Vol. 67 No. 121 | MONDAY | FEBRUARY 19, 2024 | 23 Pages | `5 & for Pune `6 only Quality at Value www.freepressjournal.in EDITIONS: MUMBAI*, Pune, Nashik, Konkan, Indore, Bhopal, E-paper Modi rkar Prosperity of farmers M Sar ki k Guarantee MANISH TEWARI EXIT BUZZ, NOW T he buzz about disgruntled leaders within the Congress crossing over to the BJP seems to have acquired a life of its own. The latest leader who is supposedly itching to change gears and switch lanes is Congress MP Manish Tewari. However, his office responded with alacrity to the buzz in political corridors, dismissing it was "baseless" and "unfounded." The clarification came after sources earlier stated that the Congress MP was in touch with the BJP and planning to contest from the Ludhiana Lok Sabha seat in Punjab on the saffron party's symbol. The buzz came even as speculations are rife that former Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Kamal Nath, along with his son Nakul, and other MPs may join the BJP ahead of this year's Lok Sabha polls. Nath is believed to be lobbying for a RS ticket. Nath was until recently the chief of the Congress's Madhya Pradesh unit; Jitu Patwari replaced him, following the party's dismal performance in the state assembly polls last year. ODISHA CM BEST, YOGI COMES 2ND T ripura Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha is the fifth in India in terms of popularity ratings among the Chief Ministers, according to a recent survey aimed at gauging the acceptability of the leaders. The survey aimed at gauging the popularity and acceptability of the country's chief ministers, unveiled some intriguing results. According to the survey, Odisha's Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik topped the list with a remarkable popularity rating of 52.7 percent. Uttar Pradesh's Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath secured the second position with a 51.3 percent popularity rating. The third spot is held by Assam's Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who garnered a 48.6 percent rating, while the fourth position is occupied by Gujarat's Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, with a 42.6% score. Scan for more information VISHWA PM CATASTROPHE ‘‘Ayega toh Modi hi,” PM says foreign invites for July-September show their belief in his return GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR NEW DELHI Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday exuded confidence that his government would return to power for a record straight third term and added that invitations being received by it from foreign countries for July August and , September are testimony to this growing belief. “What does it signify? It means just one thing -- that other countries also know for sure that BJP government will return to power. They also know that 'Aayega toh Modi hi'...,” he said at the valedictory session of BJP National Council 2024 meet at Bharat Mandapam here. Modi, who used similar speeches during the party’s national council meets in Delhi in 2014 and 2019 to set the agenda for the Lok Sabha polls then, today urged the party cadre to gear up for the elec- tions and reach out to every new voter, every beneficiary of government schemes and every community over the next 100 days. The PM said he was not asking for a third term to enjoy the fruits of power. “I am living for the future of poor children and the dreams of crores of women, poor and youth are Modi’s resolve,” he said to a thunderous applause from nearly 11,500 delegates in attendance. Modi then added that if he had only thought of his home, then “it would not have been possible to build homes for crores of people.” Laying down the roadmap for the future, he said, in the years to come, the “country's dream and resolve will get bigger”. Noting that the nation is filled with “energy of the youth”, Modi said it was essential to “set the goals higher today”. Modi said a large number of “green jobs” would soon emerge and declared that India would be “reducing its dependence on foreign countries”. CONTD. ON NATION SHAILENDRA PALKAR POLADPUR palace in Pachad. But over the next three centuries, the memorial suffered neglect and fell into disrepair. The protective wall around the memorial was damaged and the structure itself suffered degradation. Shrimant Malojiraje, also known as Nanasaheb Nimbalkar, and Laxmidevi Rani PUNJAB: AAP, CONG AGREE TO DISAGREE DELHI SEATS STILL ON THE MENU: KEJRIWAL GAURAV VIVEK BHATNAGAR / NEW DELHI Seat-sharing talks between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for the Lok Sabha elections received a fillip on Sunday when AAP national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the two parties had “mutually agreed” to contest the polls in Punjab separately and there was no hostility between them over the issue. AAP was still engaged in talks with the Congress on sharing of seats in Delhi, Kejriwal said following lunch at Congress leader Abhishek Manu Singhvi’s residence. The two parties are “in talks over an alliance in Delhi” and are discussing the “seatsharing arrangements”, he said. There is realisation in both the parties that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) “will have it easy if there is no alliance (between Congress and AAP)”, Kejriwal pointed out. The statement assumes significance as the BJP had won all the seven Lok Sabha seats of Delhi in 2014 and 2019 and had got more than 50 per cent votes in five of the seats and over 60 per cent votes in two, in the last election. CONTD. ON NATION Saheb, the rulers of Phaltan, undertook the restoration of the Samadhi site in 1944. After the completion of the work, a boundary wall was erected around the area. Subsequently the forest department , planted trees in the surrounding area, transforming it into a beautiful garden. CONTD. ON NATION CGH mayor quits ahead of SC hearing FPJ NEWS DESK / CHANDIGARH Newly elected Chandigarh