03012021-TT-01.qxd 1/2/2021 11:06 PM Page 1 123 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.141 no.3 | 16 pages | ~6.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2021-2023 established in 1881  haryana US CONG OVERRIDES TRUMP’S VETO OF DEFENCE BILL WORLD /thetribunechd CINEMA SCOPE, 2021 SPECTRUM PM MODI LAYS STONE FOR IIM-SAMBALPUR BACK PAGE /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com sunday, january 3,2021 Mumbai attack mastermind Lakhvi arrested in Pakistan Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan at Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in New Delhi to review the Covid vaccine dry run. PTI After Covishield, nod to indigenous Covaxin Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 2 India is on the cusp of twin Covid-19 vaccine rollouts with the expert committee of the drug regulatory authority on Saturday recommending emergency use approval for the first indigenous candidate Covaxin. The positive recommendation for Bharat BiotechICMR’s Covaxin came a day after experts suggested approval to the Oxford University-AstraZeneca-Serum Institute’s Covishield. Drug Controller General of India VG Somani is likely to announce tomorrow official emergency use approvals for both the vaccines, besides explaining the conditions COVID-19CASES INDIA RECOVERED 99,06,387 FRESH FATALITIES 224 TOTAL DEATHS 1,49,218 COUNT 1,03,05,788 TOTAL RECOVERED DEATHS WORLD 8,44,80,744 5,97,79,409 18,37,585 REGULATOR DCGI LIKELY TO APPROVE 2 VACCINES TODAY INDIA FIRST TO SUCCESSFULLY CULTURE MUTATED UK STRAIN SP CHIEF AKHILESH SAYS WON’T TAKE ‘BJP VACCINE’ under which these would be permitted. There are now two vaccines on India’s pandemic management horizon with the government successfully continued on back page Buta Singh dies at 86 New Delhi, January 2 Former Union Home Minister Buta Singh, who remained in public service for a long time and served under four prime ministers, died at AIIMS here this morning. He was 86. The senior Congress leader was in coma since October last year, when he was admitted to the AIIMS after suffering brain haemorrhage. His family said Singh died around 7.10 am. He was cremated at the Lodhi Road crematorium in the evening. President Ram Nath Kovind, PM Narendra Modi and other leaders have mourned his demise. — PTI obit: back page Lahore, January 2 Mumbai attack mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operations commander Zakiur-Rehman Lakhvi was arrested on Saturday in Pakistan on terror financing charges, amid growing international pressure on Islamabad to bring to justice terrorists roaming freely in the country. Lakhvi, who was on bail since 2015 in the Mumbai attack case, was arrested by the Counter-Terrorism Depart- ment (CTD) of Punjab province. Sources said Lakhvi was arrested from Lahore. “Following an intelligencebased operation conducted by the CTD, UN proscribed organisation LeT leader Lakhvi was arrested on the charges of terror financing,” the CTD said in an official statement. It further said Lakhvi, 61, was arrested in a case of terrorism financing registered at CTD police station in Lahore. “Lakhvi is FATF PUSHING ISLAMABAD TO ACT AGAINST ULTRAS ■ Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi was designated as a global terrorist by the UN in December 2008 ■ He is associated with banned terror organisations LeT and Al-Qaeda ■ He is accused of plotting and funding 2008 Mumbai terror attack that killed 166 people accused of running a dispensary and using its funds for financing acts of terrorism. He also used these funds for personal expenses,” the CTD said, adding that his trial Tractor‘parade’on R-Day if demands not met, say unions Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 2 Toughening their stance ahead of the January 4 talks with the government, the Sanyukt Kisan Morcha today said it would organise a tractor march to Delhi on January 26, when the country celebrates Republic Day, if their demands were not met. Addressing a press conference, the union leaders said time had come for a “decisive” action as their key demands — repealing the three farm laws and a legal guarantee for MSP for crops — had not been addressed by the government. The Morcha, an umbrella body representing around 40 farm unions, took the decision for the Republic Day march following a meeting of its seven-member coordination committee at Singhu near Delhi border. Farmer leader Darshan Pal Singh said their proposed march would be called “kisan parade” and it would be held after the Republic Day parade. For it, he said, a mobilisation campaign would be launched across the country from January 6 to 20. Farmers during their ongoing protest against the new farm laws at Singhu-Delhi border. PTI FARMER ENDS LIFE AT GHAZIPUR Ghaziabad: A 75-year-old farmer protesting at Ghazipur on the UP-Delhi border allegedly died by suicide on Saturday. Kashmir Singh of Bilaspur in UP’s Rampur district allegedly hanged himself in a mobile toilet using a rope, police said. PTI Asked about the route and timing, Pal said the unions would announce it later. He said their plan for the proposed tractor march on