28032023-TTC-03.qxd 3/28/2023 12:48 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 7 NO. 85 | 18 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 POST PROTESTS, ISRAELI PM HALTS JUDICIAL OVERHAUL WORLD /thetribunechd FIRST CITIZENS TAKES UDDHAV FACTION WARNS OVER TROUBLED SILICON AGAINST INSULTS TO VALLEY BANK BUSINESS SAVARKAR BACK PAGE NO JUSTICE, DHANGRI VICTIMS’ KIN THREATEN TO RETURN AID J&K tuesday | 28 march 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Parliament passes Union Budget amid Oppn din over Rahul’s disqualification Amritpal could try to escape via Nepal: India alerts Kathmandu SSB steps up security along border Fugitive’s guard Tribune News Service Tribune News Service Vacate house by April23,Rahultold New Delhi, March 27 Parliament on Monday passed the Union Budget 2023-24 after the Lok Sabha cleared the Finance Bill with a fresh amendment and the Rajya Sabha gave its nod to three related legislations without any debate amid the Opposition din. The Opposition was protesting against Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as MP following his conviction in a defamation case. Earlier today, the RS cleared the Rs 45 lakh crore spending proposal in the Union Budget, followed by the Finance Bill that features tax proposals. The Upper House also passed the Appropriation Bill and 18 PARTIES ATTEND DINNER MEET AT KHARGE’S HOUSE Demands for Grants, besides Budget for the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir. The Finance Bill as passed by the LS featured an amendment moved by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman. The amendment was to correct the rate of securities transaction tax (STT) to be levied on trading NEW DELHI: Congress leaders Mallikarjun Kharge, Sonia Gandhi and others protest in New Delhi on Monday. PTI NO DATA ON OFFSHORE SHELL COMPANIES OWNED BY INDIANS: GOVT AMID ADANI ROW BACK PAGE of options and futures in the derivative market. The amendment was passed by voice vote amid ruckus, completing the budgetary exercise. The Lok Sabha saw unprecedented ruckus with Congress MPs, dressed in black, protesting Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification, and tearing and hurling papers at the Speaker, leading to a quick adjournment of proceedings. “I want to run the House with decorum and dignity,” Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said before adjourning the House at 11 am. With the main business concluded, the Parliament may be adjourned sine die on Tuesday, ahead of the scheduled adjournment on April 6. Earlier in the day, springing a surprise, the TMC joined the Opposition meeting called by Congress chief and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge to discuss the strategy to corner the government Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has been asked to vacate his Tughlaq Lane bungalow, which he has been occupying since 2005. Gandhi has been told by the Lok Sabha Secretariat that the allotment of his present residence shall “deem to have been cancelled with effect from April 23”. The step follows Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha following the two-year jail term handed to him by a Gujarat court in a defamation case. Gandhi was disqualified with effect from March 23, the day he was convicted and handed out a sentence of two years by a Surat court. BACK PAGE in Parliament. Kharge welcomed the TMC move to participate in the meeting, stating that anyone who came forward to “protect democracy” was welcome. The Opposition protested against the Centre over the Adani Group issue, wearing black attire and marching from Parliament Complex towards Vijay Chowk. DETAILS SENT TO HOTELS New Delhi, March 27 Amid speculation that fugitive pro-Khalistani activist Amritpal Singh may sneak into Nepal, the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) has stepped up vigil along the border in Uttarakhand and UP . India through its mission in Kathmandu has asked the Himalayan country to put its immigration authorities on alert to make sure the separatist does not escape to a third country. It is learnt that in a letter sent to Nepal’s Department of Consular Services on Saturday, the Indian Embassy in Kathmandu has requested the authorities to arrest Amritpal if he tries to enter or flee from the neighbouring country. The Nepalese Foreign Ministry has been requested “to inform the Department of Immigration not to permit Amritpal Singh to travel Banjara community protests in Shivamogga on Monday. PTI Banjaras target ex-Karnataka CM over quota issue Shivamogga, March 27 Agitating members of the Banjara community on Monday targeted BJP strongman and former Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa’s house in Shikaripura town of this district and resorted to stonepelting, injuring some policemen during a protest against the internal reservation for the SCs announced by the state government. