Monday, December 22, 2025 | Vol. 69 No. 66 | 27 Pages Reg.No MCS/048/2021-23; RNI No. 1541/1957 M.p.c.s office Mumbai. PIN 400001 THE FREE PRESS JOURNAL NATIONAL MATHEMATICS DAY INDIA EDITION | www.freepressjournal.in ● Leader in E-paper circulation NATION President Droupadi Murmu gives assent to VB-G RAM-G Bill that replaces MGNREGA GAMES Cinema A roundup of 2025’s most talked-about weddings India falter against Minhas and Pakistan pacers to lose Under-19 Asia Cup final Edit Five unfounded fears of 2025 since tariffs were imposed MAHA SWEEP | Ruling alliance dominates in 207 out of 288 bodies with BJP winning in 117, oppn MVA securing only 44 PTI Mahayuti steamrolls in local body polls Kalpesh Mhamunkar MUMBAI r Joseph Pereira has built the Kripa Foundation into a global model for addiction recovery. Turn to the Mumbai page to find out how. SEE MUMBAI F Briefs On IAF copter to Raj, tigress caught in MP Seoni: A tigress that had been eluding the authorities of Pench Reserve in Madhya Pradesh's Seoni for the last 24 days was finally captured and successfully airlifted to Rajasthan in an IAF MI-17 helicopter on Sunday, officials said. After being surrounded by elephants several times from morning to afternoon, the tigress was tranquilized and brought to Sukatra airstrip here in a rescue vehicle. The helicopter airlifted the tigress, along with the cage, to Rajasthan's Vishdhari Tiger Reserve at around 6 pm. Riding on the momentum of its Assembly election victory, the ruling Mahayuti on Sunday delivered a commanding performance in the municipal council and nagar panchayat elections in Maharashtra, with BJP emerging as the single-largest party by a wide margin. As counting of votes for elections to 242 municipal councils and 46 nagar panchayats — held in two phases on December 2 and December 20 — began on Sunday, results reflected a decisive mandate in favour of Mahayuti, comprising BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led NCP. According to final figures shared by SEC late in the night, the Mahayuti alliance swept the elections to 288 municipal councils and nagar panchayats by winning 207 posts of presidents of local bodie, restricting the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi to a collective tally of 44. According to SEC, BJP won MAHAYUTI BJP 53 NCP 37 MAHA VIKAS AGHADI Congress 28 Shiv Sena (UBT) 9 NCP(SP) 7 OTHERS 37 It is a team effort — organisation and government. We fought the polls on the development plank BJP set the machines in same way as it happened in assembly polls. They should have at least changed the number of seats they won CM Devendra Fadnavis, (BJP) Sanjay Raut, (SS-UBT) 117 posts of municipal presidents, Shiv Sena won 53, and NCP won 37 posts. Congress bagged 28, NCP(SP) seven, and Shiv Sena (UBT) nine. The parties registered with SEC bagged four seats, while 28 seats of municipal presidents went to unrecognised registered parties. Five seats were won by Independents. In Assam, Modi hits Cong with immigrant jab PM Modi visits Swahid Smarak Kshetra, the memorial to honour martyrs of the Assam agitation against illegal immigrants, in Guwahati on Sunday. – ANI FPJ News Service GUWAHATI PM Narendra Modi on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Congress, accusing it of engaging in "anti-national" activities and helping illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam. Addressing a public rally after unveiling a Rs 10,601crore fertiliser plant at Namrup in Assam's Dibrugarh district on the last day of his two-day visit to the state, the PM accused the opposition party of objecting to the revision of voter list due to its only aim of grabbing power. 117 Shiv Sena Singer faces ‘secular’ song harassment Kolkata: Popular Bengali singer Lagnajita Chakraborty has alleged that she was harassed during a musical programme held at a private school in West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district, leading to the arrest of one of the event organisers. Purba Medinipur SP Mitun Dey said Mehbub Mallik, a co-owner of the school where the event was held, was arrested based on the singer's written complaint. "After rendering several songs, I began singing 'Jago Maa'. At that point, objections were raised by one of the organisers, Mehbub Mallik, who insisted that only 'secular songs' should be performed," she said. It triggered a political row, with BJP’s Shankudeb Panda alleging that Mallik is a TMC worker. SCOREBOARD Congress is indulging in antinational activities. They want illegal Bangladeshi immigrants to settle in Assam... They only want to strengthen their vote bank Narendra Modi Prime Minister of India 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | Money The results underline BJP’s position as the “big brother” within the Mahayuti alliance. The BJP alone has won 117 municipal president posts, followed by Shiv Sena with 53 and NCP with 37. In Vidarbha, which has 100 municipal councils, BJP registered a strong performance by winning 58 municipal president posts. The Congress followed with 23 victories, while Shiv Sena won eight, NCP seven and others four. Notably, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP(SP) failed to win a single municipal president post across Vidarbha. 