Vol. 67 No. 112 | THURSDAY | FEBRUARY 8, 2024 | 25 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Quality at Value www.freepressjournal.in EDITIONS: MUMBAI*, Pune, Nashik, Konkan, Indore, Bhopal, E-paper Modi Sar ki rkar uaran ntee THE FP BULLETIN FOREVER WITH NDA: CM NITISH EDIT I am so grateful for everyone who thought of me for the lead role INDIA TO OVERTAKE CHINA AS OIL DEMAND GROWTH CENTRE IN 2027 PAWAR VS PAWAR GOES TO COURT Construction of National Highways at an unprecedented pace fter forming a new dispensation with the BJP last month, Chief Minister and JD (U) president Nitish Kumar on Wednesday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the first time and asserted that he would not leave NDA any more. Besides PM, Nitish also met Union Home Minister Amit Shah and BJP president J P Nadda in New Delhi. Nitish told newspersons that he would never ‘go anywhere’ now and would remain in NDA forever. He said that the JD (U) had an alliance with BJP since 1995 and was with the party when veteran party leader Atal Bihari Vajpayee was there. “Barring two occasions, my party has a continuous relationship with BJP he remarked while ,” obliquely referring to forming governments in the state with the grand alliance in 2015 and subsequently in 2022. When asked about seat sharing for the upcoming Lok Sabha election, Nitish said that these were not occasions to discuss seat sharing with them. “They (BJP) are aware of everything,” he remarked, while dropping hints that seat-sharing exercise between BJP and JD (U) might not be a difficult proposition. Later, PMO also released photographs of the meeting between Nitish and Modi. PAK VOTES TODAY, NAWAZ UP FRONT P akistanis will vote on Thursday to elect a new government to rule the cashstrapped country. The vote comes against the backdrop of a spree of violence, including deadly two blasts, on the eve of the general elections in which the front-runner Nawaz Sharif is believed to have the backing of the powerful military. With former prime minister Imran Khan in jail, Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) is tipped to emerge as the single largest party in the elections. MIGRANT SIKH WORKER SLAIN A migrant worker was shot dead and another was injured by terrorists in Srinagar on Wednesday. The victim, Amritpal Singh, was a resident of Amritsar in Punjab. The details of the other injured are not known yet. Amritpal was reportedly a hawker, sources said. Earlier, in October, a migrant worker from Uttar Pradesh was shot dead by terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama. In an address to the Uttar Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday Chief Minister Yogi , Adityanath dropped hints regarding the ancient cities of Kashi and Mathura, drawing parallels to the recent developments in Ayodhya indicating a potential shift in focus towards the disputed sites of Gyanvapi in Kashi and Shahi Idgah in Mathura. Referencing the epic Mahabharata, Adityanath evoked the narrative where Lord Krishna, in his quest for peace, sought only five villages from the Kauravas. Drawing a parallel, Adityanath highlighted the current Hindu society's aspirations, emphasizing the importance of Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura as the three centers of their faith. “They asked for five villages and we are In last 10 years, National Highway network expanded from 91 thousand kms to 1 lakh 46 thousand kms asking for just three centers of our Faith,” Yogi said. Addressing the opposition, Adityanath questioned their stance on hindering the development of these sacred cities. He pointed out the injustices faced by Ayodhya, Kashi, and Mathura under previous administrations, likening them to the adversities encountered by the Pandavas in the Mahabharata. Expressing satisfaction over the recent establishment of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, Adityanath emphasized the significance of fulfilling commitments and taking tangible actions. "We do not only talk. We walk the talk”. This sentiment underscores the determination of his administration to translate promises into tangible results for the benefit of the people. CONTD. ON NATION Makes out a case that Congress has an aversion for reservation in jobs GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR / NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday accused the Congress of being against any form of reservation and quoted from a letter written by Jawaharlal Nehru in which he had written, “I dislike any kind of reservation”. Giving his reply in the Rajya Sabha to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s address, Modi asked if Nehru really detested reservation. Reading from a letter written by Nehru on June 27, 1961, Modi quoted India’s first Prime Minister thus: “I do not like reservation in any form. Especially reservation in jobs; I am against any such step that promotes inefficiency and takes us toward mediocrity .” Using his reply to attack the Opposition, and especially the Congress, Modi, while referring to the caste census demand of the Congress, said Nehru’s letter “shows that Congress has always been against