visakhapatnam l monday l september 15, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION those involved in arson will be brought to book, says nepal pm Nepal PM Sushila Karki on Sunday said those involved in violence during the anti-government protests last week will be brought to justice martyr status for those dead in protests vows to end all forms of corruption Karki, 73, who assumed office at the newly built Home Ministry building at Singhdurbar Secretariat in Kathmandu at around 11 am, also announced that those killed during the ‘Gen Z’ protest will be declared ‘martyrs’ and provided one million Nepalese rupees. She said arson during the protests was ‘pre-planned’ and that the Gen-Z protesters weren’t involved to “end corruption” as she began work as interim PM, days after ‘Gen Z’ youth demonstrations ousted her predecessor K P Sharma Oli ■ The 73-year-old former chief justice has been tasked with restoring order and addressing protesters’ call for a corruption-free Nepal | P9 ■ Nepal’s new leader vowed on Sunday to follow protesters’ demands 72 is the revised death toll in the agitation that began last week CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ‘Demography Mission’ to thwart infiltrators RJD threatens Government will pre-empt any conspiracy to alter the demography in border regions through incursions, says Modi p r a s a n ta m a z u m d a r @ Guwahati PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Union government is in the process of launching a ‘Demography Mission’ to “thwart a conspiracy aimed at altering the demography of India’s border areas through infiltration.” “A conspiracy is at work to change the demography of border areas (near Bangladesh) with the help of infiltrators. This poses a grave threat to national security That’s why a na. tionwide Demography Mission is being launched,” Modi said at a rally at Mangaldoi in Assam’s Darrang district. He said the BJP gover nment’s goal is to save the people of the country from infiltrators and get rid of them. The PM asserted that India was emerging as one of the world’s fastestgrowing economies, and said that Assam’s growth rate was PM to visit Bihar’s Purnea today Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and others during inauguration of development works in Darrang, Assam, on Sunday | PTI 13 per cent. “This was achieved due to the efforts of the doubleengine government. The Centre and the state government are developing Assam as a health hub. The Northeast has a big role to play in achieving the ‘Viksit Bharat’ dream,” the PM said. Accusing the Congress of asia Cup: SKy and co overpower pakistan sPINNERS kULDEEP yADAV AND aXAR pATEL SHINE BEFORE SURYAKUMAR YADAV guides iNDIA HOME WITH SEVEN WICKETS IN HAND. A LOOK... Spinner Kuldeep Yadav celebrates a wicket with his teammates during the Asia Cup clash against Pakistan. He took three wickets, restricting Pakistan to 127/9 in 20 overs. In reply, skipper Suryakumar Yadav’s unbeaten 47 from 37 balls set up the seven-wicket win for the Men in Blue | AFP shielding and protecting infiltrators, PM Modi said, “Write it down. I will see how much strength you use to protect infiltrators and how we put our lives on the line to remove them. Let there be a contest. Those protecting the infiltrators will suffer.” Commending Assam Chief Patna: Months ahead of assembly elections in Bihar, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in Purnea district on Monday to address a rally and launch development projects worth `36,000 crore. He will inaugurate a newly developed airport terminal in Purnea too. PM Modi landed in Kolkata on Sunday night Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma for driving back infiltrators, Modi said, “Under Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, lakhs of bighas of land, grabbed by infiltrators, have been taken back. In Darrang, land in Gorukhuti was under the grip of infiltrators. The encroachment has been cleared.” The PM accused Congress of siding with terrorists groomed by Pakistan instead of supporting the Indian Army. “During ‘Operation 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,” PM Modi alleged. During his two-day visit to Assam, PM Modi inaugurated and laid the foundation stone for projects worth over `18,000 crore, comprising health and infra projects worth `6,300 crore in Mangaldai, and an ethanol plant and Petro Fluidised Catalytic Cracker Unit with a combined cost of `12,230 crore in Numaligarh. He also launched Darrang Medical College & Nursing College, Guwahati Ring Road and NarengiKur uwa bridg e over Brahmaputra. Jungle