28032021-TTB-01.qxd 3/27/2021 11:50 PM Page 1 123 chandigarh | gurugram | jalandhar | bathinda | vol.141 no.86 | 20 pages | ~6.00 | regd.no.chd/0006/2021-2023 established in 1881 MYANMAR FORCES KILL 90 PROTESTERS WORLD /thetribunechd RETRACING THEIR STEPS: MIGRANT WORKERS VIJAYVEER-TEJASWINI SHOOT GOLD IN ISSF WORLD CUP BACK PAGE RETURNING TO CITIES SPECTRUM /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com sunday,march 28,2021 Amid clashes, 82% polling in WB; 77% in Assam US invites Modi, Xi to virtual climate summit BJP releases clip, claims Mamata sought their local leader’s help to win Nandigram It’s advantage Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 27 The high-stakes Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam got off to a stormy start on Saturday with reports of violence from several places in Bengal and the overall firstphase voting turnout settling at a high of 82 per cent and 76.89 per cent in the two states. Amid allegations and counter-allegations by the ruling TMC and rival BJP , Bengal saw polling in 30 constituencies, 26 of which were won by the Trinamool and three by the Left-Congress alliance in 2016. In Assam, the stakes were higher for the incumbent BJP that had wrested 35 of the 47 segments where polling was conducted. The first phase saw Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee MODI CAMPAIGNING FROM BANGLADESH In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, a Bangladesh actor had to get the visa revoked for attending a Trinamool rally; what is the PM doing in Bangladesh today? Mamata Banerjee, CM ❝ audio where she is allegedly heard telling a local leader to return to the Trinamool and help her win the Nandigram seat. The TMC and the BJP led India, B’desh sign 5 MoUs Shringla defends PM visit to Matua shrine amid polls New Delhi, March 27 India and Bangladesh today signed five MoUs during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Dhaka that saw a mix of diplomatic and political activity. After spending a large part of the day visiting three rural and remote locations, PM Modi was received at “Tiger’s Gate” at the Prime Minister’s Office late afternoon by his counterpart Sheikh Hasina. After inking five MoUs, the two leaders jointly laid the foundation stone for power evacuation from Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant being built with Russian help. The Indian involvement will be a $1 billion credit line. The two sides resolved to set up cooperation in space and artificial intelligence (AI). They inau- IN BRIEF ’13 riots: Case against BJP leaders withdrawn MUZAFFARNAGAR: A local court on Friday allowed withdrawal of a case of inciting violence against 12 BJP leaders in connection with the 2013 Muzaffarnagar riots case. The state counsel said the state had decided not to proceed with the prosecution of the BJP leaders. — PTI counter-delegations to the Election Commission in Kolkata, accusing one another of malpractices and violence. TMC’s Sudip Bandopad- continued on page 7 continued on page 7 2016 RESULT: TMC 26 | Cong-Left 3 | Others 1 ASSAM: 47 SEATS 2016 RESULT: BJP: 35 | Cong 9 | Others 3 gurated the Bangladesh leg of the Bapu-Bangabandhu Digital Museum, a passenger train on the ChilahatiHaldibari rail route and three border haats and took stock of the progress in diverse areas that included preserving the legacy and spirit of ’71, commerce and connectivity, defence and security, societal applications of nuclear energy and AI. continued on page 7 Birds found dead in Pong, another influenza scare Rajiv Mahajan Nurpur, March 27 After about a month and a half, dead migratory birds were again spotted at the Pong Wetland Wildlife Sanctuary in Kangra, triggering an avian flu resurgence scare. The wildlife authorities closed the sanctuary for visitors this afternoon and sent samples to the Regional Diseases Diagnostic Laboratory in Jalandhar for influenza testing. Chief Wildlife Warden Archana Sharma said 14 barheaded geese were found dead on Thursday, eight on Friday continued on page 7 New Delhi, March 27 The Supreme Court has said there can be “no rigid standard or yardstick” for acceptance or rejection of dying declaration, which alone can form the basis for conviction if it has been made voluntarily and inspires confidence. ‘MUCH DEPENDS ON FACTS’ A dying declaration can form the basis for conviction if it has been made voluntarily and inspires confidence. But, much depends on the facts of a case. Supreme Court ❝ The apex court observed that if there were contradictions that create doubts about New Delhi, March 27 Serum Institute of India (SII) on Saturday said clinical trials of Covid-19 vaccine Covovax have begun in India and it hoped to launch it by September. This is the second vaccine SII has developed alongside Covishield. With the country recording the highest 24-hour case surge of 62,258 in five months, the Centre set alarm bells ringing, asking 12 high burden states, including Punjab and Haryana, to intensify containment efforts. There are 46 districts which contributed 71 per cent cases and 69 per cent deaths this month. Of these, 25 are in