28112020-TT-03.qxd 11/27/2020 11:14 PM Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.140 no.329 | 16 pages | ~6.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2018-2020 established in 1881  haryana WILL LEAVE WH IF BIDEN DECLARED WINNER, SAYS TRUMP WORLD /thetribunechd NITI AAYOG: MULLING FAME-LIKE SCHEME FOR INDIA ENGAGES WITH NEIGHBOURS TO CONSOLIDATE TIES BACK PAGE HYDROGEN-POWERED SYSTEMS BUSINESS /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com saturday, november 28,2020 Farmers enter Delhi after clashes Delhi Police hold talks with union leaders I Permit peaceful protest at Burari Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 27 After braving water cannons and clashing with security personnel, thousands of farmers entered the national Capital on Friday from Tikri border following permission by the Delhi Police to hold a peaceful protest at Nirankari Ground in Burari. The farmers, who were part of the “Delhi Chalo” march against the Centre’s recently enacted three farm laws, were escorted by police personnel as they started entering the city around 3 pm. Delhi Police PRO Eish Singhal said: “The farmers were allowed entry into Delhi following talks between the authorities and union leaders. We appeal the farmers to maintain peace.” Earlier carrying flags and shouting slogans, thousands of farmers gathered at various entry points to the Capital in a determined bid to push their way through as part of their march. Clashes broke out at multiple places and Delhi’s borders resembled a virtual battle zone with restless crowds of farmers, mostly from Pun- IN BRIEF MiG-29K crashes into Arabian Sea NEW DELHI: A MiG-29K jet of the Navy crashed off Goa over the Arabian Sea on Thursday night. A search is on for one of the two pilots, who reportedly ejected over the sea. One of the pilots was rescued, Navy officials said on Friday morning. The search for the other pilot, Lt Commander Nishant Singh, is on. — TNS Bengal Transport Minister quits KOLKATA: In a blow to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress (TMC) government in West Bengal, senior leader Suvendu Adhikari tendered resignation as the state's Transport Minister on Friday. Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar has accepted his resignation. BACK PAGE CAPT SLAMS KHATTAR GOVT FOR ‘BRUTE’ FORCE Farmers stopped by the police at the Singhu border in Delhi on Friday. MANAS RANJAN BHUI jab and Haryana, milling around and a sea of police personnel keeping them at bay. Drones circled the air and smoke from teargas shells could be seen from far. Raising anti-government slogans and chanting “kisan ekta zindabad” and “Waheguruji da Khalsa, Waheguruji di Fateh”, farmers in huge num- bers sat at the borders beating “daflis”. The Delhi Police used tear gas at Singhu border to disperse protesting farmers. The latter pelted the cops with stones and broke barricades. The police resorted to lathicharge for a brief time to control protesters who broke barricades. They also used multiple rounds of tear gas to disperse the protesters. Three petrol pumps were temporarily closed as a precautionary measure. At Tikri, farmers clashed with the police and tried to remove a truck placed as a barricade by tying it to a tractor with the help of a chain. Traffic remained disrupted in many parts of the city due to the protest. SUPPORT POURS IN ■ Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal ■ Anganwari Mulazim Union, Jld ■ Punjab Civil Med Services Assn ■ Pharmacy Officers’ Assn, Bathinda ■ Nursing Staff Assn, Bathinda ■ Class IV Workers Union ■ Ludhiana Goods Transport Assn ■ All-India Motor Transport Congress Farmers remove barricades placed by Haryana cops at the Dabwali border on Friday. PAWAN SHARMA Dismantling barricades, more Punjab farmers enter Haryana Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service Chandigarh , November 27 More Punjab farmers forced their way across the state’s border with Haryana on Friday, dismantling barricades and cement pillars raised by the Haryana Police at Dabwali. As a 6-km-long convoy of tractors and trucks entered Sirsa district, the cops chose not to block the farmers’ way. Also, hundreds of farmers joined the “Delhi Chali” protest in their cars. The farmers were to leave at 11 am. But a large group of 5-KM-LONG