14032023-TTB-01.qxd 3/13/2023 11:40 PM 13 BRITAIN RAISES DEFENCE BUDGET BY £5 BN WORLD /thetribunechd Page 1 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 143 NO. 71 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA INDIA MAKE IT TO WORLD TEST CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL SPORT tuesday | 14 march 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Uproar over Rahul’s London remark After SVB, New York-based BJP demands apology | Oppn seeks JPC on Adani | Both Houses adjourned PRESTIGE HARMED ❝ Rahul’s comments are harmful for the country’s SESSION Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 13 The second leg of the Budget session began on a stormy note today with both Houses of Parliament getting adjourned for the day without transacting any substantive business amid the face-off between the government and the Opposition over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s remarks in London that “Indian democracy was in danger”. Leading the attack against Rahul in the Lok Sabha, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said the Congress leader must apologise for the remarks he made during his recent London visit as these were “harmful for the dignity and prestige of the country”. “Rahul is a member of the Lok Sabha and on a visit to London, he tried to defame the country and questioned dignity and prestige… He tried to defame India and questioned democratic institutions Rajnath Singh, DEFENCE MINISTER SHEER DOUBLESPEAK ❝ Thosecrushingdemocracy are talking of saving it. They are suppressing Opposition through misuse of agencies Mallikarjun Kharge, Commotion in the Lok Sabha during the Budget session of Parliament. PTI the democratic institutions and claimed these were being damaged. He also asked foreign powers to come and save the Indian democracy,” he said. Joining the issue, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi said Rahul had “cast aspersions” on Speaker Om Birla by claiming that “his mike was switched off”. He went on to cite the Emergency (1975-77) to ask who had threatened democracy? As the Opposition was protesting in the well of the House on issues such as alleged misuse of central probe agencies, price rise and the 5-judge SC Bench to hear same-sex marriage pleas OSCAR GLORY FOR INDIA ■ ‘Naatu Naatu’ song from ‘RRR’ and short documentary ‘The Elephant Whisperers’ made Oscar history for India on Monday with one Academy Award each ■ ‘Naatu Naatu’ has been composed by MM Keeravaani and penned by Chandrabose (RIGHT) ■ This is the first time two Indiamade productions have bagged the cinema world's biggest prize ■ The short film is the work of Kartiki Gonsalves and Guneet Monga (BELOW) Satya Prakash Tribune News Service Gonsalves dedicates the award to ‘motherland India’ India elated and proud, says PM Modi REPORT BACK PAGE New Delhi, March 13 The Supreme Court on Monday referred petitions seeking validation of same-sex marriage to a five-judge Constitution Bench, saying it’s a matter of “seminal” importance. “We are of the considered view that issues here are resolved by five judges of this court under Article 145(3) of the Constitution. We direct the hearing of this case to be posted before a Constitution Bench,” a Bench led by CJI DY Chandrachud said. The Bench, which also included Justice PS Narasimha and Justice JB Pardiwala, posted the matter for further hearing on April 18. The Centre has said samesex marriage is not in conform- Early bird Cong picks Chaudhary’s widow for Jalandhar LS byelection Deepkamal Kaur HIGH-STAKES BATTLE Tribune News Service Jalandhar, March 13 Banking on sympathy factor and the legacy of the Chaudhary family for the Jalandhar Lok Sabha bypoll, the AICC on Monday announced the candidature of Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary (69), the widow of late MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of the MP during Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Adani-Hindenburg controversy, the Speaker adjourned the House till 2 pm. When the House reassembled, it was adjourned for the day amid an uproar over the same issue. In the Rajya Sabha too, the ruling BJP and Opposition MPs traded charges over the same issue. As the Upper CONGRESS: Constituency with party since 1999 AAP: After losing Sangrur, bypoll matter of prestige BJP: Saffron party pushing hard to make a mark KARAMJIT KAUR SAD: It’s do-or-die battle for beleaguered Badals Yatra in Phillaur on January 14. The announcement is being seen as Rahul’s way of paying back the family. Though PPCC chief Amarinder Singh Raja War- ring and Leader of Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa had assured her candidature during the MP’s