warfare school to come up in Red corridor M AYAN K S INGH @ New Delhi the government has decided to set up a ‘jungle warfare school’ at Karreguta Hills in Chattisgarh’s Bijapur district-once a stronghold of Maoists—to give specialised training to the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guard, Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), and other security forces. “Instructions have been passed and the preparations have already started,” multiple sources told this newspaper. The Centre will construct the training school, while the state government will build the approach road and provide other basic facilities, a Chhattisgarh government official said. Officials said the location is significant as Karregutta Hills was “once considered the secure stronghold of Naxals”. Karregutta was freed from Naxal control through a CRPF- led operation in April this year. The lessons drawn during the operation will serve to update the operational tactics. “The personnel of the CRPF carried out ‘cave intervention’ extensively So, it will be part of the . training,” sources said. Since the institute is being raised in the actual setting, the forces are expected to have a major positive effect on the training. Karregutta is a strategically unique and inaccessible terrain stretching over 60 km with widths ranging from 10-20 km. to contest all 243 seats in Bihar r a m a s h a n k a r @ Patna DIA bloc candidates would be fielded on all 243 seats and AMID the ongoing seat-shar- election would be fought uning talks within the Opposi- der Tejashwi’s leadership. “It tion INDIA bloc for the up- should not be read beyond coming Bihar assembly that,” Tiwari said, adding that elections, Rashtriya Janata INDIA bloc was intact. Dal (RJD) leader Tejashwi Seat sharing negotiations Prasad Yadav sparked contro- in INDIA bloc have got trickiversy by declaring that his er with the possible entry of party would contest all 243 Jharkhand chief minister Heseats. mant Soren’s Addressing a public Jharkhand Mukti gathering in MuzafMorcha (JMM) and farpur late on Saturformer union minisday evening, Tejashwi ter Pashupati Paras’s said, “We will return. Rashtriya Lok JanUnderstand this, You shakti Party (RLJP). all have to stay united, Launching a blisterand this time, Tejashing attack on the wi will contest elecstate’s NDA governtions on 243 seats. ment, Tejashwi at the We will return. Whether it is Kanti, Understand this, workers’ event said M u z a f f a r p u r, o r You all have to that businessmen Gaighat, Tejashwi stay united, and were being kidnapped will contest elections and killed daily in the this time, Tejashwi will from every place.” state, and corruption “This government, contest elections had reached its peak, on 243 seats which has been in with the poor being power for 20 years, exploited from local RJD leader which works to spread police stations to the Tejashwi Yadav communal violence, at a rally in Kanti in state headquarters. has to be ousted,” he Earlier this week, Muzaffarpur said. AICC in-charge of BiTejashwi’s remarks har Krishna Allavaru are being seen in political cir- suggested that RJD should cles as a pressure tactic at a show more flexibility in seattime when seat sharing talks sharing deal. Sources said within INDIA bloc are stuck. Congress wants to contest 70 However, RJD spokesperson seats that it fought in the 2020 Mritunjay Tiwari downplayed elections, while RJD is ready Tejashwi’s remarks, and said to offer it 52 seats. he meant to say that elections Among NDA allies, Jitan would be contested under his Ram Manjhi’s Hindustani (Tejashwi’s) leadership. “So, Awam Morcha (HAM) has he will contest all seats.” said it will contest 100 seats if Tejashwi’s remarks would it is not offered 15-20 seats in not impact the alliance as IN- the upcoming election. Tomato, Onion prices crash to historic lows Women-led development key to oversupply, low-quality produce due to recent rains, and reduced export demand to states like Karnataka, Telangana, and Maharashtra. Far mers, who invested `35,000-50,000 per acre across 6,500 hectares, are now selling at a loss or abandoning crops altogether. Ramanjaneyulu from Belagal mandal, who spent `1.5 lakh over four months, destroyed his tomato crop with a tractor, unable to justify transport costs. Another farmer from Devana- K M a d h u S u d h a k a r @ Kurnool Farmers in Kurnool district are grappling with a severe market slump as prices for tomatoes and onions have crashed to historic lows, forcing many to abandon their crops or dump them on roadsides in desperation. The crisis has left farmers, who