30112022-TT-03.qxd 11/29/2022 11:01 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 142 NO. 330 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH VB GRILLS FORMER DEPUTY CM SONI IN ASSETS CASE PUNJAB COVID CURBS: CHINA SETS OUT TO IDENTIFY PROTESTERS WORLD /thetribunechd SENSEX, NIFTY CLOSE AT RECORD HIGH BUSINESS GENERAL MUNIR TAKES CHARGE AS PAK ARMY CHIEF BACK PAGE wednesday | 30 november 2022 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com COUGH SYRUP HAI TO ALVIDA KHANSI For more information, please call or WhatsApp us: +91 977 921 4455 / care@torquepharma.com Am ashamed, want to apologise: Curtains on Guj campaign; Israel envoy on Kashmir Filesrow 788 to vie for 89 seats in Ph-1 Tribune News Service Israeli filmmaker a contrarian In open letter, slams IFFI jury head for terming film ‘propaganda’ Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 29 Ambassador of Israel Naor Gilon has sought to calm the social media storm that has erupted in India after an Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid criticised Vivek Agnihotri’s film “The Kashmir Files” as “propaganda”. “As a human being I feel ashamed and want to apologise to our hosts for the bad manner in which we repaid them for their generosity and friendship,” said an open letter to Lapid posted by Gilon, who regretted that the filmmaker had walked away after making the comments, leaving the diplomats to face hate mail. Criticising Lapid, the Ambassador wrote: “You will go back to Israel thinking that Kashmiri Pandits protest against Israeli filmmaker Nadav Lapid’s remarks outside the Relief Commissioner’s Office in Jammu. PTI ABUSED INVITATION In Indian culture they say a guest is like God. You (Lapid) have abused the Indian invitation to chair the IFFI panel of judges as well as the trust they bestowed on you. Naor Gilon, AMBASSADOR OF ISRAEL ❝ you are bold and made a statement. We, the representatives of Israel, would stay here. You should see our DM (direct IN BRIEF RBI to launch retail digital rupee pilot tomorrow NEW DELHI: The RBI on Tuesday announced the pilot launch of retail digital rupee from December 1 at select locations in closed user groups of participating customers and merchants. BACK PAGE Pak drone shot down by BSF women constables AMRITSAR: Women constables of the BSF in the Amritsar sector foiled a drug smuggling attempt from across the International Border by shooting down a drone that had entered the Indian territory. INSIDE Man kills friend, concocts firing story, nailed BATALA: A man, Amritpal Singh, was arrested for allegedly killing his friend. Amritpal tried to hoodwink the police by concocting a story that his friend was killed when someone opened fire at them in car. INSIDE Ban on export of organic non-basmati lifted NEW DELHI: The government on Tuesday lifted the ban on export of organic non-basmati rice, including broken rice, a move that would help in promoting the outbound shipments of the commodity. INSIDE message) boxes following your “bravery” and what continued on page 9 edit: kashmir files row New Delhi: Filmmaker Nadav Lapid, who courted controversy by reading out from a statement on behalf the jury criticising “The Kashmir Files’’ for being substandard, has ploughed a lonely furrow that is at variance with the narrative by the state of Israel. Lapid had said, “Usually, I don’t read from paper. This time, I want to be precise. I want to thank the director and head of the programming of the festival for its cinematic richness, the diversity and complexity…There were 15 films in the international competition. Fourteen out of them had cinematic qualities…and evoked vivid discussions. We were, all of us, disturbed and continued on page 9 Tata group to merge Vistara with Air India New Delhi, November 29 The Tata group on Tuesday announced the merger of its two airlines Vistara and Air India. The group owns a 51 per cent stake in Vistara and the rest is with Singapore Airlines (SIA). Formalities with regard to the merger are expected to be completed by