reservation. Nehruji used to say that if SC/ST/OBCs got quotas in jobs, then the standard of government work would fall.” He insisted that the Congress never provided proper reservation to the OBCs. Earlier, Modi had replied to the Motion of Thanks to the President's address in the Lok Sabha on Monday . In that speech, Modi had stated that he is confident that the NDA will cross 400 seats, of which the BJP share be 370 seats. Modi also accused those close to the Congress of insulting B.R. Ambedkar. He made a reference to Sam Pitroda’s tweet of an article by political activist Sudheendra Kulkarni in which he had written that more than Ambedkar, it was Nehru who had contributed to the Constitution. “ `margdarshak’ (guide) of A theirs in America known for his `hua toh hua’ remark had recently insulted Babasaheb Ambedkar,” the Prime Minister said. Ambedkar, Modi pointed out, got a Bharat Ratna only when a BJP government had come to power. Referring to China, Modi also charged that the Congress had ceded land to the enemy If this was not . enough, the party was now trying to create a “north-south divide” and lecturing us on democracy and federalism! The PM said people were watching everything closely He reminded the . Congress that Mamata Banerjee, leader of its ally Trinamool Congress, had herself recently said that the Congress may not cross even 40 seats. CONTD. ON NATION GAMING ADDICTION: PUBLIC HEALTH DEPT UPS ITS GAME A ddiction has gone digital – with gaming addiction on the rise, causing health issues and affecting mental health, the public health department of Maharashtra will soon be signing a memorandum of understanding with the E-Gaming Federation, to create awareness about the pros and cons of this habit, affecting one’s daily life along with health. Maharashtra ranks second after Uttar Pradesh in the on- line gaming industry with 14 , per cent of overall internet usage in the country There . are more than 70 crore digital users, of whom 61 per cent are always active, while 15 per cent of the usage is for Facebook. “There is no age limit or restrictions on playing online games and addiction to such games has increased over the years. Considering all the aspects, we have decided to create awareness with the help of the gaming federation. CONTD. ON NATION Government of India Kejriwal ‘bound to comply’ Fishing vessel ‘intrusion’ is similar to that on 26/11 DHARMESH THAKKAR / MUMBAI T he three Tamil fishermen detained by Mumbai Police for illegal entry into Mumbai Harbour on a Kuwaiti fishing trawler, Abdullah Sharif, on Tuesday , were charged under the Passport Act and produced in the metropolitan magistrate court and remanded in police custody till Saturday The intrusion of the foreign fish. ing vessel without detection, similar to 26/11 Mumbai Terror attacks, has raised major security concerns of lapses in monitoring the seas for unidentified vessels entering Mumbai Harbour. The 30-metre long Arab fishing trawler was at sea for 10 days, carrying on board three Indian crew escaping from their employer in Kuwait, using GPS to reach Mumbai. The fishing vessel traversed the IranKuwait territorial waters to cross Saudi Arabia and was briefly detained by the Qatar Marine Police for a few hours, then released to continue their voyage to Dubai and into Indian waters towards Mumbai. CONTD. ON NATION CAN THE MARATHA STRONGMAN TURN THE CLOCK BACK? ONLINE REPORT / NEW DELHI A Delhi court on Wednesday issued summons to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on a plea by Enforcement Directorate which had moved the court alleging that the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader was not complying with the central agency's summons in the Delhi excise policy scam case. Even as she issued the order, the court on Wednesday said that Kejriwal was legally bound to present himself before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) pursuant to the summons issued by the investigating agency . Kejriwal had chosen not to appear before the central agency despite issuance of five summons to him on different dates in connection with the probe into the alleged scam. CONTD. ON NATION ‘Sharadchandra’ for Banyan tree NCP insiders and those close to Sharad Pawar say the NCP patriarch plans to fight the battle over his political inheritance at three levels. Firstly on the legal front, , by taking the matter to the Supreme Court and challenging the EC's decision; Secondly in various cooperative sec, tor entities, mainly in West- First Indian pace bowler to top ICC rankings in all formats of the game – T20, ODI and Test MILESTONE: THREE IN ONE JOE WILLIAMS / MUMBAI I n a ground-breaking achievement, Jasprit Bumrah has etched his name in history by securing the top spot in the latest ICC rankings across all three formats as a bowler. He is, in fact, the first pace bowler to achieve such a milestone. The journey to the FOOTPATHS FOR ALL URVI MAHAJANI / MUMBAI T he Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation informed the Bombay High Court on Wednesday that within three months, it would rectify discrepancies in the the distance between bollards on footpaths; it is this which makes footpaths