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC have been imposed in the town. Reacting to the incidents, CM Basavaraj Bommai claimed the Congress was behind the violence. “Local Congress leaders are instigating people. The Congress is unable to digest the social justice done to every community and it resorted to inciting violence,” he told reporters. The police used batons to disperse the large number of protesters. Some members of the Banjara community were injured. —PTI New Delhi, March 27 The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre, Gujarat Government and the convicts in the Bilkis Bano gang-rape case on a petition filed by the victim. The latter has challenged the premature release of 11 men convicted of raping her and killing her family members during the 2002 Gujarat riots. Noting that there is a gamut of issues involved that needed to be heard in detail, Tells Gujarat to be ready with remission papers PLACES OF WORSHIP ACT: HEARING ON APRIL 5 The Supreme Court will hear on April 5 the petitions challenging the validity of certain provisions of the Places of Worship (Special Provisions) a Bench led by Justice KM Joseph posted the matter for hearing on April 18. Act, 1991, which prohibit filing of lawsuits to reclaim a place of worship or seek a change in its character from what prevailed on August 15, 1947. The Supreme Court asked the Gujarat Government to be ready with relevant files relat- ed to the grant of remission on the next date of hearing. The Bench, which also included Justice BV Nagarathna, said it would not be overwhelmed by emotions and would only go by the law. The Supreme Court had earlier dismissed Bilkis Bano’s review petition. However, her separate petition challenging the remission of the sentences of the 11 convicts by the state government remained pending before the top court. The premature continued on page 10 Jalandhar, March 27 A report from Jalandhar said Punjab’s Anti-Gangster Task Force was conducting searches at likely hideouts in Uttarak- ALARMING TREND Tribune News Service Kurukshetra, March 27 The gender ratio at birth in 20 villages of Kurukshetra in Haryana was recorded below 400 in 2022 while the district’s ratio dropped by 28 points from 921 in 2021 to 893 last year. IN BARACHPUR, 13 OF 14 KIDS BORN IN 2022 WERE BOYS Alarmed at the decline given Haryana's gender ratio of 917 girls born per 1,000 boys, the district authorities have zeroed in on 80 of the 419 villages that have seen a decline in the ratio. A decision has AREA BARACHPUR HINGA KHERI PREM SONTI ALAMPUR BAPDI COLONY THROULI SHRI NAGAR SULTANPUR KALAL MAZRA KHERI SAIDAN GENDER RATIO 77 143 190 222 231 267 286 308 333 375 been taken to hold monthly review meetings with auxiliary nurse midwives (ANMs), accredited social health activists (ASHAs) and other health officials concerned. Of the 20 villages on the district administration’s radar, Barachpur recorded an alarming gender ratio of 77 last year. Inhabited mostly by Scheduled Cates and Backward Classes, the village has a population of around 1,000. As per the Health Department’s data, 14 children were born in the village in 2022, of whom 13 were boys. The situation was different in 2021 when a gender ratio of 909 was recorded with the birth of 11 boys and 10 girls. continued on page 10 Bhopal, March 27 Namibian cheetah Sasha died due to a kidney ailment on Monday at Madhya Pradesh’s Kuno National Park (KNP), a top Forest Department official said. The four-year-old female cheetah was among the eight cheetahs translocated from Namibia and housed at the KNP in Sheopur district since September 17. “Cheetah Sasha passed away due to a kidney problem as her creatinine level was very high,” Principal Chief Conservator of Forest (PCCFWildlife) JS Chauhan said. through Nepal for any third country and arrest him if he attempts to escape from Nepal using an Indian passport or any other fake passport.” The separatist’s details have been sent to hotels and airlines as well. Meanwhile, a senior SSB official said: “Based on the inputs from intelligence agencies that Amritpal can enter Nepal, we have issued an alert on the border.” Amritpal, who is believed to be in the possession of multiple passports with different identities, has been on the run since March 18. Amritsar, March 27 As Amritpal Singh and his aide Papalpreet Singh remain on the run, the police have arrested his bodyguard and an ex-serviceman Varinder Singh Johal, alias Fauji. Johal was part of 10 armed bodyguards who used to accompany him in every function. The police have invoked the National Security Act (NSA) against Johal and sent him to the Dibrugarh Central Jail in Assam. Johal served as a constable in 19 Sikh Regiment and had got arms licence from J&K. However, it was cancelled following a request from Punjab Police after the Ajnala clash. Johal used to train addicts, who came for treatment, at a makeshift firing range. — TNS hand, Uttar Pradesh, the NCR and Indore, Madhya Pradesh. A team of five to six highly trained cops were working at each of the four locations to gather clues. Sources said Counter Intelligence and Internal Security officials too had been deployed at these locations. — TNS ISactivityupinSouthIndia, 2 sub-groups formed: Intel Mukesh Ranjan S&P RETAINS INDIA’S GROWTH FORECAST AT 6% ECONOMIC UPDATE 5% 7% Inflation in FY24 GDPgrowthinFY23 6% Economic growth in FY24 6.9% GDP growth in FY25, FY26 