20072020-TTB-01.qxd 19-07-2020 23:48 Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | jammu | srinagar | vol.140 no.200 | 12 pages | ~4.50 | regd.no.chd/0006/2018-2020 established in 1881 CHINA UNIVERSITY SACKS XI JINPING’S CRITIC WORLD /thetribunechd THE HARVEST OF COLLABORATION INFOCUS STOP DENYING FOREIGN POLICY FAILURES: CONG BACK PAGE /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com monday, july 20,2020 Cong mulls R’sthan House If elected, Biden will help India getUNSCpermanentseat:Aide session to checkmate rebels May issue whip for floor test| HC hearing on disqualification today Bhumi pujanby PM in Ayodhya on Aug 5 NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi is set to visit Ayodhya on August 5 to take part in the stone-laying ceremony for the Ram temple, sources say. The Shri Ram Jan- Some think building temple will eradicate Covid: Pawar mabhoomi Teerath Kshetra Trust had earlier sent an invite for August 3 and 5. Meanwhile, the trust has decided to increase the number of domes from three to five. — TNS First set of private trains from 2023 NEW DELHI: The first set of 12 pri- vate trains will be introduced from 2023, followed by 45 more the next fiscal, according to an initial timeline drawn by the Railways that plans to roll out all 151 such train services by 2027, officials said. The Railways earlier this month invited proposals from companies to run 151 modern passenger trains on 109 pairs of routes across the country. The project would entail a private sector investment of about Rs 30,000 crore. BACK PAGE Tribune News Service New Delhi, July 19 Ahead of the crucial court hearing tomorrow on Sachin Pilot and 18 other rebels’ petitions challenging the disqualification notices issued to them by the Rajasthan Speaker, the Congress today hinted at the possibility of convening a short Assembly session in the state this week. “We have absolute majority in the Rajasthan Assembly. We have 109 MLAs in a House of 200,” Congress leader Randeep Surjewala said when asked if the party’s government in Rajasthan had the numbers should there be a floor test. The Congress leader did not deny a plan to call an Assembly session in the state while saying that it was the prerogative of the state Cabinet to convene the session. Surjewala, however, claimed “absolute majority in the state”. The quick convening of the Rajasthan Assembly session could well be Congress’s strategy to checkmate Pilot, whose rebellion has unsettled the government led by Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. Congress leader Ajay Maken at a press conference in Jaipur on Sunday. PTI ‘CM GEHLOT TO TAKE CALL ON FLOOR TEST’ SHEKHAWAT MUST GO OVER TAPEGATE: CONG happen will be taken by CM Ashok Gehlot and the government. It is the CM’s discretion. Ajay Maken, CONG LEADER The Congress demanded the resignation of Gajendra Shekhawat from the Union Cabinet, saying he has no authority to continue when he is heard on audio clips that suggest a BJP conspiracy to topple the govt in Rajasthan. The ❝howdecision on when and the floor test will 109 MLAs WITH US: SURJEWALA We have absolute majority in the Rajasthan Assembly. We have 109 MLAs in a House of 200. The BJP leaders are now scared of a trust vote. Randeep Surjewala, CONG ❝ Gehlot yesterday met Rajasthan Governor Kalraj Mishra, although the Governor House clarified that the Global deaths top 6 lakh meeting was in respect of the state’s fight against Covid-19. The Assembly session plan is part of the Congress strate- gy should Pilot and 18 other rebel Congress MLAs manage a reprieve from the state High Court. The rebel camp is demanding that the disqualification notices issued to them under the anti-defection law should be quashed. The Speaker’s notices followed a Congress complaint that Pilot and Co. had “voluntarily given up the party’s membership” by defying its whip to attend two CLP meetings. Should the court grant relief to the rebels, the Congress, in an Assembly session, could issue a fresh whip calling for a floor test to prove the government’s strength in the House and secure itself for the next six months. “The Rajasthan government is well within its rights to call an Assembly session, issue a fresh whip to MLAs and even take a floor test. In such a case, all MLAs, including rebels, would have to honour the whip. If they do not, they can attract disqualification for defying the whip. Such an action would be independent of the matter before the Rajasthan High Court,” former Law Secretary PK Malhotra told The Tribune today. Delhi deluge Washington, July 19 Democratic presumptive presidential nominee Joe Biden, if elected to power in the November elections, will help shape international bodies like the United Nations so that India gets a permanent seat on the Security Council, a former top American diplomat has said. India has been pushing for reforms in the United Nations, including the Security Council, stating that its composition doesn’t reflect the current realities and is not representative enough. “There’s no question that under his (Biden) leadership, he would help shape international institutions like the UN to give India a (permanent) seat on the Security Council, he would fulfil its (India) status as a major defence partner,” former US Ambassador to India Richard Verma said on Saturday. The UNSC has 15 members, including five permanent members — the US, the UK, France, Russia and China. China is the only permanent member of the UNSC which is opposed to India’s inclusion into the powerful grouping. Half of the 10 nonpermanent members are elected every year for a twoyear term. India, along with Mexico and Ireland, has been TRIBUNE PHOTO: MANAS RANJAN BHUI India sees 38,902 cases in 24 hrs; recoveries up New Delhi, July 19 The number of people who have died around the world due to Covid-19 has crossed the 6-lakh mark as countries from the US to South Africa to India struggle to contain infections. Meanwhile, India’s Covid load rose to 10.77 lakh cases today after a record 24-hour spike of 38,902 cases with recoveries improving to 6,77,422. The national death rate due to the virus dropped below 2.5 per cent for the first time since the outbreak on January 30. As of today, as many as 29 states and UTs have Covid death rate below the national average of 2.5% with Ladakh, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Chandigarh and J&K figuring on the list. Punjab has dropped out of this list and reported a case fatality of 2.51%, making it one among COVID-19CASES INDIA COUNT RECOVERED 6,77,422 FRESH FATALITIES 543 TOTAL DEATHS 26,816 10,77,618 TOTAL RECOVERED DEATHS WORLD 1,44,96,956 86,61,802 6,06,483 the few states with a higher mortality rate than national. The national recovery rate is 62.86% as of today, witnessing a marginal decline from 63%. The death toll rose to 26,816. In the northern region, Ladakh leads with the lowest fatality rate of 0.09 per cent, followed by Himachal 0.75 per cent, Haryana 1.35 per cent, Chandigarh 1.71 per cent and J&K 1.79 per cent. — TNS CASE FATALITY RATE 2.49% The AIIMS, New Delhi, will begin the human trials (phase-I) for ICMR-Bharat Biotech’s indigenous Covid vaccine Covaxin from Monday. The institute has enrolled human subjects for the trial. FABIFLU UNDER SCANNER ■ The National Capital received its first spell of heavy rain, inundating low-lying areas and bringing traffic to a standstill on important road stretches on Sunday. Parts of the city received as high as 86 mm rain in under three hours. ■ The downpour led to the death of a man, allegedly due to drowning, after his mini-truck got submerged under the Minto Bridge. Firemen had to rescue stranded people on board a DTC bus that also got stuck under the bridge. ~300-crore heroin in 60 football FIRs under Sec 399, 402 nailing bladders seized from raging Ravi dacoity plotters show a pattern Ravi Dhaliwal Bhartesh Singh Thakur Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Dera Baba Nanak, July 19 Pakistan smugglers, taking advantage of the strong Ravicurrent, tried to push towards the Indian side Rs 300 crore worth of high-grade heroin stuffed in football bladders, but for alert Border Security Forces (BSF) personnel. Around 3 am, the BSF men at the Nangli Ghat picket noticed 60 multicoloured bladders tied together floating in the river. The bladders were covered with water hyacinth as a disguise and the smugglers were trying to control these using a 1,500m nylon rope. The BSF seized the heroin and was in the process of handing it over to the Narcotics Control Bureau sleuths. DIG (Gurdaspur sector) Rajesh Sharma said he received a call at 3.15 am of 10th Battal- Chandigarh, July 19 Sandeep, a resident of Raipur Rani in Panchkula, was framed along with five others under Sections 399 and 402 of the IPC for making preparation to commit a dacoity in 2015 and had to face a trial for one year. The police had claimed that they had overheard them planning the dacoity, which a Panchkula court declared “was not possible” as the accused were sitting in a dargah room. All got acquitted. “We all didn’t even know each other. We were picked up from different places,” Sandeep said, who is a construction labourer. Most of the FIRs filed under Section 399 and 402 for “making preparation for dacoity” across Haryana BIGGEST HAUL BY BORDER SECURITY FORCE Indubitably, this is the biggest seizure made by us so far. Investigations are on. Rajesh Sharma, BSF DIG (GURDASPUR SECTOR) ❝ ion personnel having “sighted unusual movement of some unidentified substance in the river”. He along with fellow officers reached the scene within half an hour. Sharma confirmed the consignment was being controlled from the other side of the International Border using a long rope. “The Ravi is in spate and smugglers were trying to take advantage of this,” he said. Batala SSP Opinderjit Singh Ghuman said they were trying to track down the intended recipients. ❝ Richard Verma, US EX-ENVOY recently elected a non-permanent member for a two-year term starting January 1, 2021. Verma said, “He (Biden) would work together with India to keep our citizens collectively safe. That means standing up against crossborder terrorism and standing with India when its neighbours attempt to change the status quo.” “There’s no BJPpicksDhankaras Hry chief to woo Jats Tribune News Service COVAXIN TRIALS BEGIN BSF officials with the seized consignment in Gurdaspur. PTI WITH DELHI ON TERROR He (Biden) will