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | Mumbai MISLEADING PROPAGANDA: MEA India, B’desh spar over Delhi mission protest Agencies NEW DELHI India on Sunday trashed as "misleading propaganda" media reports in Bangladesh that a demonstration outside Bangladesh's mission in New Delhi against the killing of a Hindu man in that country attempted to create a security situation. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said about 20-25 youths gathered in front of the Bangladesh high commission on Saturday and raised slogans in protest against the "horrendous killing" of Dipu Chandra Das in Bangladesh's Mymensingh. Certain reports in Bangladeshi media claimed that the protesting youths tried to breach the security of the high commission premises. "We have noted misleading propaganda in sections of the Bangladesh media on the incident," MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. He said there was "no attempt to breach the fence or create a security situation" at any time. "The police stationed at the spot dispersed the group after a few minutes. Visual evidence of these events is available publicly for all to see. India is committed to ensuring the Another Hindu attacked? Days after the killing of Dipu Chandra Das in Mymensingh, another incident involving an attack on a Hindu individual has been reported in Bangladesh. According to media reports, rickshaw puller Gobinda Biswas was assaulted by a mob in Jhenaidah after rumours swirled that he was linked to Indian intelligence agencies. He was then handed over to the police. The officer-incharge of Jhenaidah Sadar police station confirmed Biswas’s detention and said the allegations against him were being probed. safety of foreign missions and posts in its territory in accordance with the Vienna convention," he added. Responding to Jaiswal's remarks, Bangladeh's Foreign Affairs Adviser Touhid Hossain alleged in Dhaka that protesters from an “extremist organisation” were allowed to reach the Bangladesh mission. “We completely reject what has been said in the Indian press note,” Touhid said. “The issue is not as simple as it has been presented," he was quoted as saying in the Bangladeshi media. He questioned how a group of 25 or 30 people from an “extremist organisation” could gain access to such a highly “sanitised” zone. 4Contd on | Nation 4See also | World RAIL TICKETS TO COST JUST A TAD MORE: UP TO 2P/KM RSS: Centre must address infiltration in Bengal Agencies Kamal Mishra KOLKATA MUMBAI RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said unrest and infiltration from Bangladesh are affecting West Bengal, asserting that it is for the Central government to take up these issues. Replying to a query by West Bengal Assembly Leader of Opposition Suvendu Adhikari on "increasing Islamic fundamentalism" in the state, Bhagwat said, "It is for the government to decide whom they will allow into India from Bangladesh. There has to be a control on who will be allowed to come." He was speaking at a programme marking the centenary of RSS. On Hindus in Bangladesh, he said, "To ensure maximum security for themselves, they have to remain united." "All the Hindus from across the world, including us, have to provide help to them," the RSS chief said. On West Bengal, he said, "If all Hindus stand together, it will not take time to change the situation in the state," while asserting that the RSS focuses on social change, not political change. vation Authority in the Sundarbans of West Bengal, Yadav also emphasised that "no relaxation has been granted" with regard to the protection of the Aravalli region and claimed "lies" have been spread on the issue. "Stop spreading misinformation!" he said in a post on X, amid allegations by the Congress and others that the step will destroy the Aravallis. The Railways on Sunday rationalised its passenger fare structure with effect from December 26, while keeping rates for suburban services and short-distance