the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) highway on January 6 TIME FOR DECISIVE ACTION Either repeal the laws or use force to evict us. We have chosen January 26 for tractor parade as Republic Day represents the supremacy of the people. Ashok Dhawale, FARM LEADER ❝ would remain unchanged. It, he said, would be a “rehearsal” parade of their January 26 tractor march. Ashok Dhawale, another farm leader, said, “We intend to be peaceful. We had long ago told the government that it has only two options— either repeal the laws or use force to evict us. The time has come for decisive action and we have chosen January 26 as continued on page 7 would be held before the antiterrorism court in Lahore. Lakhvi was designated as a global terrorist by the UN in December 2008 for being associated with LeT and AlQaeda and for “participating in financing, planning, facilitating, preparing or perpetrating acts on behalf or in support of both entities”. Proscribed terrorists and entities are subject to an asset freeze, a travel ban and an arms embargo. Summon me, not my officers: Capt to Guv Chandigarh, January 2 Punjab CM Capt Amarinder Singh on Saturday took exception to the Governor summoning the state DGP and Chief Secretary for a report on law and order instead of summoning him. He said the BJP charge that law and order in Punjab had “collapsed” was a bid to divert public attention from the contentious farm laws and farmers’ agitation. The CM said if the Governor had any concerns over the law and order situation, he should have taken up the matter with him as he held the Home portfolio. Capt Amarinder slammed the state BJP leadership for its “irresponsible” utterances, alleging there was a vicious game plan to undermine the farmers’ peaceful protest by calling a few incidents of damage to some telecom towers as a law and order issue. “These damaged towers can be and are being repaired. But what about the lives of farmers protesting at the Delhi borders in the biting cold,” he asked, expressing shock that no BJP leader had expressed sorrow over the deaths of farmers during the stir. Instead of slandering the farmers by calling them “Naxalites and Khalistanis,” the Punjab BJP should press its central lead- Norms violated, NHM cancels Ambani, RIL fined for Rohit, Gill among five selection of 43 staffers in Panipat manipulative trading in isolation, probe on Mukesh Tandon Tribune News Service Panipat, January 2 A probe ordered by Health Minister Anil Vij has detected anomalies in the selection of nurses, ANMs, programme officers and computer operators recruited under the National Health Mission in 2019. The mission director has ordered the cancellation of recruitment on 43 posts and sought details from the Panipat Civil Surgeon. Ranbeer Singh of Hathwala village, who was among the unsuccessful applicants, had alleged corrupt practices by the selection committee. For 64 posts, advertised in September PROBE FINDINGS ■ As many as 64 posts under National Health Mission were advertised in Sept 2019 ■ At least 43 selected candidates allegedly got additional marks in violation of norms ■ A probe by the City Magistrate found irregularities in the recruitment process 2019, candidates were finalised in “violation” of norms. Those selected had joined service in January last year. A probe by the City Magistrate states that as per the directions, the applicants residing near the PHC/CHC should be given 20 and 15 8 in fray for prez post, Tibetans to vote for govt-in-exile today Dharamsala, January 2 The first round of the election to the post of president of the Tibetan government in-exile (Sikyong) will be held tomorrow. Tibetans living in-exile across the globe will vote to elect their new Sikyong and the 17th parliament. Eight candidates are in the fray for the post of Sikyong. Forty-five members of the Tibetan parliament in-exile will also be elected through the election for which voting will be held in two rounds. The result of the first round will be declared on February 8. The voting for the second round will be held on April 11 and the final result is expected on May 14. Over 82,000 Tibetans living outside Tibet have registered for voting — 57,000 in India and 25,000 in other countries. INSIDE marks each, respectively, and those residing in Panipat should get 10 marks each, but the committee gave 20 marks to each candidate. Besides, a nominee of the DC was mandatory on the panel, but no member was present. The NHM Director has ordered cancellation of recruitment of those applicants to whom 20 marks were wrongfully given. Ranbeer Singh claimed: “As per norms, even if anomalies are found in 30 per cent cases, the entire recruitment has to be cancelled.” Dr SL Verma, Civil Surgeon, said: “We have received the order from the NHM Director and will act accordingly.” Mumbai, January 2 The Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) has imposed a penalty of Rs 25 crore and Rs 15 crore, respectively, on Reliance Industries (RIL) and its Chairman Mukesh Ambani for manipulative trading. The SEBI order observed that RIL entered into a wellplanned operation with its agents to corner the open interest in the