27032021-TT-01.qxd 3/26/2021 11:38 PM Page 1 13 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.141 no.85 | 18 pages | ~6.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2021-2023 established in 1881  haryana CHINA MUST FOLLOW RULES, WILL BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE:US WORLD /thetribunechd JSW STEEL ACQUIRES BHUSHAN POWER & STEEL BUSINESS NO CAA IF CONG ELECTED IN ASSAM: MANMOHAN BACK PAGE /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com saturday | 27 march 2021 Must stay united against terror: PM in Dhaka Total bandh in Pb; road, Hands over Gandhi Peace Prize for Mujibur Rahman| Protests erupt over visit, 4 killed rail traffic hit in Haryana Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 26 Both India and Bangladesh must remain vigilant and united to counter threats like terrorism, said Prime Minister Narendra Modi while participating in the 50th national day celebrations in Dhaka as the guest of honour alongside Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid and PM Sheikh Hasina. On his first overseas visit since the pandemic broke out last year, PM Modi said India and Bangladesh should navigate the next 25 years with shared goals that arise from a shared development and shared challenges. “That India and Bangladesh move forward together, is equally important for the development of this entire region,” he observed while invoking Bengali poets and writers Kazi Nazrul Islam and TIES IN LARGE MEASURE DUE TO INDIRA: SONIA Congress president Sonia Gandhi sent a congratulatory video message to Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina, recalling the role that Indira Gandhi played in the liberation of Bangladesh. She said the special bond between the people of the two nations was largely due to Indira’s role in 1971. “Most of all, both Bangladesh and India, are being called upon today to protect and strengthen their composite heritage,” she added. TNS << PM Modi at the martyrs’ memorial in Dhaka during B’desh 50th national day celebrations. PTI Rabindranath Tagore to highlight the common heritage. However, the visit was also marked by protests and violence with four killed in police firing in Chittagong and about 50 injured in firing of rubber bullets in Dhaka. In Chittagong, 250 km from Dhaka, the violence occurred after members of an Islamist group streamed out of mosques protesting the treatment of Muslims in India. In Dhaka, a clash took place near a large mosque while PM Modi was meeting opposition leaders. Addressing the main golden jubilee celebrations of Bangladesh’s Independence and the birth centenary of its founder, Modi said while the continued on page 15 Tribune News Service NewDelhi/Chandigarh, March 26 Road and rail traffic was disrupted in several parts of Punjab and Haryana during the “Bharat Bandh” called by farmers on Friday as part of their nationwide protest against the three farm laws. The response was partial in other parts of the country. Punjab saw a complete shutdown. Roads and markets wore a deserted look. Bus service in the state was severely hit with both private operators and Punjab Roadways buses keeping off road. A press note by the Northern Railways said 10 trains, including the Amritsar-New Delhi Shatabdi and the KalkaNew Delhi Shatabdi, were cancelled. At last five trains were diverted and more than 39 “shortterminated.” continued on page 15 Farmers block rail tracks in Ferozepur on Friday. TRIBUNE PHOTO NON-VIOLENCE ALONE CAN END INJUSTICE Indian history is testimony to the fact that satyagraha and non-violence alone can end harassment, injustice, and arrogance. Rahul Gandhi, CONG ❝ IMPACT BARELY 0.5% NATIONWIDE: RLYS New Delhi: The Railways said on Friday barely 0.5 per cent of the trains were impacted by Bharat Bandh. “Barring a limited number of trains in Punjab and Haryana, the bandh had nearly zero impact across the nation,” said official sources. TNS Daily cases near 60K, govt plans Phase-1: WB, Assam vote today, 455 in fray to widen Covid vaccination drive Tribune News Service 77 SEATS UP FOR GRABS Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 26 With the country reporting 59,118 new Covid cases on Friday, the Centre rushed teams to Chandigarh and Chhattisgarh, the emerging hotspots after Maharashtra, Punjab, Karnataka and Gujarat. The government also hinted at widening the scope of vaccination drive. “The central teams will work with the local administrations to ascertain reasons behind the surge, undertake gap analysis and recommend requisite control and containment measures,” a Health Ministry statement said. Chandigarh has inoculated continued on page 15 NINE PATIENTS DIE IN MUMBAI HOSPITAL FIRE Nine Covid patients died in a fire at Sunrise Hospital in a Mumbai mall on Friday. Maharashtra CM Uddhav Thackeray, who visited the spot, said strict action would be taken against the guilty. PTI HP SHUTS SCHOOLS The HP Government has ordered the closure of all educational institutions, including universities, colleges, and schools, till April 4 due to the Covid spike. INSIDE Firefighters attempt to douse a blaze in Mumbai on Friday. PTI IN PB, 3,176 CASES IN A DAY, HIGHEST EVER NIGHT CURFEW IN MAHARASHTRA FROM SUNDAY Kolkata, March 26 Tight security arrangements have been put in place in 30 of the 294 Assembly constituencies in West Bengal and 47 of the 126 in neighbouring Assam that go to the polls in the first phase of voting tomorrow. A total of 732 companies of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) had been deployed in West Bengal for the first phase, said Vivek Dubey, Special Police Observer. Over 73 lakh voters will decide the fate of 191 candidates. The seats in West Bengal where elections are to be held in the first phase include all constituencies in Purulia and Jhargram and some segments in Bankura, Purba Medinipur and Paschim Medinipur districts. In Jhargram, 11 para- State Seats Candidates Voters WB 30 191 73,80,942 ASSAM 47 264 81,09,815 SC RELIEF FOR DIDI’S POLL AGENT, ORDER STAYED The SC has stayed the operation of a Calcutta HC order that led to reinstitution of several criminal cases against CM Mamata Banerjee’s poll agent, SK Supian, in connection with Nandigram protests against acquisition. Officials board a boat