inaccessible to the differently abled and wheelchair-bound senior citizens. The court was hearing a suo moto (on its own) cognisance it took after it received an email from wheelchair-bound Karan Shah, 25, highlighting the inaccessibility of footpaths by people similarly placed as him, due to closely placed bollards. CONTD. ON NATION ern Maharashtra, his own turf; and, thirdly by holding a , series of rallies and public meetings in the run up to the 2024 general elections. The EC on Wednesday gave indications that Sharad Pawar's party may be given the name "Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar". This has been forwarded by his team as a "preferred name." CONTD. ON NATION ROHIT CHANDAVARKAR MUMBAI Amongst his compatriots, spin trio Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Bishan Singh Bedi held this position summit was propelled by Bumrah's exceptional performance in the recently-concluded second Test against England in Vishakhapatnam. His remarkable nine-wicket haul, including a crucial sixwicket blitz in the first innings, played a pivotal role in India's victory . Despite a loss in the open- ing Test in Hyderabad, Bumrah showcased his prowess with six wickets. This outstanding display not only earned Bumrah the Player of the Match award but also catapulted him three places up in the bowling rankings, surpassing his teammate Ravichandran Ashwin at the summit. CONTD. ON NATION Yet another attack YOSHITA SINGH / NEW YORK I n a series of back-to-back disturbing incidents since Sunday an Indian doctoral , candidate was found dead at Purdue University in Indiana while another Indian IT student was brutally attacked near his house in Chicago. The incidents were the sixth in the US in 2024 alone. Sameer Kamath, 23, a doctoral candidate in mechanical engineering, was found dead in Warren County on Monday at a nature preserve. After his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Massachusetts, Kamath had come to Purdue in the summer of 2021; he was slated to graduate from the doctoral programme in 2025. In the second incident, Indian IT student Syed Mazahir Ali was chased and brutally attacked by unidentified men near his house in Chicago. CONTD. ON NATION LAST WORD TAILPIECE SWAPNIL MISHRA / MUMBAI Sunrise : 07:11 am Sunset : 06:35 pm Scan for mor information re REFERENCING THE EPIC MAHABHARATA, WHERE LORD KRISHNA, IN HIS QUEST FOR PEACE, SOUGHT ONLY FIVE VILLAGES FROM THE KAURAVAS, YOGI SAID, “THEY ASKED FOR FIVE VILLAGES AND WE ARE ASKING FOR JUST THREE CENTRES OF OUR FAITH.” Modi fires quota salvo from Nehru’s shoulder 0 Viksit Bharat HOW LONG WILL NANDI STARE AT A MOSQUE? BISWAJEET BANERJEE / LUCKNOW 0 29 c. 24 c. Hamara San nkalp Yogi Adityanath looks beyond Ayodhya at Kashi and Mathura A Transportation and industry consumption in India will drive growth cbc 222 201/13/0255/2324 KUCH KHATTAA HO JAAY CREATING BUZZ ■ People in the 18-45 group are targeted by online gaming companies ■ 70 per cent of them own smartphones ■ Youth will be surveyed, online & offline ■ The survey will have 10 to 15 questions on online gaming ■ Social and electronic media and newspapers will be used to increase the scope of the activity Flying solo: 16 MU colleges given autonomy MUSAB QAZI / MUMBAI At least 16 colleges affiliated to the University of Mumbai (MU) have been granted autonomy by the University Grants Commission (UGC) in the last eight months, taking the tally of the varsity’s autonomous colleges beyond 70. The list includes four engineering colleges, while the rest are traditional arts-science-commerce institutes. Except for a college in Ratnagiri and another in Sindhudurg, most of these institutes are located in the Mumbai Metropolitan Region (MMR). Autonomy which is initially , granted for a period of ten academic years, enables colleges to start new courses, design their curricula and form admission policies. The state and the Centre have been encour- aging colleges to seek autonomy to ease the burden on pub, lic universities and afford more flexibility and options to students, as envisaged by the National Education Policy (2020). “Though we are a commerce college, we want to incorporate some science, technology engineering and maths , (STEM) courses in our curriculum. We also want to increase our tie-ups with other institutes,” said Principal Vijayta Shetty of the Vivek College of Commerce at Goregaon, which became autonomous last month. CONTD. ON NATION SOME OF THE COLLEGES n Swamy College of Commerce & Economics and Smt Thirumalai College of Science, Wadala (Mumbai) n R P Gogate College Of Arts And Science & R V Jogalekar College Of Commerce, Ratnagiri n SIES (Nerul) College Of Arts, Science & Commerce, Nerul (Navi Mumbai) n Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Technology, Chembur (Mumbai) n Shri Pancham Khemraj Mahavidyalaya, Sawantwadi (Sindhudurg) n Usha Pravin Gandhi College of Arts, Science and Commerce, Vile Parle (Mumbai) n M L Dahanukar College of Commerce, Vile Parle (Mumbai) n Shah and Anchor Kutchhi Engineering College, Chembur (Mumbai) n Smt Parmeshwaridevi Durgadutt Tibrewala Lions Juhu College of Arts, Commerce & Science, Andheri (Mumbai)