March 2024. “Vistara shall be merged with Air India post receipt of requisite approvals. As part of the merger transaction, the SIA shall also invest Rs 2,059 crore in Air India. Post New Delhi, November 29 Campaigning for the first phase of the Gujarat Assembly elections to be held on December 1 ended on Tuesday. As many as 788 candidates are in the fray for 89 seats across 19 districts of south Gujarat and KutchSaurashtra regions where voting will be held on Thursday. New entrant AAP is set to queer the pitch in a traditionally BJP-Congress fight. It has fielded candidates on 181 of the state's 182 seats with journalist Isudan Gadhvi leading the party as the CM face. He is contesting from Khambhalia in DevbhumiDwarka district. Cricketer Ravindra Jadeja's wife Rivaba and Gujarat AAP president Gopal Italia are also in the fray in this phase. Also in the fray are BSP’s 57 candidates, Bharatiya Tribal Party’s 14, Samajwadi Party’s 12, CPM’s four and CPI’s two candidates apart from 339 VOTING TOMORROW IN 19 DISTRICTS TOTAL NO. OF SEATS 182 MAJOR PARTIES ELECTORATE 4.91 CR BJP | CONG | AAP | BSP VOTERS IN PH-1 2,39,76,670 PROMINENT CANDIDATES MALE 1,24,33,362 AAP’S Isudan Gadhvi and Gopal FEMALE 1,15,42,811 Italia | BJP’S Parshottam Solanki, Kunwarji Bavaliya, Kantilal THIRD GENDER 497 Amrutiya and Rivaba Jadeja KHARGE’S ‘RAVANA’ REMARK SPARKS ROW ■ Cong chief Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘Ravana’ barb at PM triggered a slugfest ■ BJP slammed it as ‘insult’ on Gujaratis, Cong called attack on its leader ‘anti-Dalit tirade’ << Cong president Mallikarjun Kharge Independents. The first phase will see 2,39,76,670 voters choose their MLAs. Of them 1,24,33,362 are men, 1,15,42,811 women and 497 third gender. The state has a total of 4,91,35,400 voters. On the concluding day, BJP stalwarts JP Nadda, Amit Shah, Yogi Adityanath and Pramod Sawant made lastditch efforts to woo voters. The highlight of the day was the slugfest between the two main parties over Congress continued on page 9 PREZ INAUGURATES GITA FEST PORTUGAL ENTER KNOCKOUT STAGE ■ A second half brace from midfielder Bruno Fernandes fired Portugal into the last 16 of the World Cup after a 2-0 win that outclassed an uninspiring Uruguay ■ Portugal, now on top of Group H with six points, become the third team after France and Brazil to qualify for the knockout stage President Droupadi Murmu confers a degree on a student at the 18th convocation of NIT in Kurukshetra on Tuesday. She also inaugurated the International Gita Mahotsav. TRIBUNE PHOTO REPORT INSIDE SENEGAL BEAT ECUADOR 2-1 | NETHERLANDS BEAT QATAR 2-0 MORE ON SPORT PAGE gation of ulema and leaders of other faiths, Doval said the cooperation of the Islamic clerics and the civil society was essential in countering the threat from ISIS-inspired individual terror cells and returnees from theatres like Syria and Afghanistan. The NSA thanked Indonesia minister Mohammad Mahfud MD for bringing a high-level ulema delegation to India. “Both our countries have been victims of terrorism and separatism,” he said. Doval said the aim of the discussion was to bring together Indian and Indonesian continued on page 9 SPURIOUS DRUGS Ambika Sharma Tribune News Service Solan, November 29 The failure on the part of the authorities concerned to arrest traders who had supplied raw materials to the firms engaged in manufacturing spurious drugs 38 more sites in Aravallis under scanner CRIMINAL NEXUS Bhartesh Singh Thakur Tribune News Service Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Bruno Fernandes celebrate a goal during the match against Uruguay in Lusail on Tuesday. ANI NSA Ajit Doval Chandigarh, November 29 An analysis of FlRs related to illegal mining has revealed 38 additional sites — 37 in Nuh and one in Gurugram — where the illegal activity has been reported in addition to NGT PANEL DEMANDS ACTION TAKEN REPORT ■ An 8-member NGT panel looking into illegal mining recently visited 22 of 38 sites ■ Finds signs of illegal mining at 16 places highlighted by the Aravalli