work together with India... against cross-border terrorism and stand with it when its neighbours try to change the status quo. Sushil Manav & Vibha Sharma The case fatality rate in India is progressively falling and currently it is 2.49%. Last week, it was 2.6%, the Health Ministry said on Sunday. Drug regulator has sought a clarification from Glenmark Pharma over "false claims" about the use of anti-viral FabiFlu on Covid patients with comorbidities and its "pricing", after a complaint from an MP. JOE BIDEN question president Biden would build a more inclusive, tolerant just and fair administration that would take USIndia relations to new heights,” Verma said. He urged the Indian-American community to make Biden’s dream of making India and the US the two closest nations in the world a reality. Verma, an IndianAmerican who was US ambassador to India from 2014 to 2017, joined three other prominent Indian-Americans to make a strong pitch for the small but highly influential community to support and vote for Biden in the US presidential elections. The 77-year-old former US vice-president is set to be formally nominated by the Democratic Party in August. He will challenge 74-year-old incumbent President Donald Trump, a Republican in the November 3 presidential elections. Verma, Biden Unity Task Force Economic Policy adviser Sonal Shah, former US surgeon general Vivek Murthy and Centre for American Progress Action Fund CEO Neera Tanden in their address to a virtual event claimed that over the past several decades, Biden had a proven track record of being the best friend of Indians and Indian-Americans. — PTI related report on back page IN MOST CASES, COPS ‘OVERHEAR THE PLOT’ COMPRISE FRACTION OF TOTAL DACOITIES: DGP Most FIRs under Sections 399 and 402, IPC, (plotting dacoity) across Haryana usually show the same pattern: cops overhearing the dacoity plan of the accused. “The cases under Sections 399 and 402 have come down from 28 in 2018 to 16 in 2019. These are not even onetenth of the dacoity cases. The acquittals are high as these incidents take place in the night and it is difficult to have independent witnesses,” says Haryana DGP Manoj Yadava VERDICTS TERM POLICE CLAIMS ‘UNBELIEVABLE’ Most trial courts have consistently declared that the “overhearing of dacoity plan was unbelievable”. usually show the same pattern: police personnel overhearing the accused’s dacoity plan. The trial courts have also consistently declared that the “overhearing of dacoity plan” was “unbelievable”. An RTI response in Ambala reveals that four cases were decided between 2016 and 2019, and all 23 accused were acquitted. In all cases, the police acted on “secret information” about continued on back page Chandigarh/NewDelhi, July19 Senior BJP leader Om Prakash Dhankar, who was Agriculture Minister in the ML Khattar government in 2014-2019, was today appointed BJP Haryana unit chief. A Jat, he replaces Subhash Barala, who too is from the community. BJP’s Jat leaders, including Dhankar and Barala, had lost their seats in the 2019 polls. Barala’s term had ended last year. Dhankar’s appointment is being viewed as an attempt by the saffron party to project its own Jat leader as influential as Deputy CM Dushyant Chautala, who heads the JJP . Also, keeping a balance between Jats and non-Jats with the CM from one caste and the party president from the other has been a practice in Haryana politics for long. Significantly, not only Dhankar comes from Haryana’s Jat heartland, the stronghold of former CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda, but has also served as national president of BJP’s Kisan Morcha. With his appointment, the BJP hopes to make inroads into the Jat vote bank. The appointment comes at a time when the BJP is preparing for the byelection Om Prakash Dhankar Capt Abhimanyu, Barala and Dhankar, all Jat leaders, were not considered for RS seat, causing anger to the Baroda Assembly seat, a part of the Jat heartland, which fell vacant after the death of Congress MLA Shri Krishan Hooda. “My heartiest congratulations to OP Dhankar,” tweeted CM Khattar, describing him as a dedicated party worker whose vast political experience would help further strengthen the state unit. Dhankar has also served as the national secretary of the BJP and as in-charge of the party’s HP affairs. Speaking to The Tribune, he thanked the party high command for reposing faith in him. IN BRIEF Cricket board GM Karim told to put in papers Himachal to be fruit bowl, ~100-cr project planned New Delhi: Close on the heels of the departure of Indian cricket board (BCCI) CEO Rahul Johri, its General Manager (Cricket Operations), Saba Karim, has been asked to resign. The former India wicket-keeper was appointed to the post in December 2017. The board’s top brass is reportedly not satisfied with his planning for domestic cricket. — Agencies Shimla: Himachal Pradesh could soon be the fruit bowl of the country. The state government is set to launch the HP Shiva Pilot Project worth ~100 crore that will connect 500 families with horticulture in four districts. The main project will start the next year with the involvement of 25,000 families in the first phase and a budget of ~1,000 crore. INSIDE