05012024-TT-01.qxd 1/4/2024 11:15 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 5 | 22 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH /thetribunechd RELIANCE, DISNEY EDGE CLOSER TO MERGER BUSINESS VICE-PREZ DHANKHAR INAUGURATES BIOTECH STARTUP EXPO J&K IRAN VOWS TO AVENGE TWIN BLASTS AT KERMAN WORLD SHAH: AIM TO MAKE INDIA SELF-RELIANT IN PULSE PRODUCTION BACK PAGE friday | 5 january 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Cong in poll gear, to lay special focuson255 winnable LS seats Amid threats in Red Sea, India keeps patrolling options open Top leaders for INDIA seat-sharing deal, war rooms in states soon New Delhi, January 4 India is fast forwarding plans to stock up more crude in its strategic storage caverns even as it mulls options to minimise the adverse impact of the Houthi threat in the Red Sea. Aditi Tandon & Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 4 The Congress on Thursday hit poll gear with a meeting of top leaders finalising a strategy for “special and heightened focus” on 255 Lok Sabha seats, early finalisation of election candidates, establishment of war rooms in every state and broad agreement on seat sharing with INDIA partners by month-end. The meeting of party general secretaries, state chiefs and incharges, chaired by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and attended by former chief Rahul Gandhi and AICC general secretary Priyanka Vadra, held detailed discussions on plans for the 2024 General Election and agreed on broad parameters, including special focus on fundraising and party discipline, and a clear narrative that antiBJP INDIA alliance can win. At the meeting, the name of previously announced “Bharat Nyay Yatra” was changed to “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” after the leaders, by a show of hands, continued on page 7 Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge with party leaders Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra during a meeting at the AICC headquarters in New Delhi on Thursday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MANAS RANJAN BHUI AP CM’S SISTER MERGES PARTY WITH CONGRESS RAHUL’S JANUARY 14 YATRA RECHRISTENED REMARKS AGAINST PM: SC JUNKS KHERA’S PLEA YS Sharmila, daughter of former Andhra Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and YSR Telangana Party founder, joined the Congress after merging her party. The sister of Andhra CM Jagan Mohan Reddy said it was her father’s dream to see Rahul as the PM. Rahul Gandhi’s previously announced “Bharat Nyay Yatra” starting January 14 renamed “Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra” after leaders said goodwill generated by previous outreach be capitalised in the second edition. The 66-day outreach will begin from Manipur, cover 15 states and 100 LS segments before culminating in Mumbai. It will span 6,700 km on foot and buses. The SC on Thursday dismissed Congress leader Pawan Khera’s petition challenging an Allahabad High Court order refusing to quash criminal proceedings against him for his alleged objectionable remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Honest scribes need court protection: HC Saurabh Malik Satya Prakash Chandigarh, January 4 The Punjab and Haryana High Court today reinforced the crucial role of a free Press in fostering transparency, accountability and an informed public. Justice Anoop Chitkara emphasised that journalists reporting actual events honestly and correctly required the protection of courts to ensure truthfulness and accuracy. Justice Chitkara also underscored the judiciary’s indispensable role in protecting journalists by asserting that all courts were required to be “more vigilant and proactive while safeguarding the interests of Tribune News Service NOT PART OF US-LED OPERATION SO FAR SC junks plea on Indian held in Czech Republic Tribune News Service FOURTH PILLAR OF DEMOCRACY ■ Reaffirming the pivotal role of journalism as the fourth pillar of democracy, Justice Chitkara asserted that a reporter’s sacrosanct duty as a journalist was loyalty towards the citizenry ■ Journalists served as independent monitors of power, reporting information for public good and safety such courageous humans”. “In the fearless pursuit of their duties to uncover the truth and report such facts to the masses through media, these brave journalists do face various hurdles, e.g. continued on page 7 Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 4 The Supreme Court on Thursday turned down a petition filed by the family of Nikhil Gupta, an Indian national detained in the Czech Republic for allegedly PANNUN CASE: SAYS MATTER PERTAINS TO FOREIGN COURT plotting to kill US-based designated terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, seeking the Government of India’s intervention to secure his release. “There is nothing much we can do. You are entitled for consular access under the Vienna convention, which continued on page 7 “We have made it clear. We attach a very high importance to free navigation and free movement of commercial shipping. This is an evolving situation and we are looking at all aspects. We are patrolling the area and keeping a watch. So far, we are not part of any multilateral initiative,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal when asked if India would join a US-led operation in the Red Sea. India’s strategic petroleum storage (SPR) programme has a total capacity of 53.3 lakh tonnes of crude oil and is located in Visakhapatnam, Mangaluru and Karnataka. The levels of storage are classified but combined with state reserves; it is understood to be 74 days, which is below the ideal of 90 days of net imports. The storage to maximum capacity will enable continued on page 7 Govt teacher in Punjab booked for sexual abuse of 3 minor girl students PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, January 