08012021-TT-01.qxd 1/7/2021 11:19 PM Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.141 no.8 | 12 pages | ~5.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2021-2023 established in 1881  haryana FREIGHT CORRIDOR A GAME CHANGER, SAYS PM HARYANA /thetribunechd ECONOMY TO CONTRACT BY 7.7% IN CURRENT FISCAL: GOVT ESTIMATES BUSINESS GANGULY DISCHARGED FROM HOSPITAL SPORT /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com friday | 8 january 2021 Pro-Trump mob storms Capitol Hill, 4 die Joint session certifies Biden win | Hold outgoing Prez accountable, demands media| World leaders horrified Washington, January 7 In an unprecedented assault on democracy in the US, thousands of President Donald Trump’s supporters stormed the Capitol complex and clashed with the police, resulting in four deaths and interrupting a constitutional process by the Congress to affirm the victory of Presidentelect Joe Biden and Vice-President-elect Kamala Harris. The Electoral College votes of Biden and Harris were finally approved Thursday morning after the Senate and the House of Representatives rejected all objections raised by the Republicans to the votes in Pennsylvania and Arizona. In the presidential election held on November 3, Biden and Harris received 306 electoral votes, while President Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence got 232. The 78-year-old Democratic leader and his 56-year-old Indian-origin deputy will be inaugurated on January 20, it was announced after the constitutional process was finally completed at a joint session of the Congress. In the violence on Wednesday, four persons were killed, including one woman who was shot by a police officer, amid protests and rioting, the police said. Trump later acknowledged his election loss. He said although he disagreed with the outcome, “there will be an orderly transition on Jan- TRUMP-FUELLED INSURRECTION Clashing with the police, pro-Trump protesters storm the Capitol in Washington. REUTERS ■ Alleging poll fraud, Trump, in a December 20 tweet, had called his supporters for a “wild” rally on the day President-elect Biden’s victory was to be certified. ■ At January 6 rally, he exhorted his supporters to “never give up” and march towards the Capitol. The rioters’activity borders on sedition. Joe Biden, PREZ-ELECT CERTIFICATION PROCESS DISRUPTED RESPECT DEMOCRATIC PROCESSES ■ Armed protesters stormed the building, forcing Biden’s certification process to halt. ■ Vice-President Mike Pence and Congress members were evacuated and the building was sealed. ■ The mayhem left four persons, including a woman, dead. It is important that political leaders impress on their followers the need to refrain from violence and respect democratic processes . UN chief ORDERLY POWER TRANSFER MUST Disgraceful... The US stands for democracy. It is now vital that there should be a peaceful and orderly transfer of power. Boris Johnson, UK PM WH OFFICIALS RESIGN 15-DAY PUBLIC EMERGENCY President Trump’s top White House adviser Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on Russia Ryan Tully quit over the storming announced the extension of public emerof Capitol Hill. So have three others. gency in the American capital for 15 days. uary 20”. The Congress joint session, which is normally a ceremonial step, was halted for several hours when Trump supporters breached the Capitol. Proceedings resumed and continued through the night after the building was got cleared. Vice-President Pence brought the Senate session back into order and proceeded with the verification process. President-elect Joe Biden said, “The scenes of chaos at Haven’t got monetary support for 4 months Chandigarh, January 7 The Punjab Government has decided to hold polls to the 118 civic bodies in the state in the third week of February. After the nod by Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday to complete the election process by February For first time, 50% seats to be reserved for women 20, a communication was being sent to the State Election Commission for a formal notification of the schedule. It will be the first time in the electoral history of the urban local bodies in the state that women candidates will be in the fray in nearly 50 per cent of seats. — TNS An Iraq court issues arrest warrant against outgoing US Prez Donald Trump in connection with the killing of an Iranian general. China likens the mob assault to that of Hong Kong protesters’ attack on the legislative building in 2019 the Capitol do not reflect a true America. What we’re seeing are a small number of extremists dedicated to lawlessness. This is not dissent. It’s disor- Chandigarh, January 7 A day ahead of the eighth round of talks with the Centre, thousands of protesting farmers today took out a tractor march on the expressways on the periphery of the Capital to exhibit their strength. The farmers have been agitating against the farm laws at various borders of the Capital for over 40 days. The tractor march started Chandigarh, January 7 The Covid outbreak seems to have left Punjab tuberculosis patients in the lurch as over 45,000 affected persons have failed to get nutritional support from the government. Punjab civic body elections in third week of February CHINA LIKENS IT TO HK STIR der. It’s chaos. It borders on sedition. And it must end now.” House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi said, “Today, a shameful assault was made on our democracy.” All four living former US Presidents — Barack Obama, Continued on page 10 Edit: Blot on US democracy CAN’T SUBVERT DEMOCRACY Distressed. The democratic process cannot be allowed to be subverted through unlawful protests. Narendra Modi, PRIME MINISTER Farmers hold tractor march, call it ‘trailer’ TB patients face neglect amid Covid outbreak Under the “Nikshay Poshan Yojana”, each notified TB patient gets a nutritional support of Rs 500 per month. The assistance is given till the patient is on anti-TB treatment. The scheme is registered under the Direct Benefit Transfer. However, none of them has got the aid for the past four months. — TNS IRAQ’S WARRANT