DAILY FROM: AHMEDABAD, CHANDIGARH, DELHI, JAIPUR, KOLKATA, LUCKNOW, MUMBAI, NAGPUR, PUNE, VADODARA ● REG.NO. MCS/067/2018 - 20 RNI REGN. NO. 1543/57 JOURNALISM OF COURAGE THURSDAY, JANUARY 25, 2024, MUMBAI, LATE CITY, 18 PAGES `5.00 ● WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COM SINCE 1932 Modi Sarkar ki Guarantee CBC 22201/13/0211/2324 Government of India High speed internet connectivity in every corner of the country Scan for more information Hamara sankalp 5G network expansion in India is fastest in the world Viksit Bharat UNION CABINET RESOLUTION ON RAM TEMPLE INAUGURATION 86 114 140 Cabinet hails Modi: Country’s body got freedom in 1947, soul on Jan 22, 2024 Centuries-old dream fulfilled, spiritual satisfaction: Resolution 76 DIVYA A NEW DELHI, JANUARY 24 BUSINESS AS USUAL BY UNNY In Ayodhya on Wednesday. Vishal Srivastav REPORTS,PAGE9 CONGRATULATING PRIME Minister Narendra Modi on the consecration ceremony at the newRamtempleinAyodhya,the Union Cabinet adopted a resolution Wednesday stating that while “the body of the country attained independence” in 1947, the “Pran Pratishtha of its soul was done on January 22, 2024”, and“everyoneexperiencedspiritual satisfaction”. The resolution, read out by Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on behalf of the Cabinet, called the Wednesday meeting “historic… Cabinet of the Millennium” and said Modi had “fulfilledacenturies-olddream”, one that “Indian civilisation had dreamt for five centuries”. “The love you have received from the people has established you as a Jan Nayak. But, after the ushering in of the new era, you have also emerged as the pioneer of the new era,” it stated. Later, while briefing reporters on the decisions taken at the Cabinet meeting, Union Information and Broadcasting MinisterAnuragThakursaid,“At the beginning of the Union Cabinetmeeting,onbehalf of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 EC to law panel: Model Day after MBMC action in Mira Road, code is not a disruption BMC razes encroachments in city INSIDE RITIKA CHOPRA NEW DELHI, JANUARY 24 GYANVAPI: RIVAL PARTIES TO GET ASI SURVEY REPORT P9 RESPONDING TO a question by the Law Commission of India if periodicelectionsleadtoapolicy paralysis owing to the frequent imposition of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), the Election CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Simultaneous polls vs MCC IMPOSITION of the model code is cited as a reason for pause in development programmes. While EC has not opposed joint polls, it has also defended the code. NAYONIKA BOSE & PRATIP ACHARYA MUMBAI, JANUARY 24 A DAY after the Mira Bhayander Municipal Corporation (MBMC) razed encroachments from around 15 structures at Haidary Chowk in Mira Road in Thane district, the Brihanmumbai Mohammed Ali Road in Mumbai, where the BMC removed encroachments. Amit Chakravarty Celebrating India’s Republic Day We celebrate India’s history as the nation progresses to becoming Aatmanirbhar in aerospace and defence. MunicipalCorporation(BMC),in a similar exercise, on Wednesday razed encroachments from around 40 shops in Mohammed Ali Road in Mumbai. The MBMC carried out the demolition on Tuesday in the same area where clashes had broken out between two CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Opp hits Bengal wall: Mamata says no talks, will fight LS polls alone AAP will contest all seats in Punjab: Mann RAVIK BHATTACHARYA & KANCHAN VASDEV KOLKATA,CHANDIGARH,JAN24 THE SPUTTERING INDIA bloc took a damaging hit on Wednesdayas two partners said they were calling off seat-sharing talks. While seat discussions in both West Bengal and Punjab were expected to be tricky, the timingandwordingof thedeclaration by the Trinamool Congress and Aam Aadmi Party — days after the BJP's Ram Temple crowning moment, and CONTINUEDONPAGE2 Can’t imagine Opp bloc without Mamata: Cong MANOJ C G NEW DELHI, JANUARY 24 EXACTLY SEVEN months after theCongressandseveralregional parties came together in Patna and resolved to contest the Lok Sabha elections against the BJP unitedly, the Opposition grouping — christened INDIA later — CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 MAHARASHTRA: MID-DAY MEAL SCHEME Students’ ID cards to have green, red dots for veg, non-veg choices PALLAVI SMART MUMBAI, JANUARY 24 IDENTITY CARDS of children studying in government schools in Maharashtra will now have visiblegreenorreddots, indicating vegetarian or non-vegetar- ian food preferences of students, to facilitate the distribution of bananas (or any local fruit) or eggs under the Pradhan Mantri Poshan Shaktischeme. The state has asked school management committees to take required steps for the new arrangement. CONTINUED ON PAGE 2