4 Three minor girl students of a government school in Majitha subdivision were allegedly sexually harassed by their schoolteacher. The victims were so frightened that they were hesitant to go to school. The incident came to light before the winter vacation when one of the victims refused to go to school. Following a joint complaint by the victims’ parents, the police have booked the teacher. He is yet to be arrested as he is absconding. A case under Sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with VICTIM REFUSES TO GO TO SCHOOL ■ The incident came to light before the winter vacation when one of the victims refused to go to school intent to outrage her modesty) and 354-A (sexual harassment) of the IPC added with Sections 10 and 12 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act has been registered. A victim’s mother said her daughter studies in the primary section. “Initially, I chided her for refusing to go to school, but I was shocked when she said her continued on page 7 HP court stays ST status to Hattees IN BRIEF Vijay Arora Hospitals can only charge processing fee for blood NEW DELHI: The Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation has issued directions stating that hospitals and blood banks can only charge processing fees for blood in order to combat overcharging. TNS BJP wants me arrested before campaigning: Kejri NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday alleged that the BJP-led Central government wanted to arrest him and prevent him from campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. BACK PAGE ED files fresh chargesheet in Mahadev app case NEW DELHI/RAIPUR: The ED has filed a fresh chargesheet before a special court in Raipur in a money laundering case linked to alleged illegal betting and gaming through the Mahadev online book app. PTI Legal Correspondent Shimla, January 4 The Himachal Pradesh High Court today stayed the implementation of the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Act, 2023, granting the ST status to the Hattees of Trans-Giri area of Sirmaur district in the state. Besides, the court stayed the notification issued by the Tribal Development Depart- HEARING ON MARCH 18 The HC took exception to nonexclusion of dominant castes, SCs & OBCs from the Constitution (Scheduled Tribes) Orders (Second Amendment) Act, 2023. The next hearing is on March 18. ment of the state government on January 1 for implementation of the Act till the next date of hearing and listed the matter for March 18. Passing the interim order, a Division Bench comprising Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Jytosna Rewal Dua observed that “strangely the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, constituted to recommend measures for implementation of safeguards for the STs, passed a resolution in its meeting held on June 10, 2022, recommending the inclusion of the Hattee community of Trans-Giri region continued on page 7 128 industrial units in Rewari under NGT lens over effluents Ravinder Saini Tribunal asks pollution board to hold inspection JANUARY 31 DEADLINE FOR REPORT Tribune News Service Rewari, January 4 As many as 128 industrial units in Bawal and Dharuhera towns in the district have come under the scanner as the National Green Tribunal (NGT) has directed the Haryana State Pollution Control Board (HSPCB) authorities to conduct physical inspection of all India win shortest Test ever ■ The HSPCB authorities have been directed to submit a report in this regard before January 31 ■ Most units deal with auto parts, zip fasteners, auto glass, fabrication, steel and metal processing works << Dirty water in the Sahibi river in Rewari district. FILE units to ascertain the status of their effluent management. The HSPCB has also been directed to submit a report in this regard before January 31. Of the 128 units, 102 are in Bawal and 26 in Dharuhera. A majority of the units pertain to manufacturing of auto parts, zip fasteners, auto glass, fabrication, steel and metal processing works. Besides these, 16 industries in Rewari city are also generating and treating “trade effluent” but all these have already been inspected and a report about their effluent management has already been submitted to the NGT, said sources. continued on page 7 c m y b Jasprit Bumrah, India’s priceless fast bowling mean machine, produced a hostile spell to guide India to a series-levelling seven-wicket win against South Africa in the shortest game ever in Test history. INSIDE India to import 10,000 MW power from Nepal in 10 yrs Tribune News Service New Delhi, January 4 India and Nepal signed several agreements during External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar’s ongoing visit to Kathmandu with the most prominent pact being a longterm agreement for Nepal to export 10,000 MW power to India in the next 10 years. Jaishankar and his Nepalese counterpart discussed trade, connectivity projects and cooperation in key areas like defence and security, power and water resources at the seventh meeting of the Nepal-India Joint Commission being held after three years. Jaishankar arrived in Nepal on Thursday on a twoday visit. The two ministers also jointly inaugurated three crossborder transmission lines. S Jaishankar with Nepalese PM Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’. PTI MoU ON RENEWABLE ENERGY ■ An MoU for cooperation in ■ The two sides also jointly renewable energy was also signed by the Nepal Electricity Authority and National Thermal Power Corporation Limited, India. inaugurated, through remote control, three crossborder transmission lines that were completed with India’s assistance. The two sides inked an MoU in renewable energy between Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) Limited, India. Two other agreements related to “Launch Service Agreement for the Munal Satellite’’ continued on page 7