18032023-TTB-01.qxd 3/17/2023 11:47 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 143 NO. 75 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA IMRAN APPEARS IN COURT, GRANTED BAIL IN 9 CASES WORLD /thetribunechd SEBI MAKES STRINGENT PM ANNOUNCES MEGA DISCLOSURE NORMS TEXTILE PARKS IN SEVEN FOR FPIs BUSINESS STATES BACK PAGE SEEKING TRANSFER, RESERVED CATEGORY STAFF END STIR J&K saturday | 18 march 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Xi Jinping BJP turns on heat against Rahul Sukhu pitches for ‘green state’ as Parliament impasse continues Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Ukraineonagenda, Cong counters with privilege notice against PM Modi | Saffron party calls it diversionary tactic Xi-Putin talks in Tribune News Service Russia next week New Delhi, March 17 ❝ PART OF ANTI-INDIA TOOLKIT Beijing/Moscow, March 17 Chinese President Xi Jinping will travel to Moscow on a state visit on Monday for crucial talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during which he is expected to pitch for peace talks to end the raging war in Ukraine. ICC ISSUES ARREST WARRANT FOR PUTIN OVER WAR CRIMES Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said on Friday that at the invitation of President Putin, President Xi would pay a state visit to Russia from March 20 to 22. Xi’s visit will be seen as a powerful signal of Beijing’s support for Putin in Western capitals, where leaders have grown increasingly wary of the two neighbouring nations’ deepening partnership as war rages in Europe. Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court said on Friday it has issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Putin for war crimes because of his alleged involvement in abduction of children from continued on page 16 The stalemate between the ruling and Opposition benches in Parliament continued for the fifth consecutive day on Friday leading to a washout of the first week of the second leg of the Budget session. With the Congress today countering the ruling BJP with a privilege notice against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the saffron party hitting back with a fresh spell of attacks on Rahul Gandhi over his “democracy-under-threat” remarks in London, the political circles are abuzz with speculations that rest of the three weeks of the session might also meet the same fate. In both Houses, BJP MPs stuck to the demand for a public apology from Rahul over his remarks made in London about Indian democracy and the Congress continued with its call for a JPC probe into the Adani-Hindenburg issue. Congress MP KC Venugopal today wrote to Rajya Sabha Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar proposing privi- Rejected repeatedly by people, Rahul Gandhi has become a permanent part of anti-India toolkit. JP Nadda, BJP CHIEF LS TV GOES MUTE FOR 8 MINUTES, OPPN CRIES FOUL Congress MPs Mallikarjun Kharge, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Deepender Hooda during a protest over the Adani issue at Parliament House complex on Friday. PTI lege proceedings against Prime Minister Modi for making “derogatory, distasteful and defamatory” remarks against party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul. Venugopal, in his notice to the Chairman under Rule 188, cited the PM’s February 9 speech during the reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s Address. In response to the Opposition Congress accusing him of not mentioning Nehru in his speeches, Modi had said that none of Nehru’s descendants used the Nehru surname. “The above-mentioned remarks prima facie made in a mocking manner are not only disgraceful but also insulting and defamatory vis-a-vis the members of Nehru family, particularly Sonia Gandhi and Rahul who are members of the Lok Sabha,” Venugopal said in his privilege notice. The notice is seen as an attempt to counter the BJP’s aggressive stance against Rahul. Leader of the House in Rajya Sabha and Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, Just before the adjournment of the Lok Sabha on Friday, the Lok Sabha TV went mute for eight minutes. Opposition MPs termed it a “deliberate attempt by the government to suppress their voice”. Sources in LS Secretariat said the channel went mute due to technical glitches. “It is a gimmick, a diversionary tactic to deflect attention from the anger building up nationwide against Rahul for his insult to India, the Indian democracy and Indian institutions on foreign soil.” Meanwhile, BJP Lok Sabha member Nishikant Dubey reiterated his demand, seeking the constitution of a continued on page 16 Shimla, March 17 Despite terming Himachal Pradesh’s financial health “grave”, Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu on Friday announced no fresh taxes while presenting the Budget of Rs 53,413 crore for 2023-24 fiscal year and outlining the plans to make HP a green state by 2026. In a desperate bid to generate resources for the cashstrapped