to travel to polling centres in Dibrugarh, Assam. PTI LEFT FRONT TO EC: ENSURE HOTELS NOT OCCUPIED BY ‘OUTSIDERS’ military personnel would be deployed per booth, the highest for any election held in the state so far, officials said. Taking into account the possibility of violence, the polling in West Bengal is being held over eight phases. In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, the state had reported nearly 700 cases of violence. The ruling TMC and the PLEA QUASHED, NO STAY ON SALE OF POLL BONDS Opposition BJP the two , main contenders in the fray, have often accused each other of violence. The BJP alleged TMC goons were continued on page 15 India, Pak hold flag meet, Life term for 2 in Nikita murder case Major rejig: HC shifts 180 discuss truce mechanism judicial officers in Pb, Hry New Delhi, March 26 Indian and Pakistani armies held a Brigade Commanderlevel meeting at PoonchRawalkot crossing on Friday as a follow-up to their agreement to observe ceasefire along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir. Last month, the Indian and Pakistani armies recommitted themselves to the 2003 ceasefire on the LoC. The return to the ceasefire was agreed upon by the Director Generals of Military Operations of the two countries. “Post the DGMO Understanding, a Brigade Commander-level flag meeting was held between Indian and Pakistan armies at PoonchRawalkot Crossing Point to discuss the implementation mechanism as per the understanding,” the Army tweeted. On Thursday, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said the WANT NORMAL TIES We always wanted normal neighbourly relations with Pakistan. Everybody knows what that means. S Jaishankar, EAM ❝ 2 INVOLVED IN SRINAGAR ATTACK ARRESTED LoC had been silent for the first time in around five to six years as not a single shot was fired in March barring an odd incident. At the same time, he said the terror infrastructure, including terrorist launch-pads, on the Pakistani side were intact. — PTI Faridabad, March 26 A fast-track court here today sentenced two convicts to life imprisonment for the murder of Nikita Tomar, five months after the 21-year-old was shot outside her college in Ballabgarh. A fine of Rs 20,000 has also been slapped. Tausif (22) and Rehan (24) were pronounced guilty on March 24. Another accused, Ajru, who supplied gun to the convicts, was acquitted. A B.Com final year student, Was shot outside her college in Ballabgarh on Oct 26, 2020 Nikita was murdered on October 26 after she resisted an abduction attempt by the duo. The police, in its chargesheet filed in record 11 days, had claimed Tausif drew inspiration for the crime from a web series. “Nikita was murdered as she refused to marry Tausif,” said a relative. Home Minister Anil Vij, who had called it a case of “love jihad”, said the state government would file an appeal before the High Court seeking death sentence for the two men. — TNS Chandigarh, March 26 In a major administrative reshuffle, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has ordered the transfer and postings of 180 judicial officials in Punjab and Haryana. The transferred officers include district and sessions judges. In all, 79 judicial officers of the Haryana Superior Judicial Services, including six district and session judges, First such reshuffle since Covid lockdown and 73 additional district and sessions judge-rank officers have been transferred in Haryana. In Punjab, 97 judges have been transferred. This is the first major administrative reshuffle ever continued on page 15 Hand over Ansari’s custody to UP in 2 wks, SC tells Punjab Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 26 Turning down Punjab’s plea, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered shifting of BSP MLA Mukhtar Ansari from Ropar Jail to Banda Jail in UP where he is wanted in , several criminal cases. PETITION ON TRANSFER OF CASES JUNKED ■ Apex court also dismissed the gangster-cum-politician’s plea to transfer cases pending against him in UP to Delhi ■ Ansari has been lodged in Ropar jail in connection with an alleged extortion case since January 2019. Allowing the UP Government’s petition seeking transfer of the alleged gang- ster, a Bench headed by Justice Ashok Bhushan directed that Ansari’s custody should be handed over to the UP authorities in two weeks. “It is open for the Special Court, constituted for MPs/MLAs at Allahabad, to keep him either in District Jail at Banda or shift to any other jail in UP if any need , arises,” it said while using its plenary powers under Article 142 of the Constitution. A BSP MLA from Mau Sadar Assembly constituency, he was lodged in a jail in UP as undertrial when the Punjab Police obtained a production warrant against him on a complaint of extortion and criminal intimidation and took him to Punjab. Prez undergoes check-up after chest discomfort New Delhi, March 26 President Ram Nath Kovind was admitted to the Army Research and Referral Institute here after he complained of chest discomfort this morning. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, currently on a visit to Bangladesh, spoke to the President’s son and enquired about his health. A medical bulletin by the Army hospital said the President was stable. “President of India Ram Nath Kovind visited Army Hospital (R&R) in New Delhi following chest discomfort this morning. He is undergoing routine check-up and is under observation. His condition is stable,” it said. — TNS IN BRIEF Justice SS Nijjar passes away at 71 CHANDIGARH: Former judge of Supreme Court, Justice Surinder Singh Nijjar, passed away on Friday, following a cardiac arrest. He was 71. He also served as Acting Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana HC. BACK PAGE Author-journalist Anil Dharker dead MUMBAI: Noted journalist and author Anil Dharker died here on Friday, a former colleague said. Dharker (74) was the founder and director of the Mumbai International Literary Festival, held in November every year. — PTI SC sets aside NCLAT order on Cyrus Mistry NEW DELHI: In a major victory for the Tata Group, the Supreme Court on Friday set aside a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) order restoring Cyrus Mistry as the executive chairman of the group. INSIDE