bhog, the official announcement came today. continued on page 10 Top court says matter of ‘seminal importance’; hearing from April 18 IT’S POLICY MATTER Govt not interfering in personal life of anybody. When it comes to an issue related to the institution of marriage, it is a matter of policy. Kiren Rijiju, LAW MINISTER ❝ ity with societal morality and Indian ethos, and will cause a “complete havoc” with the delicate balance of personal laws. Despite the decriminalisation of Section 377 of the IPC, the petitioners cannot claim a fundamental right for same-sex continued on page 10 IN BRIEF IndiGo plane diverted to Karachi; flier dies NEW DELHI: A Delhi-Doha IndiGo flight was diverted to Karachi on Sunday night after a Nigerian man fell ill onboard and died later, officials said. TNS In Himachal, 86% rain deficit till March 13 SHIMLA: The dry spell threatens to hit crops in HP with 86% rain deficit being recorded till March 13. TNS Air surcharge: Leh and beyond Rs 2.00 Pay ~1.56 cr for delay in flat possession, HRERA tells realtor Faridabad, March 13 The Haryana Real Estate Regulatory Authority (HRERA), Panchkula, has ordered a builder to pay Rs 1.56 crore to a local resident. The order comes in response to a complaint lodged against the builder for not providing “valid possession” of the flat NO OCCUPATION CERTIFICATE ■ Jayshree Gaur had moved HRERA, Panchkula, on Nov 2, 2020, seeking a refund from the builder of Royal Heritage under a group housing scheme within the stipulated time. Jayshree Gaur had filed a ■ It is claimed that though the possession was being offered, it was without the occupation certificate complaint with HRERA on November 2, 2020, seeking a refund of the money deposited by her with the builder of Royal Heritage, a high-rise residential society in Sector 70 here, claiming that despite a payment of Rs 82.70 lakh under a construction-linked plan for a duplex purchased by her, the builder failed to provide possession even after seven years continued on page 10 LEADER OF OPPN House resumed for the afternoon session, after having been adjourned earlier in the pre-lunch session, Leader of the House Piyush Goyal said he had raised a serious matter in the morning regarding a senior Congress leader going abroad and stating that continued on page 10 Signature Bank collapses too Sandeep Dikshit Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 13 US President Joe Biden has vowed to do whatever is needed to address a threatened banking crisis after the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) and Signature Bank forced regulators to step in with emergency measures. US regulators closed New York-based Signature Bank, the third largest failure in the US banking history, two days after the authorities closed down the SVB. However, fears remain that the fallout could make global markets volatile for weeks. Minister of State for IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar said Biden’s assurance and the US government’s emergency measures on the SVB had reduced the risk to Indian start-ups, which should not take a lesson from the episode and start trusting the Indian banking system more. Biden, in a special statement, promised stiffer bank regula- BANKING SYSTEM SAFE ❝ The banking system is safe. Your deposits will be there when you need them. Joe Biden, US PRESIDENT FED HIKE RATE UNLIKELY In what will be a blessing in disguise for the Indian financial system, Goldman Sachs’ analysts said they no longer expected the US Federal Reserve to increase the interest rates at its March 22 meeting tions. “Americans can have confidence that the banking system is safe. Your deposits will be there when you need them,” said Biden while declaring that SVB depositors could now access their money. “With this US government action, looming risks to Indian start-ups have passed. Learn- ing for Indian start-ups from this crisis — trust the Indian banking system more,’’ tweeted Chandrasekhar. The SVB specialised in catering to the tech start-up ecosystem, including almost all high-flying start-ups, and failed after clients began pulling out their deposits, creating the biggest US bank runs in more than a decade. Its failure last week has left many start-ups, tech companies, entrepreneurs and VC funds on tenterhooks, but the US government’s assurance to depositors would come as partial relief. In a related development, the UK government announced that it had facilitated Londonbased banking major HSBC to buy the stricken UK subsidiary of SVB for £1, securing the deposits of more than 3,000 customers worth around £6.7 billion. The action by the US authorities has been welcomed by Indian start-ups. continued on page 10 edit: us banking crisis