state, Sukhu announced that Rs 4,000 crore would be generated from water cess on hydropower generation, Rs 100 crore from Rs 10 as milk cess on every liquor bottle and enhanced revenue from open auction of liquor vends. Sukhu, who holds the finance portfolio, has tried to give a new direction to make Himachal a “green state” by switching to electric vehicles, creating six green corridors and providing subsidy of 50 per cent for purchase of electric taxis, buses and trucks. An allocation of Rs 1,000 crore has been made for replacing 1,500 diesel buses of state transport corporation with electric vehicles. Under pressure to implement the 10 Congress guarantees promised before elec- Worst of inflation is behind us: RBI Governor Das Mamata Banerjee with Akhilesh Yadav in Kolkata on Friday. PTI Akhilesh, Didi decide on Oppn front minus Cong Mumbai, March 17 Reserve Bank Governor Shaktikanta Das on Friday said despite the multiple shocks to the global economy from the pandemic, the Ukraine war and synchronised monetary policy tightening across the world, the domestic economy and financial sector are stable and the worst of inflation is behind us. Das also said the rupee had exhibited the least volatility among its peer currencies CAUTIONS BANKS AGAINST ASSET-LIABILITY MISMATCH Shaktikanta Das RBI Governor cautioned banks against buildup of asset-liability mismatches, saying both were detrimental to financial stability and hinted the US crisis seemed to have emanated from such mismatch. INSIDE despite the massive appreciation of the greenback. Delivering the 17th KP Hormis (Federal Bank founder) commemorative lecture in Kochi this evening, Das underlined that despite the overwhelming concerns a few months back about an imminent global recession, the global economy had shown greater resilience, reducing the probability of a hard landing. The Governor said there was a declining trend in global growth. “There is also considerable uncertainty about structural shifts taking place in the drivers of inflation, ranging from labour market dynamics to the concentration of market power and less efficient supply chains. However, reassuring aspects are global food, energy and other commodity prices have softened from respective peaks and the supply chains are normalising, which should help in achieving disinflation and thus contain imported inflation,” he said. Speaking on the role of India in helping navigate the many emergent crises as it helmed the G20 presidency, he said this global role came to the country in an environment of formidable geo-economic shifts, which had vitiated the global macro-financial outlook. — PTI Milk cess on liquor Sops for electric vehicles Pension for women CM Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu at the Vidhan Sabha in Shimla. tions, he said the Old Pension Scheme had been continued on page 16 SC issues notice to Majithia on plea against bail NewDelhi, March 17 The Supreme Court on Friday issued notice to SAD leader Bikram Majithia on the Punjab Government’s plea against a Punjab and Haryana High Court order granting him bail in a drugs case. A Bench issued the notice after senior counsel Shyam Divan, representing Punjab, explained the case and highlighted the problem of drug menace in the state. INSIDE Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 17 In mounting troubles for the Congress, new Opposition permutations emerged on Friday after a productive meeting between Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav and West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee in Kolkata. Sources said the two leaders agreed on evolving a joint front minus the Congress and the BJP maintaining their , distance from the two parties. After meeting Mamata, former Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh Akhilesh Yadav tweeted: “Today met respected Didi in Kolkata.” Mamata is now expected to meet Odisha CM and BJD’s Naveen Patnaik on March 23 to deliberate on the possibilities of a larger front. TMC chief Mamata had UNITEDLY TAKE ON BJP It has been decided that the TMC and SP will work unitedly to fight the BJP. Both parties will also maintain distance from the Congress. ❝ Kiranmoy Nanda, SENIOR SP LEADER NEXT, MEETING WITH PATNAIK earlier declared her party would contest the 2024 Lok Sabha election alone. The Congress has been privately accusing the TMC of aiding the BJP tacitly. Senior SP leader Kiranmoy Nanda, who attended the meeting, said: “It has been decided that the TMC and the SP would work unitedly to fight the BJP Both the par. ties would also maintain distance from the Congress.” Death anniv may stoke emotions; govt wary Resist sanctions, resume Expecting mammoth gathering, Mansa administration tightens security Sukhmeet Bhasin Tribune News Service Mansa, March 17 Sidhu Moosewala’s first death anniversary, which his parents have decided to observe on March 19, is set to fuel emotions with the slain singer’s parents and fans already