04092023-TTC-01.qxd 9/4/2023 12:54 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 7 NO. 244 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2021-2023 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 RUSSIAN DRONES TARGET UKRAINE’S DANUBE PORT WORLD /thetribunechd ATTACK AVERTED, IED FOUND IN RAJOURI DEFUSED J&K CROP PRODUCTION PAYING DWINDLING DIVIDENDS INFOCUS SHAH: OPPN BLOC INSULTING SANATAN DHARMA FOR VOTE BANK BACK PAGE monday | 4 september 2023 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com PM discards Pak-China objections on G20 meetings in Kashmir, Arunachal Says by 2047, India to be developed nation, winning battle against poverty, corruption ❝ INDIA MEANS BUSINESS The speed with which we jumped five spots, from the 10th largest economy to the 5th largest in less than a decade has conveyed the fact that India means business! Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 3 Prime Minister Narendra Modi dismissed objections raised by China and Pakistan over G20 meetings that were held in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh and said that it was natural to hold such conventions in every part of the country. “Ours is such a vast, beautiful and diverse nation. When G20 meetings are happening, isn’t it natural that meetings will be held in every part of our country ? ’ ’ said the PM when asked by the PTI in an interview on the eve of the G20 summit (September 9-10) about some neighbouring nations objecting to the venues of some of the ministerial meetings. Asked what message had India sent by hosting foreign leaders at G-20 meetings in Kashmir and Arunachal Pradesh, notwithstanding objections by Pakistan and China, the PM said he was WILL LEAD IN HEALTH, EDU SECTOR By 2047, our economy will be even more inclusive and innovative. Health, education and social sector outcomes will be among the best in the world. POSITIVE IMPACT OF PRESIDENCY The shift to a human-centric approach has begun globally; we are playing the role of a catalyst. India’s G20 presidency has sowed seeds of confidence in countries of so-called Third World. — Narendra Modi, PRIME MINISTER “surprised” that he was asked such a question. “Such a question would be valid if we had refrained from conducting meetings in those venues,” he observed in an interview taken last week but aired on Sunday. With his government IN BRIEF Sonia admitted to hospital with mild fever, stable NEW DELHI: Congress leader Sonia Gandhi has been admitted to Sir Ganga Ram Hospital here with mild fever. Her condition is stated to be stable. Before this, Sonia was admitted to the hospital twice this year. TNS Russian envoy apologises for remarks on Lavrov NEW DELHI: Russian envoy Denis Alipov on Sunday regretted his remarks about Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that had raised eyebrows and said he only meant that Lavrov was much admired. BACK PAGE Kota suicides: Wardens to keep tabs on students KOTA: Rocked by student suicides, coaching hub Kota is roping in wardens, mess workers and tiffin providers to look for signs of depression among students staying in hostels and PGs. PTI KOTKAPURA FIRING approaching the end of its second term, the PM said before 2014, the country saw many governments that were unstable and, therefore, unable to get much done. “But in the last few years, the people have given a decisive mandate, which has led to a stable government, predictable policies and clarity in the overall direction,” he said. “By 2047, I am sure that our country will be among the developed countries. Our economy will be even more inclusive and innovative. Our poor people will compre- hensively win the battle against poverty. Health, education and social sector outcomes will be among the best in the world. Corruption, casteism and communalism will have no place in our national life.” Modi also noted that the rapid and sustained progress made by India had evoked interest across the world. “Many countries have been watching our growth story very closely and are convinced that this progress is not an accident but is happening as a result of a clear, action-oriented roadmap of ‘Reform, Perform, Transform’,” he said. For a long time in world history, India was one of the top economies of the world, but later due to the impact of colonisation of various kinds, our global footprint was reduced, he added. “But now, India is again on the rise. The speed with which we jumped five spots, from the 10th largest economy to the fifth largest in less than a decade has conveyed the fact that India means business!” he added. continued on page 9 edit: evasive xi INDIA floor leaders to meet on Sept 5 for Parl session strategy Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 3 Floor leaders of INDIA bloc parties will meet at Congress president and Leader of the Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge’s residence on Tuesday to chalk out a strategy for the special session of Parliament (from September 18 to 22). This will be preceded by a meeting of the Congress parliamentary strategy group at the residence of Congress parliamentary party chairperson Sonia Gandhi at 5 pm. INDIA leaders will meet at Kharge’s residence at 7.30 pm. The floor leaders’ meeting comes three days after the Mumbai meeting of the INDIA bloc. Opposition parties are of the view the Modi government’s move to slash Rs 200 on LPG cylinders, convening a special session of Parliament and proposing simultaneous polls are aimed at distracting attention from the latest media reports about alleged stock manipulation by the Adani Group and also the activities by the bloc. The Congress will press for reviving its demand continued on page 9 PSLV XL launcher. Stating that the satellite was “healthy and operating nominally”, the ISRO said the first earthbound manoeuvre had been “performed successfully” from ISTRAC, Bengaluru. “The new orbit attained is 245 km x 22,459 km,” ISRO said and added that the next manoeuvre was scheduled for 03.00 hours (IST) on September 5. Aditya-L1 will stay in earth-bound orbits