Maharashtra, three in Haryana (Kurukshetra, Karnal, Gurugram), one in Punjab (Amritsar) and the rest in other states. The states were told to ensure muted celebrations of upcoming festivals. — TNS SIX BOOKED FOR MAHA HOSPITAL FIRE A case of culpable homicide has been lodged against six persons in connection with the fire at a hospital at a Mumbai mall, which claimed the lives of 9 patients -VE REPORT MUST TO CANVASS IN KANGRA The Kangra administration has made it mandatory for candidates and their supporters to carry RT-PCR negative report for canvassing during the MC elections in Dharamsala and Palampur TENDULKAR +VE, IN HOME ISOLATION SUPPLIED VAX GLOBALLY: INDIA AT UN ASSEMBLY IN PUNJAB, VACCINATION FACILITY 7 DAYS A WEEK BJP MLAthrashed, stripped Farmers leave for harvesting, crowds at Singhu thinning; mahapanchayats off Tribune News Service Malout, March 27 Irked over Centre’s adamant stand over the three farm laws, a group of farmers today allegedly thrashed BJP MLA from Abohar Arun Narang, tore his clothes and threw black ink on him at Malout in Muktsar district. When Narang reached Malout to address a press conference, he got surrounded by CAPT PROMISES ACTION Mukesh Tandon Tribune News Service Cops rescue MLA Arun Narang the protesting farmers. Police personnel and BJP workers took him inside a shop, but continued on page 7 Sonepat, March 27 The crowds gathered at Singhu, the epicentre of the farmers’ protest against the central farm laws, have been thinning over the past several days. Subsequently, Sanyukt Kisan Morcha leaders have decided to call off mahapanchayats in other states and re- New Delhi, March 27 US President Joe Biden has invited 40 world leaders, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for a virtual summit on climate on April 22-23. The summit will be live streamed for public viewing. Other prominent invitees are Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping. This marks the reversal of Donald Trump’s approach of putting pressure on the two countries. Biden is seeking to revive a US-convened forum of world’s major economies on climate that Trump neglected. At least 17 countries of the forum are responsible for nearly 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP . The summit will underscore the urgency and economic benefits of stronger climate action. “It will be a key milestone on road to the UN No rigid yardstick on dying declaration: SC Covovax launch by Sept, daily cases top 60K mark PM Modi at Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple in Satkhira, Bangladesh. PTI Tribune News Service hyay petitioned the EC against alleged “voter turnout discrepancies and permission to have outsiders as polling WB: 30 SEATS questioning Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Bengal campaign” from Bangladesh and the BJP hitting back by releasing a purported Mamata Sandeep Dikshit New Delhi, March 27 PM Narendra Modi’s stopover in Bangladesh at a temple besides the birthplace of Matua community’s spiritual guru will have a marginal impact on the 30 constituencies in West Bengal that went to the polls today. Mamata Banerjee can consider herself in the race for a third term if she manages to win even half of the 30 seats at stake. Comparisons with the 2016 elections will be misleading. The ground shifted in most of these constituencies, first in the 2018 panchayat elections followed by the defection of the Adhikari family to the BJP . FIRST PHASE Women queue up outside a polling booth in Purulia district of West Bengal on Saturday. REUTERS BJP in Phase-I of WB elections focus on the Delhi borders. Intelligence sources said three to five protesters were putting up in each tractor-trailer compared to 10-15 earlier. “The decline in numbers could be due to senior leaders holding ‘kisan mahapanchayats’ across Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, MP UP , and other states and farmers returning for harvesting,” explained Gurmukh Singh of Hoshiarpur. continued on page 7 the truthfulness of the dying declaration then the benefit of doubt should be given to the accused. A Bench of Justices Navin Sinha and Krishna Murari said this in its verdict while dismissing an appeal challenging the August 2011 judgment of the Delhi High Court upholding a trial court order acquitting two persons continued on page 7 TWO-DAY MEETING FROM APRIL 22 ■ US President Joe Biden is seeking to revive a forum of world’s major economies on climate that Trump neglected ■ At least 17 countries of the forum are responsible for nearly 80 per cent of global emissions and global GDP WARNS RETALIATION ON DIGITAL TAX A day after holding talks with Commerce Minister Piyush Goel, US trade representative Katherine Tai has proposed higher tariff on imports from six countries, including India. Climate Change Conference to be held this November in Glasgow,” the White House said in a statement. —TNS Prez to undergo bypass surgery NEW DELHI: President Ram Nath Kovind, who was admitted to AIIMS in New Delhi on Saturday, will undergo a bypass procedure on March 30. The President was shifted to AIIMS from Army Research and Referral Hospital. — TNS