CONVOY Chandigarh: A day after protesters broke barricades on the Punjab-Haryana border at Khanauri in Sangrur, the Haryana Police on Friday allowed passage to a 5-kmlong cavalcade of trucks and tractor-trailers. BKU (EktaUgrahan) general secretary SS Kokrikalan claimed that over 50,000 farmers were headed towards Delhi from Khanauri. TNS youths, without waiting for instructions from their leaders, went ahead and pulled down barricades at 10.30 am. Some protesters damaged police vehicles and turned off water cannons on the Bathinda-Delhi highway. The framers entered Sirsa district, raising “BKU Ekta Ugrahan zindabad “and “Jo bole so nihal” slogans. A sizeable number of youngsters wore T-shirts with Shaheed Bhagat Singh’s picture. The farmers headed to Delhi from Dabwali faced restrictions at the Panjuana bridge and at Agroha after they crossed Fatehabad. But they succeeded in having their way. GDPcontracts7.5%,recovery HydfirmtoproduceSputnik doses in Q2 better than expected Tribune News Service/PTI Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 27 The economy contracted by 7.5 per cent in the second quarter (July-September) of 2020-21 as against a fall of 23.9 per cent during the stringent lockdown months of the first quarter (April to June), according to government data released on Thursday. With the contraction in two successive quarters, India has entered a technical recession but the Union Finance Ministry feels the latest data, especially the high frequency indicators, suggest a recovery is underway. The government, however, was not willing to commit that the fourth quarter could see positive growth after it was clear that the third quarter GDP growth will also be negative. “Recovery provides optimism but we urge caution about the pandemic. Winter months must warrant caution and safety protocols India in technical recession, but govt ‘cautiously optimistic’ ENCOURAGING SIGNS ■ The economy contracted by COVID CONTROL KEY FACTOR ❝aRecoveryignitesoptimism, but cautious optimism. Sustainability of the recovery critically depends on keeping the pandemic in control. Union Finance Ministry 7.5 per cent in the second quarter (July-September) of 2020-21 ■ The GDP contracted by record 23.9% in the first quarter (April to June) as lockdown hit economic activity GOVT SPENDING TO SPUR GROWTH, SAYS CII ❝ We are certain this trend will continue. Private consumption is weak and increased govt spending will help the momentum for a more robust growth. Chandrajit Banerjee, DG, CII must be followed stringently as a service to the nation,’’ said the Ministry’s Chief Economic Adviser Krishnamurthy Subramanian. In a break from the past, the government used six new indicators in a total of 23 to project -7.5 per cent GDP growth. These include data of rice and fish, purchase of private vehicles, passenger traffic at airports and Center’s revenue spending. There was Vshaped recovery in use-based continued on page 13 Unable to bear son, Nuh woman kills 4 daughters Gurugram, November 27 A woman allegedly killed her four daughters by slitting their throat before trying to kill herself at Piproli village of Nuh district in the early hours today. The accused, identified as Farmeena, is in a critical condition. A case of murder has been registered against her. Her husband Khurshid alleged that Farmeena killed Chandigarh: Punjab CM Capt Amarinder slammed Haryana’s ML Khattar government for its continued use of brute force to stop farmers despite the Union Government’s conciliatory move. “What’s the need for such harsh measures? This barbarism needs to stop right now @mlkhattar ji... The farmers did not inflict damage on any public property over the past three months of their protest, and here is a state government that is brazenly and shamelessly digging up roads made of public money,” he said, reiterating his appeal to the Centre to address the farmers’ concerns. TNS In critical condition after suicide attempt; , booked for murder on husband’s complaint the girls and then attempted suicide. The deceased were identified as Muskan (6), Miskina (4), Alshifa (3) and four-month-old Arbina. While the police said they were probing the case from various angles, sources claimed that it was the mother’s frustration over not being able to bear a male child that drove her to