for 16 days. continued on page 9 MIFFED AS AGENDA ‘NOT ANNOUNCED’ ■ Parties are unhappy at gov- ernment not providing the agenda for special session ■ Will oppose no question hour, private members’ biz during special session ■ Congress will push for reviving demand for a JPC investigation into Adani revelations Pardon to dera head figures in chargesheet Aditya-L1 robust, first orbit-raising manoeuvre carried out successfully Balwant Garg Tribune News Service Faridkot, September 3 The SIT, in its second supplementary chargesheet filed last week into the Kotkapura police firing case of October 2015, has brought on record the “mafinama” (pardon) granted to the Dera Sacha Sauda head by the Akal Takht Jathedar on September 24, 2015, revocation of this pardon on October 17, 2015, and the banning of the dera chief’s controversial Tribune News Service A police vehicle that was set ablaze after the police firing. FILE film – “The Messenger of God” — in the state. All related developments that led to sacrilege and culminated in the police firing at Behbal Kalan and continued on page 9 New Delhi, September 3 The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on Sunday carried out the first orbitraising manoeuvre of AdityaL1 spacecraft, the country’s first space-based observatory to study the sun, a day after the probe was placed in a low earth elliptical orbit by a 2 months on, thousands in Rampur still partially cut off Subhash Rajta Tribune News Service A damaged road in Rampur tehsil of Shimla district. FILE Shimla, August 3 Even as most roads have been restored for traffic in Shimla district, many panchayats in Rampur tehsil of the district continue to have partial or no road connectivity. Besides causing travel and other inconvenience, the snapped road connectivity — for the past two months — has increased the transportation cost of apple. “There has been no road MONSOON FURY ROAD TO RECOVERY FRUIT CARRIAGE HIT ■ Pick-ups running at half capacity ■ Vehicles taking longer routes to reach various mandis ■ Apple boxes being moved to functional roads by labourers where link stretches closed MORE REPORTS INSIDE connectivity in our area for nearly two months now. Following heavy rain in July, half a km portion of the road to our panchayat has sunk at Seripul near Taklech,” said Bhajan Dass, pradhan of Munish gram panchayat in Rampur. Four are panchayats falling under Taklech sub-tehsil — Kashapat, Deothi, Kuhal and Darkali -– are also awaiting the restoration of road connectivity. “Over 8,000 people of these panchayats are inconvenienced due to the damaged road,” he said. Shoba Singh, a PWD SDO, continued on page 9 Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. c m y b ‘One nation, one poll’ panel at work; officials brief Kovind Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 3 A day after the Centre notified an eight-member highlevel committee to explore the possibility of holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, state Assemblies, municipalities and panchayats across India, senior Law Ministry officials on Sunday held a preparatory briefing for the committee’s chairman, former president Ram Nath Kovind. Law Secretary Niten Chandra, Legislative Secretary Reeta Vasishta and others reportedly met Kovind this afternoon to understand how he would like to go about the terms of reference of the committee, sources privy to the development said. Chandra is the secretary to the high-level committee, while Vasishta’s department LAW MINISTRY OFFICIALS MEET EX-PREZ ■ Law Secretary Niten Chandra, Legislative Secretary Reeta Vasishta and others met Kovind to understand how he would like to go about the terms of reference of the panel asked to examine and make recommendations for holding simultaneous elections to the Lok Sabha, Assemblies, municipalities and panchayats ATTACK ON UNION OF STATES: CONG India, that is Bharat, is a union of states. The idea of ‘one nation, one election’ is an attack on the union of all states. Rahul Gandhi, Cong leader ❝ deals with elections, the Representation of the People Act and related rules which were included in the committee’s terms of reference. The other seven members of the committee are: Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah, Congress MP Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, former Rajya Sabha Leader of Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad, noted jurist Harish Salve, former Finance Com- Lecturer who deposed in SC on Art 370 reinstated Our Correspondent Jammu, September 3 The Government of Jammu and Kashmir has revoked the suspension of Srinagarbased lecturer Zahoor Ahmed Bhat who was suspended following his appearance in the Supreme Court on August 23 in a matter related to the abrogation of Article 370. The suspension was revoked by School Education Department, J&K. The Directorate of School Education where he was ■ The committee has been Zahoor Ahmed Bhat attached after suspension stated in another order that “consequent upon the withdrawal of order No. 251-JK (Edu) dated 25-08-2023…, Zahoor Ahmed Bhat…is hereby relieved from this continued on page 9 mission Chairman NK Singh, former Lok Sabha Secretary General and constitutional expert Subhash C Kashyap and former Chief Vigilance Commissioner Sanjay Kothari, a resolution issued by the Legislative Department of the Ministry of Law and Justice said. Minister of State for Law (Independent Charge) Arjun Ram Meghwal shall attend continued on page 9 HSGMC AD HOC PANEL CHIEF, GEN SECY QUIT KARNAL: Nine months after the formation of a 38-member Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC ad hoc), its president Mahant Karamjit Singh and general secretary Gurvinder Singh Dhamija resigned from their posts on Sunday. Former president Baljit Singh Daduwal said the duo had resigned. They submitted their resignations to the Haryana Home Department. The duo stepped down at a time when the government was working on holding elections to the committee this month. Voter lists are being prepared for the purpose. REPORT INSIDE