Mayor Manoj Sonkar has resigned ahead of a Supreme Court hearing on Monday . The Supreme Court had observed in its previous hearing that what happened during the Chandigarh mayor election was a “mockery of democracy” and they “we will not allow democracy to be murdered like this”. A three-judge bench presided over by Chief Justice of India D Y Chandrachud had also asked the presiding officer to appear on the next hearing date, February 19. It was alleged by the Opposition that Sonkar had won after the returning officer Masih scribbled on ballot papers and invalidated eight votes of the Congress-AAP combine. CONTD. ON NATION LAST WORD Himalayan glaciers face black carbon threat BISWAJEET BANERJEE / DEHRADUN There is a troubling increase in black carbon concentrations in glaciers thatare crucial water sources for the Alaknanda River, according to researchers from the Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna (HNB) Garhwal University . The researchers found fluctuating levels of black carbon in the Satopanth and Bhagirath-Kharak glaciers in the Central Himalayas, with the levels being drastically high during May-June and September-October. The study revealed black carbon concentrations ranging from 12 nanograms per cubic meter to 439 nanograms per cubic meter hourly The peak concentration . was observed in June (230.96 ± 85.46 HARIDEV PUSHPARAJ / MUMBAI It was a Super Sunday for Indian cricket fans as England was handed over a ‘catastrophic’ defeat by a resounding 434 runs – on what was the flattest surface in the series so far. England's pathetic first innings gave India an overwhelming lead that required a run chase of 557. Mark Wood was England's highest scorer as the No.10 order batsman put on 33 runs before being caught. Meanwhile, the rest of his team-mates came unstuck with Ben Duckett dis- missed for four runs, Joe Root for seven, Ollie Pope on three, Johnny Bairstow on four and Ben Stokes just 15 runs. The margin of victory was India’s biggest in Test cricket and the eighth biggest in Test cricket, underscoring India’s dominance led by the double centurion Yashasvi Jaiswal and the wily Ravindra Jadeja with his five-wicket haul. The victory was a result of all-round efforts put in by the likes of skipper Rohit Sharma and Jadeja, who slammed fine hundreds in the first innings and the timely fourwicket haul of Mohammad RELOOK SOON AT Internet suspended ONION EXPORT BAN in 6 Punjab districts 10 years on, stolen statue of Rajmata Jijabai yet to be found A statue stolen from Pachad on August 9, 2013, believed to be that of Rajmata Jijabai, mother of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, has still not been recovered, and this is fuelling resentment in the followers of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The governments at both the state and Centre often invoke the name of Shivaji Maharaj but have failed to locate the missing statue. Rajmata Jijabai passed away on June 7, 1674. Following her demise, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj had set up a memorial for her at their cbc 22 2201/13/0277/2324 Viksit Bharat BULLETIN Government of india 1 lakh 25 thousand PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras developed as one stop shop; Farmers are getting modern facilities and information close to home Hamara Sankalp p THE FP HAPPY CHHATRAPATI SHIVAJI MAHARAJ JAYANTI Black carbon found deposited in snow in Himalaya nanograms per cubic meter), while the lowest occurred in August (118.02 ± 71.63 nanograms per cubic meter). Black carbon aerosols, characterized by their absorption potential, have the capacity to absorb visible-infrared solar radiation, consequently heating the surrounding environment. This poses a significant threat as its global warming potential is second to carbon dioxide. As such, the high concentrations of black carbon in the glaciers is a growing concern, particularly in the environmentally fragile Himalayan region. Human activity including forest , fires and increased diesel vehicle transportation, significantly contribute to black carbon accumulation in glaciers. There is an urgent need to address black carbon’s impact on natural resources and dependent ecosystems, according to Assistant Professor Dr Alok Sagar Gautam and his team at HNB CONTD. ON NATION Garhwal University . FPJ NEWS SERVICE / MUMBAI Maharashtra Revenue Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil said on Sunday that the Centre has assured it would reconsider lifting the ban on onion exports. He held out the assurance as proof that the Central government has always stood firmly behind the farmers. Two days ago, Vikhe Patil and his son, Ahmednagar MP Sujay Vikhe-Patil met Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah, with a request to seriously consider the demand of onion producers in the state. They had drawn the attention of the Centre to the displeasure of onion producers and the economic losses suffered by the farmers on account of the export ban. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, through Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, were following up on the Central government’s reconsideration of the ban on onion exports, VikhePatil said. Further, having taken into account the senti- RAJESH MOUDGIL CHANDIGARH The Centre on Sunday suspended internet services in six districts of Punjab till February 24 in view of the farmers’ protest and the talks between farmer leaders and Union ministers on Sunday , even as farmer unions and khaps of Haryana supporting the ongoing “Delhi Chalo” march of the farmers on Sunday said that they would hold a meeting on Monday to work out their future course of action. Internet services were suspended in Patiala, Fatehgarh Sahib, Mansa, Sangrur, Muktsar and Bathinda ahead of the fourth round of talks between farmers and Union ministers which was scheduled to be held later on Sunday evening. CONTD. ON NATION