RPL (Reliance Petroleum) futures and to earn undue profits from the sale of RPL shares in both cash and futures segments and to dump large number of these in the cash segment during the last 10 minutes of trading on the settlement day, resulting in a fall in Last 10-minute trading on settlement day for RPL shares in 2007 the settlement price. The case pertains to 2007. It also observed that Mukesh Ambani, being the Chairman & Managing Director of RIL, was responsible for its day-today affairs and thereby liable for the “manipulative trading” done by the RIL. — IANS Melbourne, January 2 Five Indian cricketers, including Test vice-captain Rohit Sharma and opener Shubman Gill, have been placed in isolation and an investigation launched into a possible breach of Covid protocol. Sharma, Gill, Rishabh Pant, Prithvi Shaw and Navdeep Saini have been separated from the Indian and Australian squads. A video clip posted on the social media showed the five at a restaurant in Melbourne on Friday. As per the Covid protocol, players are allowed to eat in outdoor settings, provided they follow social distancing norms. However, they COVID PROTOCOL BREACH Video clip shows them dining at a restaurant in Melbourne are not allowed to dine indoor. A fan, Navaldeep Singh, posted pictures and videos of the cricketers dinning at the restaurant. Singh claimed that after he had paid the cricketers’ bill, “Pant hugged me.” Back-tracking later, he continued on page 7 931 bail pleas, 141 conviction appeals pending in SC Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 2 Amid controversy over the urgent hearing of bail pleas of journalist Arnab Goswami and some others, a response to an RTI query has revealed that nearly 1,070 pleas for bail and suspension of sentence were pending in the Supreme Court as on December 18, 2020. Responding to an RTI query filed by activist Saket Gokhale, Supreme Court's Central Public Information Officer Ajay Agarwal, in his December 18 reply, stated that 931 matters relating to bail — regular, interim and anticipatory — and 141 petitions for the suspension of sentence were pending before the top court. Agarwal, however, declined to furnish information with regard to an average waiting period between filing and listing of an interim bail applica- RTI: NO INFO ON AVG WAITING PERIOD tion, saying, "The information/data is not maintained in the manner as sought for." The officer advised Gokhale to visit the court's website "for getting the desired information". He stated that "all matters are listed/eliminated/deleted as per guidelines, practice and procedure which are available in public domain through website www.sci.gov.in under the link "Practice & Procedure" and also in accordance with the circulars and general and specific directions of the court." In the recent past, the top court had given urgent hear- The LeT, led by Jamat-udDawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed, is responsible for carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that killed 166 people, including six Americans. Paris-based global terror financing watchdog Financial Action Task Force (FATF) is instrumental in pushing Pakistan to take measures against terrorists roaming freely there and using its territory to carry out attacks in India and elsewhere. — PTI ing to pleas of journalists Arnab Goswami and Vinod Dua and activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan and granted them protection from coercive action by the police. In May last year, the court had granted protection from coercive action to Bhushan in connection with an FIR lodged against him at Rajkot for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Hindus. continued on page 7 STOP THE SLANDER, HE TELLS STATE BJP Instead of slandering the farmers by calling them ‘Naxalites and Khalistanis,’ the BJP should press the central leadership to revoke the black laws. Punjab CM ❝ ership to revoke the farm laws, the CM said, observing that it had taken just a day for the Governor to respond to the state BJP’s complaint “whereas the Amendment Bills passed by the Punjab House are yet to be sent to the President for approval.” On the Punjab BJP alleging an assault on democracy, Captain remarked: “A party that has virtually destroyed every single democratic institution in the country has no business calling anyone else undemocratic.” — TNS IN BRIEF Ganguly undergoes angioplasty, stable KOLKATA: BCCI president and former Team India captain Sourav Ganguly (48) suffered a mild heart attack on Saturday. His condition is stated to be stable. Doctors said blockage was found in his three arteries, requiring immediate angioplasty. — TNS 6 hurt in Pulwama grenade attack SRINAGAR: At least six civilians were injured in a grenade attack by militants in the Tral area of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, the police said. Hunt is on to arrest the attackers. INSIDE Comedian held for remarks on deities INDORE: Stand-up comedian Munawar Faruqui was arrested along with four others after the son of a BJP MLA complained against him for alleged indecent remarks against Hindu deities and Home Minister Amit Shah. — PTI