simmering over alleged tardy probe into his murder. The recent interview of gangster Lawrence Bishnoi has also escalated the matter. Cornered by the Opposition over delay in the probe, the AAP government is on tenterhooks and is closely watching the developments preceding the singer’s death MOOSEWALA KILLING anniversary event, which is being held at the New Grain Market in Mansa. The police and district administration are on high alert. Moosewala’s father Balkaur Singh said, “I will speak at length on all issues related to Sidhu’s murder and its probe on his first barsi on Sunday. Gangster Bishnoi’s interview is a conspiracy to defame him. It is clear some people don’t want a high continued on page 16 Gangster Bishnoi again on TV Chandigarh, March 17 A television channel today aired the second part of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi’s interview even as the Punjab Police and central security agencies continue to be in the dark over the location where it was shot. Bishnoi, alleged mastermind in Moosewala murder who was earlier booked by the NIA for aiding terrorists, purportedly threatened to kill actor Salman Khan calling “it his main goal”. “I will be a big ‘goonda’ (as you call me) when I kill Salman (for shoot- ing a blackbuck in Rajasthan),” he said. The Bishnoi community worships blackbucks. The location of the interview seemed different from the first part as THREATENS TO KILL SALMAN | SECURITY AGENCIES STUMPED instead of a black background, a wall and a window were visible. Bishnoi had a trimmed beard and wore a round-neck orange shirt. One of the anchors of the TV interview said it was his latest video. The anchor said the police of continued on page 16 Antique’ Buddha idol turned into bars, 7 Hansi cops suspended ‘ Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service The Lord Buddha idol that was converted into bars. TRIBUNE PHOTO Hisar, March 17 Seven policemen posted at the CIA-2 wing of Hansi police district have been suspended after they allegedly converted a 4 kg metal idol of Lord Buddha into eight bars, presuming it to be of gold. Shrikant Jadhav, ADGP , Hisar Range, said an FIR under Sections 166-A, 201, Presume it to be of gold |ADGP orders registration of FIR |5 of UP gang arrested 217, 409, 420 and 120 B would be registered against them and a special investigation team (SIT) would be constituted to probe the case. On January 12, the CIA staffers nabbed Bablu of UP , who worked as a daily wager at a local factory, from Hansi bus stand and seized the “antique” idol from his possession. They allegedly let him off after interrogation, but kept the idol. Sources said the staffers presuming the idol to be of gold got it melted and converted into eight pieces of biscuit-sized bars. It was later found that the idol was made of some other metal. Meanwhile, Bablu resurfaced and lodged a complaint with the Hisar IGP office, accusing the seven policemen of illegally taking away his idol. A probe was ordered and the staffers, including the CIA-2 wing’s in-charge, were reportedly found guilty of wrongdoing. Hansi SP Nitika Gahlot said a case of fraud under Sections 420, 406, 384, 506 and 34 of the IPC was registered against Bablu and his accomplices Ramdas, Bimlesh, Raghwinder and Satwinder. The SP claimed the accused belonged to UPbased Tatlu gang which duped people by selling fake antique and gold idols. crude purchase: Iran Sandeep Dikshit Tehran Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 17 Iran wants India to speed up the development of the Chabahar Port as well as resume its purchases of crude in the wake of the Saudi-Iran agreement. Iranian President Sayyid Ebrahim Raisi is likely to take the talks forward when he arrives in India in September for the summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation where Iran will be formally included as a member. Giving the examples of Saudi Arabia and the UAE which along with other Arab states are now planning to IRAQ IRAN CHABAHAR SPEED UP WORK ON CHABAHAR: ENVOY For both India and Iran Chabahar is important. Hence, the speed of cooperation and the speed of progress in Chabahar should be faster than what it is now. — IRAJ ELAHI invest in Iran, the Iranian Ambassador to India Iraj continued on page 16 IN BRIEF ‘Tactical helmets’ must for Sikh troops: Govt NEW DELHI: The Centre said in Parliament on Friday that ‘tactical hel- mets’ are an integral part of flying gear for combat aircraft operations and protective gear of soldiers against enemy gunfire. BACK PAGE IS: Chargesheet against BTech students filed NEW DELHI: The NIA has filed a fresh chargesheet against radicalised BTech graduates Maaz Muneer Ahmed (23) and Syed Yasin (22) for allegedly conspiring to further the activities of Islamic State. TNS Will close all madrasas, says Assam CM Sarma BELAGAVI (K'TAKA): Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma said he intend- ed to shut all madrasas as these were not needed in ‘New India’. PTI