18032024-TTC-01.qxd 3/18/2024 12:30 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 77 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 PUTIN RE-ELECTED RUSSIAN PREZ WITH 88% VOTE WORLD /thetribunechd BJP: PREVIOUS GOVTS IGNORED PAHARIS, GUJJARS J&K BHADAWARI BUFFALO CWC TO GIVE APPROVAL FOR CLIMATE-RESILIENT TO PARTY MANIFESTO DAIRYING INFOCUS TOMORROW BACK PAGE monday | 18 march 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Major beneficiaries of Regional growth key to national progress: PM electoral bonds haven’t INDIA VOTES 2024 named donors: EC data Tribune News Service Sandeep Dikshit Tribune News Service NewDelhi, March 17 The Election Commission today made public the declarations received from political parties on electoral bonds with none of the major recipients, including the BJP Tri, namool and the Congress, revealing the list of firms that had made the donations. Only 11 recognised parties have included the names of donors and the amounts they contributed while others only mentioned date-wise listing of value of the bonds encashed by them. These include Samajwadi Party, Nationalist Congress Party, Janata Dal (United), National Conference, DMK and the AIADMK. Barring Jharkhand Mukti Morcha, a total of 519 parties have submitted declarations to the EC. The CPM, CPI, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena, IUML and the Kerala Congress said they did not receive any electoral bonds. Aam Aadmi Party, which had applauded the Supreme Court judgment and is among the 11 parties to reveal the names of donors, said it encashed bonds from Bajaj Group and Torrent Pharmaceuticals, among others. While AAP did not give a cumulative figure of its donations and disclosed electoral BONDS ENCASHED (~CR) BJP 6,986.5 TDP 181.35 TMC 1,397.5 JD(S) 89.75 DMK got bonds worth ~656.5 cr, Cong 1,334.8 AAP 69 of which ~509 cr (77%) came from Future Gaming, the biggest BRS 1,332 SP 14.05 buyer of bonds at ~1,368 cr. As BJD 944.5 SAD 7.26 all parties have not disclosed DMK 656.5 AIADMK 6.05 donors, it wasn’t known who got the rest ~859 cr worth of bonds YSRC 442.8 NC 0.5 from Future Gaming. 519 PARTIES have submitted declarations The CPM has declared that it has not received funds through electoral bonds. Also, the filings made by the AIMIM, Indian worth of bonds sold from March National Lok Dal and Bahujan 2018 to Jan 2024, as per ADR Samaj Party showed nil receipts ~16,518 CRORE New Delhi, March 17 Pressing ahead with his southern push with a public rally in Andhra Pradesh’s Palnadu on Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the whole country was now saying “Abki baar 400 paar”. In his first joint address with National Democratic Alliance partners — TDP president and former Andhra Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena Party’s Pawan Kalyan — in the state, the PM Modi with TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan in Andhra Pradesh. PTI ‘WHOLE WORLD TALKING ABOUT NDA’S DEVELOPMENT AGENDA’ ❝ The aim of the NDA is to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and for that, we need a Viksit Andhra. The whole world is talking about the NDA’s development agenda. Narendra Modi, PM Prime Minister said his government had moved with the mantra of regional aspirations and national progress. “A double-engine NDA government at the Centre and in Andhra Pradesh will ensure speedy development of the state. The aim of the NDA is to build a Viksit Bharat by 2047 and for that to happen, we need to also build a Viksit Modi can’t win without EVM, ED: Rahul Shubhadeep Choudhury Tribune News Service PLEA IN SC SEEKS MORE DATA ‘SCHEME AN EXPERIMENT’ A plea has been filed in the SC Electoral bond scheme is seeking disclosure of details of an experiment and time will electoral bonds sold from March 1, 2018, to April 11, 2019, saying vot- tell how beneficial it has been. ers are entitled to know funding to Questions were raised even political parties for the entire peri- when EVMs were introduced. ❝ od since the start of the scheme bond data for only 2018-19, the SBI’s data showed it had received Rs 65.45 crore. It is estimated to have received SC to hear 6 disqualified HP Cong MLAs’ plea today NEW DELHI: The SC will on Monday take up a plea filed by six disquali- fied Himachal rebel Congress MLAs challenging the Speaker’s February 29 decision to disqualify them under the anti-defection law. INSIDE No change in CUET-UG schedule in view of poll NEW DELHI: The CUET-UG will be conducted between May 15 and May 31, as announced earlier, and there will be no change in view of the LS elections, according to UGC Chairman Jagadesh Kumar. PTI Arunachal inherent part of China, claims PLA BEIJING: The Chinese military has reiterated its claim over Arunachal, calling the area an “inherent part of China’s territory”, days after India rejected Beijing’s objection to PM Modi’s visit to the state. BACK PAGE Rewari blast:Contractor booked, probe ordered Ravinder Saini Rewari, March 17 The police on Sunday registered a case in connection with the boiler blast at a spare parts manufacturing facility at Dharuhera industrial town in the district, which left 39 workers injured. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini has also ordered a magisterial probe into the incident. A hiring contractor and others have been booked by the Dharuhera police. The FIR was registered on a complaint by Raj Kumar, a labourer from UP . The complainant stated that he had been hired through Shivam, a contractor. Nearly 60-70 workers were present in the factory at the time of the blast. Meanwhile, a four-member probe panel led by the Rewari SDM has been formed. Other members include an official each from the labour, industries and fire safety departments. The CM directed the panel to submit the probe report within a stipulated SOME SHOW NIL to the Election Commission IN BRIEF Tribune News Service FUTURE GAMING TOP BOND BUYER FOR DMK LedbySDM,panelto file report in 2 days 39 UNDER TREATMENT, SOME STILL CRITICAL ■ At least 39 factory workers sustained burn injuries in the incident on Saturday ■ Over 20 of them admitted to PGIMS, Rohtak; many among them still critical time, besides asking the Rewari Deputy Commissioner to ensure proper treatment of the victims. SDM Vikas Yadav said the probe committee would submit its report in two days. “We have already started investigating the matter. The statements of various stakeholders are being recorded,” Yadav said. Dr SS Lohchab, Director, PGIMS, said best possible treatment was being extended to the injured even as the condition of some of them remained critical. Local Congress MLA Chiranjeev Rao on Sunday visited the Trauma Centre in Rewari. Dattatreya Hosabale, RSS GEN SECY another Rs 3.55 crore after its filing with the EC, taking its total to Rs 69 crore. continued on page 8 New Delhi, March 17 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday took on PM Narendra Modi, saying he won't be able to win the elections without “EVMs, ED, CBI and Income Tax”. He alleged the BJP had been winning elections by tampering the EVMs. The former Congress chief addressed a rally at Shivaji Park in Mumbai on the culmination of his Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra. The rally was attended by INDIA bloc leaders Uddhav Thackeray (Shiv Marks yatra finale| INDIA bloc show of strength at Mumbai rally INDIA bloc leaders at the concluding ceremony of the Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Mumbai on Sunday. ANI Sena UBT), Sharad Pawar (NCP), Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin (DMK), Tejashwi Yadav (RJD), Jharkhand CM Cham- pai Soren and Kalpana Soren (JMM), former J&K CMs Farooq Abdullah (NC) and Mehbooba Mufti (PDP), Dipankar Bhattacharya (CPIML) and Saurabh Bhardwaj (AAP) among others. continued on page 8 Andhra Pradesh,” he said. Flagging the government’s economic prowess and the fact that India became the world’s fifth largest economy in his second term in the PMO, Modi said major decisions aimed at transformative reforms would be taken in his third term. He said the state needed a double engine government for faster development. Commenting on India’s “rising global profile”, the PM said a steady and stable India would emerge as a major anchor in an increasingly uncertain world. He was flagging the global economic headwinds and contrasting them with “a resilient Indian economy”. “The whole world is talking about the NDA’s development agenda continued on page 8 edit: poll bugle sounded Arunachal, Sikkim Assembly vote count on June 2 New Delhi, March 17 The Election Commission (EC) on Sunday preponed the date of the counting of votes for the Assembly elections in Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim to June 2 from June 4. The polling date in both the states, however, would remain the same, i.e. April 19, said an EC official. The voting for the Lok Sabha elections in both states will also take place on April 19. The EC had announced earlier that the votes polled in the continued on page 8 Centre firefights as foreign pupils offering Day after bail, Kejri gets namaz attacked at Gujarat varsity hostel summons in two cases Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 17 The police have arrested two men and are looking for more after students from foreign countries were assaulted allegedly by a group of persons at a Gujarat University hostel in Ahmedabad for offering namaz there, the police said on Sunday. The Ministry of External Affairs has promised strict action by the Gujarat Government against perpetrators of violence against the foreign students, two of whom sustained injuries. “An incidence of violence took place at Gujarat University on Saturday. The state government is taking strict action against the perpetrators. Two foreign students SECOND COMING The police on the Gujarat University hostel campus in Ahmedabad. PTI STRICT ACTION AGAINST PERPETRATORS: MEA ■ On Saturday night, 20-25 locals ask foreign students offering namaz in Ahmedabad varsity hostel to do so in mosque; as they continue prayers, they are attacked were injured in the clash. One of them has been discharged from hospital after receiving ■ Two are hurt