travel unaffected. There will be no increase in fares for suburban trains and monthly season tickets. Ordinary class fares for journeys up to 215km will also remain unchanged. For longer distances, ordinary class fares for journeys beyond 215km will increase by one paise per kilometre. Fares for Mail and Express trains in non-AC classes will rise by two paise per kilometre, while AC class fares will also see an increase of two paise per kilometre. According to Railway officials, the fare rationalisation is expected to generate additional revenue of around Rs 600 crore during the current financial year. For a 500 km journey in non-AC coaches, passengers will have to pay about Rs 10 more. Railway officials said the revision is aimed at meeting rising operational costs. 4Contd on | Nation 4Contd on | Nation 4Contd on | Nation Kashmir grooves to coldplay Tourists enjoy after a fresh spell of snowfall in Gulmarg on Sunday as cold wave gripped Kashmir. In Srinagar, 11 flights were cancelled due to weather conditions, while over 550 air services disrupted in New Delhi on account of fog. SEE P11 – ANI Govt plays down Aravalli fears Agencies DELHI/KOLKATA Asserting that 90% of the Aravalli region will remain "protected", the Centre on Sunday rejected claims that the new definition of the Aravalli range will allow large-scale mining and cited a Supreme Court-ordered freeze on new mining leases in the region. It said a Supreme Court-approved framework provides for stronger protection of the 'NO MINING PUSH' mountain system and places a freeze on new mining leases until a comprehensive management plan is finalised. Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said the SC-approved definition will bring more than 90% of the Aravalli region under "protected area." Replying to queries after a meeting on Project Elephant and the National Tiger Conser- ’26 Trump card: Harsher crackdown 9 killed in South Africa pub shooting Agencies WASHINGTON US President Donald Trump is preparing for a more aggressive immigration crackdown in 2026 with billions in new funding, including by raiding more workplaces — even as backlash builds ahead of next year’s midterm elections. Trump has already surged immigration agents into major US cities, where they swept through neighbourhoods and clashed with residents. While federal agents this year conducted some high-profile raids on businesses, they largely avoided raiding farms, factories and other businesses that are economically important but known to employ immigrants without legal status, Reuters reported. ICE and Border Patrol will get $170 billion in additional funds through September 2029 — a huge surge of funding over their existing annual budgets of about $19 billion after the Republican-controlled Congress passed a massive spending package in July. Administration officials say they plan to hire thousands more agents, open new detention centers, pick up more immigrants in local jails and partner with outside companies to track down people without legal status. The expanded deportation plans come despite growing signs of political backlash ahead of next year’s midterm elections. 4Contd on | Nation Agencies JOHANNESBURG Nine people have died, and at least 10 others were wounded after a group of gunmen carried out a shooting at a South African pub during the early hours of Sunday, authorities said. The incident occurred just before 1am in the township of Bekkersdal, which is located 46 km west of Johannesburg. It is the second mass shooting to happen in South Africa in three weeks. About 12 unknown suspects in a white mini-bus and a silver sedan opened fire at pub pa- trons at KwaNoxolo tavern, in the Tambo section of Bekkersdal and continued to shoot randomly as they fled the scene, according to police. “Some victims were randomly shot in the streets by unknown gunmen,” the police said of the incident that left nine people dead and 10 hospitalised. Provincial police commissioner Maj Gen Fred Kekana told SABC television that one of the deceased was a driver from an online car-hailing service who had been outside the pub. A manhunt for the suspects in the multiple gunshot event has been initiated by Gauteng Serious and Violent Crime Investigations in collaboration with the Crime Detection Tracing Unit. There have been several mass shootings at bars -- sometimes called shebeens or taverns in South Africa -- in recent years, including a mass shooting carried out by multiple suspects in an unlicensed bar near the South African capital that left at least 12 people dead and 13 injured earlier this month. 4Contd on | Nation