AGAINST PREZ A show of strength before parleys from four points — Singhu to Tikri border; Tikri to Kundli in Sonepat; Ghazipur in UP to Palwal; and Rewasan in Mewat district to Palwal in Haryana. The farm unions called it a “rehearsal” for their proposed January 26 tractor parade. BKU leader Harinder Singh Lakhowal said today’s rally was to “show the government our numbers”. “We want to warn that our protests will intensify if our demands are not met” warned Lakhowal. With speakers playing Punjabi music, the farmers drove out in the morning to the Kundli–Manesar–Palwal and Kundli-Ghaziabad-Palwal Expressways. Initially, they kept one of the lanes free, but soon there was chaos, disrupting traffic. Some tractors carried the Tricolour and some flags of the BKU. The eighth round of talks between the protesting unions and the Centre is to be held tomorrow. — TNS Impasse causes ~4,500-cr losses to Pb Aditi Tandon State being punished for stir, claims Manpreet Tribune News Service Farmers participate in a tractor march on the outskirts of New Delhi on Thursday. MUKESH AGGARWAL BJP leaders meet Shah, talks today Chandigarh, January 7 Ahead of the talks between the farmers and the Centre’s representatives on Friday, two Punjab BJP leaders today met Union Home Minister Amit Shah. Surjit Kumar Jyani and Harjeet Grewal discussed with Shah the ongoing situation arising out of the farmers’ protest. Grewal said they apprised Shah about the “deteriorating” law and order situation in Punjab. He alleged statesponsored violence was being unleashed on BJP workers. Jyani said: “The ARE FARMERS FOLLOWING COVID NORMS, ASKS SC As hundreds of farmers continued with their protest, the Supreme Court on Thursday expressed concern over the possible spread of Covid19 and asked the Centre if they were taking precautionary measures against the pandemic. houses of BJP leaders have been gheraoed for several weeks. We won’t tolerate ‘goonda’ elements,” he said. Sources say since civic body elections have been announced in Punjab, the BJP leaders are wary of the repercussions of the protest on party’s poll prospects. The duo earlier met Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar. Meanwhile, the leaders today launched a fresh attack on union representatives. Jyani alleged many farmer leaders had political aspirations and wanted to contest elections after returning to Punjab. “There are practical problems in dealing with 32 leaders. Nobody is ready to listen. We are aware they represent Continued on page 10 New Delhi, January 7 The non-resolution of the farmers’ agitation in New Delhi is costing Punjab heavily with cross-sector losses estimated at over Rs 4,500 crore. Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal said today the state was being collectively punished for the protest. “The Centre has adopted a vindictive attitude towards Punjab. We, as a state, are being collectively punished for the agitation by farmers. I am deeply worried about the sagging morale of our people,” Manpreet told The Tribune in an exclusive conversation ahead of the eighth round of talks between the Centre and farm unions on Friday to resolve the deadlock. The 43-day- CENTRE PURSUING VENDETTA Punjab has the ❝billion projectbeen left out ofentities $7 in which UAE have pledged to set up three food parks in India. Punjab has lost out even though the UAE evinced interest to set up a park in the state. Manpreet Singh Badal, PUNJAB FINANCE MINISTER long protests have caused widespread disruptions across Punjab’s transport sector with goods and passenger trains earlier stalled for days as farmers sat on tracks, demanding the repeal of farm laws. State government sources said the losses due to interruption in the movement of goods in and out of Punjab SC notice to Raj Speaker JEE-Advanced on July 3, on defection by BSP MLAs relaxation in marks stays 78L workers register for Covid jab, dry run today Designer Satya Paul, known for reinventing saris, dead NEW DELHI: NEW DELHI: The JEE-Advanced test for NEW DELHI: As many as 78 lakh health admission to IITs will be conducted on July 3, Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal said on Thursday. The relaxation in 75% eligibility criterion pertaining to Class 12 marks will be offered this year too. — TNS and frontline workers will receive first Covid-19 shots even as the Centre prepares for the final pan-India dry run on Friday. Of the three crore priority beneficiaries, 26 per cent (78 lakh) have registered on Co-WIN. BACK PAGE COIMBATORE: Ace fashion designer Satya Paul, known for giving the Indian sari a contemporary touch, has passed away at the age of 79, his son Puneet Nanda said. Paul, who had suffered a stroke in December, breathed his last at Sadhguru’s Isha Yoga Center on Wednesday. OBIT: BACK PAGE stood at over Rs 4,500 crore as of today and the burden continued to rise. “Punjab has been left out of the $7 billion projects in which UAE entities have pledged to set up three food parks in India. The projects have gone to Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. Punjab has lost out even though the UAE evinced interest to set up a park in the state, as it is the closest to them. The DubaiAmritsar flight is all of one hour,” Manpreet said, accusing the Centre of vindictiveness. Demanding that farm laws be held in abeyance for six months and fresh consultations initiated with farmers, Manpreet said the Centre was putting up a “spectacle of small-heartedness” with its obstinate attitude. “You need a large heart to govern. But the Government of India is not even paying Punjab Rs 1,200 crore rural development fee levied on the purchase of paddy. This is a statutory tax it has withheld,” the Punjab FM said, adding that he was not surprised about the lack of trust Continued on page 10 The SC has issued notices to Rajasthan House Speaker and others on two separate petitions challenging the merger of all six BSP MLAs with ruling Congress. It also issued notices to Assembly Secretary and the six BSP MLAs who defected. — TNS DAY 1, POOR SHOW: Few students at a Jalandhar school on Thursday.