resident Nawab Hasan, had not spoken to her parents for nearly a decade. 4Continued on | P8