Bachao Citizens Movement, states a report of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) panel headed by IFS officer Vasvi Tyagi. Committed to signing FTA with India: Sunak New Delhi, November 29 British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has reiterated the UK’s commitment to signing a free trade agreement (FTA) with India as part of the country’s wider focus on enhancing ties with the strategic Indo-Pacific region and standing up to competitors with “robust pragmatism”. Delivering his first major foreign policy speech since taking charge last month at the Lord Mayor of London’s Banquet on Monday, Sunak reflected upon his heritage and committed to promoting British values of “freedom and openness” around the world. — TNS Gangster-terror nexus: NIA raids in Punjab, other states Ulemas have crucial role to play in Raw material suppliers not nailed even after 3 months countering radicalisation: Doval New Delhi, November 29 Noting that cross-border and ISIS-inspired terrorism continued to pose a threat to humanity, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval today said ulemas had a “vital role” to play in countering radicalisation and extremism by propagating progressive ideas and thoughts. In his opening remarks at a dialogue between the Indonesian and Indian dele- REPORT INSIDE waves at supporters during a public meeting in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. PTI Singapore Airlines to hold 25% stake in AI the consolidation, the SIA shall hold 25.1 per cent stake in Air India. The transaction is estimated to be completed by March 2024,” the Tata group said in a statement. The Tata group also owns Air India Express and Air Asia India, both of which will be merged under the Air India brand, too, by 2024. Post consolidation, the fleet size of Air India will rise to 218. — TNS GEHLOT, PILOT PUT UP UNITED SHOW some sites; seeks action taken report from dept ■ For rehabilitation of closed mines, it suggests natural regeneration Acting on a petition of the citizens movement, the NGT had formed the eight-member panel on May 23. The panel members visited 22 of the 38 sites on November 18 and November 22 and found signs of illegal mining at some sites. Of the 22 sites, 15 were on lease till 2002, when the Supreme Court prohibited mining in Gurugram and Nuh. At the remaining seven sites, there was no mining lease, but locals had been extracting stones, the panel said, adding it had asked the continued on page 9 appears to have encouraged the illicit trade in the pharmaceutical hub of BaddiBarotiwala-Nalagarh in Himachal’s Solan district. At least three such cases have come to the fore since September where spurious drugs manufactured by unlicensed firms have been seized by the Drug Control Administration (DCA) at Baddi. The seizure of a huge continued on page 9 New Delhi, November 29 Launching a fresh crackdown against the gangster-terrorism nexus, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) today conducted searches at 13 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh and the Delhi-NCR region. The operations focused on gangs linked to Lawrence Bishnoi, Neeraj Bawana, Tillu Tazpuriya and Goldy Brar. An NIA spokesperson said the raids were conducted in Fazilka, Tarn Taran, Ludhiana, Sangrur and Mohali districts in Punjab, Yamunanagar in Haryana, Sikar in Rajasthan and Outer North District of Delhi-NCR. The official said it was the third continued on page 9 Cong sarpanch plotted ~17L bank robbery, held Patiala, November 29 A 35-year-old Congress sarpanch from Chamkaur Sahib turned out to be the mastermind of the Rs 17 lakh Ghanaur bank robbery that took place on Monday. Considered close to a former CM, Amandeep Singh, sarpanch of Hafzahbad village, was arrested continued on page 9 HISTORY-SHEETER ■ Amandeep Singh, 3 aides robbed ~17 lakh from UCO Bank, Ghanaur ■ All four arrested from near Chamkaur Sahib; cops recover the robbed amount ■ Amandeep earlier looted ~4.5 lakh from SBI branch at Sanghol and was evading arrest