and hospitalised, one is discharged later; MEA vows strict action by state government against perpetrators; two suspects have been arrested so far medical attention,” said MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal after videos of local stu- dents assaulting their foreign counterparts became viral. Jaiswal said of the two injured students, one was discharged from hospital after receiving medical attention. The two — one from Sri Lanka and another from Tajikistan — were hospitalised after the incident. A case has been registered against 20-25 unidentified persons for rioting, unlawful assembly, voluntarily causing hurt, damage to property and criminal trespass, among others and two suspects — Hitesh Mevada and Bharat Patel — arrested so far. The foreign students were allegedly attacked while offering Ramzan prayers at their hostel. Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police GS Malik continued on page 8 C-17 airdrop helps Navy free ship from pirates Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service Slain singer Sidhu Moosewala’s father Balkaur Singh with his newborn boy on Sunday. PTI INSIDE New Delhi, March 17 A day after a local court granted bail to Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal on two complaints filed by the ED against him for skipping summons in the excise policy case, the agency today issued two fresh summons to him. In the excise policy case, the ED has issued ninth summons to Kejriwal, directing him to appear before it on Thursday. The agency has also summoned the CM in a second money laundering case linked to alleged irregularities in Delhi Jal Board (DJB), asking him to appear for questioning on Monday. The ED has filed multiple complaints seeking Kejriwal’s prosecution for not complying with summons in the excise policy case. The latest complaint pertains to his fail- New Delhi, March 17 In a display of jointness in operations, Indian Air Force’s heavy-lift aircraft C-17 played a pivotal role in aiding the Indian Navy execute the tough task of freeing a merchant vessel and its 17 crew from pirates in the Arabian Sea. The 35 pirates were also made to surrender. The seaworthiness of the vessel, MV Ruen, will be assessed on Monday. The vessel, which is carrying around 37,800 tonne cargo worth more than $1 million, will be brought safely to India, the Navy said. The C-17 aircraft executed precision airborne drop of two combat boats along with the Indian Navy MARCOS com- Two combat boats being loaded on to an IAF C-17 aircraft. WORKED IN SYNC TO RESCUE CREW ■ On Navy’s call, IAF’s C-17 executes precision airborne drop of 2 boats and Navy MARCOS commandos in Arabian Sea ■ Aircraft takes off from a base in India and flies 10 hours to make airborne delivery 2,600 km west of Indian Coast ■ Display of jointness between the two forces enables rescue of 17 crew of MV Ruen, hijacked by Somali pirates in Dec mandos in the Arabian Sea in support of ongoing anti-piracy Operation Sankalp, the c m y b IAF said. The C-17 took off from a base in India and flew 10 hours to ensure the drop of commandos some 2,600 km west of the Indian Coast. The Navy had intercepted the bulk carrier vessel and forced it to stop. The ship was hijacked by Somali pirates near the Yemeni island of Socotra in December last year and was being used by them as a base ship. Indian Navy warship INS Kolkata carried out the operation mid-sea. The warship intercepted MV Ruen on the morning of March 15, and confirmed the presence of armed pirates through a shiplaunched drone. In a reckless hostile act, the pirates shot down the drone and fired at the Indian warship. In a calibrated response as per the international laws, the warship disabled the vessel’s continued on page 8 ON ED RADAR ■ ED issued 9th summons to Delhi CM in excise case, seeking appearance on Thursday ■ It also summoned him on Monday in a case linked to ‘wrongs’ in Delhi Jal Board ure to honour summons numbered four to eight, while earlier complaints were related to his non-appearance on the first three summons. In a related development, BRS leader K Kavitha, alleged to be involved in paying kickbacks to AAP in exchange for a share of liquor licences in Delhi, was remanded in ED custody till March 23. The ED is investigating alleged irregularities in two contracts of the DJB. Its first case is based on a CBI FIR alleging irregularities in a continued on page 8 Ex-CM Baghel, others booked in Mahadev betting app case Raipur, March 17 The economic offences wing (EOW) in Chhattisgarh has registered a case against former Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel and others in the alleged Mahadev online betting scam based on a probe report submitted by the ED, officials said on Sunday. The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which has been investigating the Mahadev app-linked money laundering case for over a year, has alleged in the past that its probe has shown involvement of various high-ranking politicians and bureaucrats from Chhattisgarh, where the two main promoters of the app hail from. continued on page 8