commit such ghastly act. They said Khurshid was Farmeena’s second husband. She had a daughter from her previous marriage. Villagers said the couple had a tiff a month ago following which Farmeena allegedly threatened to kill her daughters. Vivek Chaudhary, DSP Pun, hana, said: “We have booked Farmeena on the basis of prima facie evidence and her husband’s complaint. A kitchen knife was used to kill the girls.” The incident has shocked the villagers. — OC New Delhi/Hyderabad, Nov 27 The Russian Direct Investment Fund and Hyderbadbased pharma group Hetero have agreed to produce over 100 million doses per year of the world’s first registered Covid-19 vaccine Sputnik V, Hetero said on Friday. The parties intend to start the production of Sputnik V in the beginning of 2021 through Hetero’s biologics arm Hetero Biopharma, it said in a press release. The Gamaleya Center in Russia and the RDIF announced on November 24 positive results obtained during the second interim data Pact with Russian Direct Investment Fund COVID-19CASES INDIA COUNT 93,09,787 TOTAL RECOVERED DEATHS RECOVERED 87,18,517 FRESH FATALITIES 492 TOTAL DEATHS 1,35,715 WORLD 6,15,02,192 4,25,52,558 14,41,204 10 STATES ACCOUNT FOR 84% FATALITIES Of the total deaths, 83.80 pc are from 10 states: Maha, K’taka, TN, Delhi, Bengal, UP, Andhra, Punjab, Gujarat & MP analysis of the largest double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled Phase III clinical trials in Russia involving 40,000 volunteers. Currently, Sputnik Phase III trials are being held in several countries, including India. Meanwhile, the new Covid cases exceeded daily recoveries for the third day in a row in India. The country saw 43,082 new cases as against 39,379 recoveries in the last 24 hours. Of the new cases, 76.93 per cent are from 10 states and UTs. Maharashtra leads the tally with 6,406 new cases. Delhi has reported 5,475 cases, while Kerala recorded 5,378 in the last 24 hours. Jagir Kaur is SGPC chief for 4th time Amritsar, , November 27 Akali leader Bibi Jagir Kaur was elected president of the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) for the fourth time at an annual general house meeting held here on Friday. She occupies president's chair vacated by Gobind Singh Longowal. She polled 122 votes out of the total 143 to beat rebel “Akali” leader Mithu Singh Kahneke. INSIDE 2 Army jawans killed Onpolleve,Mehbooba in Pak shelling at LoC alleges house arrest Jammu, November 27 Two Army jawans were killed on Friday as Pakistani troops opened heavy fire and shelled mortars along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district. A defence spokesperson said, “The Pakistani army resorted to unprovoked firing on the Line of Control (LoC) in Sunderbani sector of district Rajouri today (Friday).” The Indian Army immediately responded to the unprovoked firing, he added. Naik Prem Bahadur Khatri and Rifleman Sukhbir Singh sustained critical injuries in the firing and died later, he said. The nation would always remain indebted to Naik Prem Bahadur Khatri Rifleman Sukhbir Singh them for their supreme sacrifice and devotion to duty, the official added. On Thursday, Subedar Swatantra Singh was killed and a civilian critically injured in Pakistani shelling along the LoC in Kirni and Qasba sectors of Poonch district. — PTI Srinagar, November 27 On the eve of the first phase of the maiden District Development Council (DDC) polls in J&K, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti claimed on Friday she had been placed under house arrest. Kashmir is an “open air prison” where no one has the right to express their opinion, PDP president Mehbooba Mufti said after the authorities barred her from holding a press conference at her residence here. The former Chief Minister said she was not allowed to visit the Pulwama residence of party leader Waheed Parra, who was arrested by the NIA earlier this week. Mufti said Police disallow press meet at herresidence,denyallegation an ❝ Kashmirisno openair prison where one has the right to express their opinion. Mehbooba Mufti, PDP her daughter was also put under house arrest. “Press has been barred from entering my residence in Srinagar. This despite no written orders explaining my arbitrary detention. Kashmir is an open air prison where no continued on page 13