7.1% Growth expected in FY27 The ratings agency expects the RBI to raise policy rate further following a recent upside surprise in inflation. Gender ratio at birth falls below Brought from Namibia six 400 in 20 Kurukshetra villages months ago, cheetah dies Nitish Sharma mandu has requested Nepal authorities to arrest Amritpal if he tries to enter or flee ■ The separatist’s details have been sent to hotels and airlines ■ Posters with pictures of the fugitive and his aides have been put up in border areas ‘Fauji’ arrested Searches at likely hideouts in UP, Uttarakhand Won’t be emotional: SC on Bilkis Bano case Tribune News Service ■ The Indian Embassy in Kath- The feline was not keeping well since her arrival more than six months ago and was recently taken back to a quarantine enclosure at the KNP for treatment, he said. Sasha’s creatinine level was above 400 (an indicator of poor kidney function) which resulted in her death, Chauhan added. — PTI Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 27 In a bid to keep its presence intact in India, particularly after the crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI), global terror outfit Islamic State (IS) has launched two sub-groups for southern states and Sri Lanka. While one IS sub-group is for Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, the other is for Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, officials of intelligence agencies said. Incidentally, a majority of the cases linked to the IS which are being investigated by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) are from southern states. A number of recruits from the region have also participated in the socalled hijrat (migration) to other countries for terror activities, the officials said, adding that the outfit has been particularly active in Kerala, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The officials further confirmed that the IS had roped in several members of the now banned PFI for training and raising a militia of trained jihadists for terror activities. ROPED IN PFI MEMBERS ■ After ban on PFI, Islamic State has set up two more subgroups: one for Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka, the other for Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana and Andhra Pradesh ■ It has roped in several members of the banned PFI for terror activities The PFI was initially raised in Kerala but subsequently shifted its headquarters to Shaheen Bagh in the Capital, they added. The IS already has groups like IS (Khorasan Province), IS (JK), IS Deccan (for South India) and IS Hind for the hinterland, the officials said. In one of its earlier statements, the NIA had said, “Investigations have revealed that the accused have been conspiring to drive a wedge between different communities and groups living in India.” IN BRIEF New NEP-based textbooks from 2024-25 session The National Council of Educational Research and Training has decided to roll out the new textbooks based on National Education Policy (NEP) from the 2024-25 academic session. INSIDE NEW DELHI: Illegal house, crops come up on IIM land in Sirmaur Tribune News Service Solan, March 27 The Sirmaur district authorities in Himachal Pradesh have directed the Paonta Sahib sub-division officials to clear encroachments on the land allotted for setting up a permanent campus of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) at Dhaulan Kuan. Chairing a meeting in A file photo of the IIM-Sirmaur. Nahan today to review the progress of the project, Deputy Commissioner RK Gautam asked the officials concerned, including the Paonta Sahib Sub-Divisional Magistrate, to ensure the encroachments were cleared at the earliest. “Being a fertile area, the residents have reportedly been raising various crops like wheat on the land allotted for the IIM, a sizable chunk of which is lying vacant for the past few years,” said Gautam. Sanctioned for Himachal in 2014, the IIM-Sirmaur has been operating from a tem- porary campus at Dhaulan Kuan since August 2015. The stone of the permanent campus was laid in August 2020 by then Union Education Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal through video-conferencing. The first phase of the institute is being built with an outlay of Rs 392.51 crore. About 60 per cent of the construction was done and the continued on page 10 Today’s issue is of 18 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. BJP MLA held after bail plea in graft case rejected BENGALURU: BJP MLA Madal Virupakshappa was arrested hours after the Karnataka High Court dismissed his bail plea in a bribery case on Monday. His son was caught getting ~40 lakh bribe on March 2. PTI No interim relief for Kavitha from apex court NEW DELHI: BRS leader K Kavitha on Monday failed to get any interim relief from the Supreme Court on her plea seeking protection from arrest by the ED in the alleged Delhi excise policy scam. BACK PAGE Two shot at in California gurdwara after fistfight NEW YORK: Two persons were shot at in a gurdwara in California on Sunday. The shooting took place after a fistfight broke out between two men on the temple grounds, a newspaper reported. INSIDE