invested heavily in cultivation, facing significant financial losses and emotional distress. At Pathikonda Market Yard, one of Andhra Pradesh’s largest tomato trading hubs, tomato prices have plummeted to `5-8 per kg in wholesale markets, down from `20 per kg last week. Market arrivals surged from 10 quintals in late August to 40 tonnes on Sunday, driven by Express read CM Naidu to chair Collectors’ Conference Vijayawada: CM Naidu chairs the 2-day 4th Collector’s Conference on Sept 15-16, reviewing progress, ensure accountability in public service delivery, and guide Collectors on effective implementation of govt schemes | P4 Low prices leave farmers disheartened at wholesale market: A tomato farmer throws his produce in despair after fetching a meagre price near Pathikonda wholesale market on Saturday | EXPRESS konda discarded his produce in a bin near Pathikonda market on Saturday lamenting, “We’re , watching our hard work rot.” Onion farmers are facing a similar plight, with wholesale prices at Kurnool Agricultural Market Yard dropping to `300 per quintal from Rs 2,000 last month. Daily arrivals exceeding 1,000 quintals, coupled with poor quality and lack of export demand, have flooded the market. Boya Ponnakallu Naidu from Guduru shared that his brother-in-law abandoned 75 quintals of onions last week due to no buyers, while he managed to sell at the state’s Minimum Support Price (MSP) of `1,200 per quintal. “It’s like clinging to a piece of wood while drowning-it’s not enough,” Naidu P4 said.  India’s Viksit Bharat Vision: Om Birla E xp r ess Ne w s S e r v i ce @ Tirupati Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla emphasised that women-led development, anchored in the empowerment of women and the welfare of children, is the foundation of India’s vision of Viksit Bharat by 2047. Speaker Birla stressed that respecting women has been a part of Indian tradition since ancient times. He noted women have played a crucial role in India’s spiritual and social movements. After inaugurating the first National Conference on Parliamentary and Legislative Committees for Women’s Empowerment, Speaker Birla addressed women legislators, saying, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla addresses the First National Women’s Empowerment Conference | Madhav K “Women were also pivotal in the freedom struggle. No country can develop without its participation.” Delivering the inaugural address, he emphasised, “Women have broken social barriers to participate in various move- ments. Our constitution has provisions specifically for them. It is due to the power of women that India has emerged as a key nation in the world.” Birla stated women’s leadership in India began centuries ago and is now flourishing across sectors like politics, science, technolog y, and the military . He highlighted that a woman from an Adivasi background currently holds the President position. He added that women’s empowerment is a continuous process and can’t be achieved in a day, which is why a law was passed for a 33% reservation for women in legislative P4 bodies.  FCRA renewal hopeful for RDT in days as Union Government reviews proposal C P V e n u g o pa l @ Anantapur The Union Ministry of Home Affairs has assured consideration for renewing the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) permission for The Rural Development Trust (RDT), with a positive outcome anticipated soon. Highly placed sources informed TNIE that the Home Ministry is actively pursuing the matter, and a positive decision is expected within a week or 10 days. A delegation of MPs from Anantapur, along with leaders from the state’s ruling coalition, met Home Minister Amit Shah to seek FCRA renewal for RDT, highlighting the trust’s decades-long contribution to rural development in the drought-prone region. The potential renewal brings hope for sustaining RDT’s transformative welfare programs in Anantapur. However, delays have raised concerns about the trust’s ability to pay salaries to its 691 healthcare professionals and other staff, risking operational disruptions. RDT’s initiatives support thousands in educa- tion, healthcare, and social empowerment. Annually RDT invests `30-40 , crore in education, providing scholarships to 360 highachieving government school students costing `3 crore and supporting 100-150 orphans and semi-orphans from Class 5 through postg raduate studies. Nearly 13,000 underprivileged students receive aid for professional courses, including B.Tech, MBBS, B.Pharmacy, BBA, and (link unavailable) Nursing, ensuring no eligible applicant is turned away  P4 .