19042024-TTB-01.qxd 4/18/2024 11:53 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 108 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 DELHI SPITI VILLAGE GETS MOBILE NETWORK, PM DIALS RESIDENTS HP CHINA HAILS BLINKEN’S VISIT AMID TENSE TRADE TIES WORLD /thetribunechd NHAI TO MONETISE 33 HIGHWAYS THIS FISCAL BUSINESS INDIA HAS WILL, WISDOM TO BE ACE IN SPACE, SAYS NAVY CHIEF BACK PAGE friday | 19 april 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Indian crew of seized ship free to go, says Iran as woman cadet returns Indian mission says remaining 16 sailors in good health and in touch with their kin Sandeep Dikshit MODI'S GUARANTEE WORKS, SAYS EAM Tribune News Service Officials at a high-level command & control centre keep a watch for violations of the model code in Jammu. PTI Polling kicks off today 102 seats in 21 states up for grabs in 1st of 7 phases Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 18 As many as 102 seats across 21 states will go to the polls in the first phase of the General Election, which kicks off on Friday, with 16.63 crore voters eligible to cast ballot at 1.87 lakh polling stations. Eight Union ministers, including Nitin Gadkari; two former chief ministers, including Sarbananda Sonowal; and a former Governor are in the fray in the first phase. There are 8.4 crore male and 8.23 female voters, with 11,371 third gender registered voters in the first phase. More than 35.67 lakh first-time voters are eligible to exercise their franchise. Additionally, there are 3.51 crore young voters in the age group 20-29 years. Fate of 1,625 candidates, including 1,491 male and 134 female, will be decided in the initial phase. As many as 41 helicopters, 84 special trains and nearly one lakh vehicles have been deployed to ferry polling and security personnel. The Election Commission has taken a slew of measures for peaceful and smooth conduct of the election. Central forces have been deployed adequately at polling stations to secure the polling process. Webcasting will be conducted in more than 50 per cent of the polling stations along with deployment of microobservers in all polling stations. A total of 361 observers (127 general observers, 67 police continued on page 8 35.67L FIRST-TIMERS FACES TO WATCH OUT FOR 16.63 cr 8.4 cr 8.23 cr 11,371 1.87L 1,625 Voters Male Female Third gender Polling stations Candidates n Nitin Gadkari (BJP): Eyeing hat- trick from Nagpur constituency n Nakul Nath (Cong): Trying to keep Chhindwara that he won in 2019 n Jitin Prasada (BJP): Contesting from Pilibhit, replacing Varun Gandhi n T Soundararajan (BJP): Telangana ex-Guv in fray from Chennai South n Karti Chidambaram (Cong): Seeking re-election from TN’s Sivaganga seat n K Annamalai (BJP): TN BJP chief in fray from Coimbatore SECURITY UP IN J&K AS UDHAMPUR VOTES Jammu: Elaborate security arrangements have been made in all districts under the Udhampur Lok Sabha constituency which will go to the polls on Friday where the BJP, Congress and the DPAP candidates will face each other. Polling parties for the Udhampur constituency were dispatched to the respective polling booths amid tight security. INSIDE BJP faces litmus test in UP, Rajasthan Jatland Neeraj Mohan Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 18 The first phase of the Lok Sabha elections has set the stage for a high-stakes showdown in the Jatland regions of Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan, as political heavyweights lock horns amid shifting alliances and regional dynamics. Famous political saying that the “west decides, what the east will do” is enough to tell that the western region of UP holds particular significance, with its outcomes often indicating the direction of the entire state’s political Fate of minister Balyan, other Jat leaders at stake current, which in turn influences the national politics. Western Uttar Pradesh, encompassing Saharanpur, Kairana, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnor, Nagina, Moradabad, Rampur and Pilibhit constituencies, will seal the fate of numerous leaders, especially key Jat leaders from the state, in the first phase of polling tomorrow. In Saharanpur, Kairana, and Muzaffarnagar, continued on page 8 Former HP MLA Kalia leaves BJPmay , be picked by Cong for Gagret bypoll Pratibha Chauhan Tribune News Service Shimla, April 18 The chances of the Congress fielding three-time former MLA Rakesh Kalia from Gagret in Una for the Assembly bypoll have brightened as he has formally returned to the party fold, which he had quit after being denied the ticket for the Assembly poll in 2022. Perturbed over the party’s decision to deny him the ticket in 2022, he joined the BJP PARTY SURVEYS FAVOUR HIM n Unhappy over Cong decision to deny him ticket in 2022, Kalia joined the BJP n Congress surveys have indicated that Kalia is the strongest candidate to take on rebel Chaitnaya even though he was not given the party ticket. With new political alignments emerg- ing in Gagret following sitting Congress MLA Chaitanya Sharma cross-voting in the Rajya Sabha poll in February and eventually joining the BJP Kalia has returned to , the Congress fold. Kalia has also remained an AICC secretary and Chief Parliamentary Secretary during the Virbhadra-led Congress regime. Kalia had won on the Congress ticket twice from the Chintpurni Assembly segment, which was later continued on page 8 New Delhi, April 18 The sole woman cadet among 17 Indian crew members of a merchant ship with Israeli links detained by Iran returned home on Thursday, while the other 16 Indian crew members on board the cargo ship have not been reportedly detained and are free to leave that country. Woman cadet from Thrissur (Kerala) Ann Tessa Joseph landed at the Cochin International Airport, where she was received by the Regional Passport Officer. Commenting on the development, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, who had spoken to his Iranian counterpart Amir Abdollahian on the matter earlier this week, said PM Narendra Modi’s guarantee worked not just within the country, but outside as well. ‘Everything can’t be suspected’: SC on VVPAT plea New Delhi, April 18 “Everything can’t be suspected,” the SC on Thursday told petitioners seeking 100 per cent cross-verification of votes cast through EVMs with VVPAT as it reserved its verdict on the contentious issue. “Now you're going too far. Everything can’t be suspected. You can’t be critical of everything....Please also appreciate if they have done something good,” a Bench said. BACK PAGE n Commenting on the develop- ment, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said PM Narendra Modi’s guarantee worked not just within the country, but outside as well n “Great work, @India_in_Iran. Glad that Ms Ann Tessa Joseph has reached home. #ModiKiGuarantee always delivers, at home or abroad,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X << Ann Tessa Joseph, a deck cadet, being received at the Cochin airport on Thursday. PTI “Great work, @India_in_Iran. Glad that Ms. Ann Tessa Joseph has reached home. #ModiKiGuarantee always delivers, at home or abroad,” EAM Jaishankar posted on X. Iran’s Ambassador to India Iraj Elahi said the Indian mission was given consular New Delhi, April 18 The US and Britain on Thursday imposed sanctions and new export control measures on Iranian military figures in response to Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone attack on Israel last Sunday. “The sanctions target leaders and entities connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Iran’s Defence Ministry, and the Iranian gov- ACTION UNDER PMLA n The ED action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) came in connection with a ~7,000crore Bitcoin ponzi scam n The attached properties include a Juhu flat in the name of actress Shilpa Shetty, a Pune bungalow and equity shares in the name of her husband Raj Kundra ment of assets followed multiple FIRs registered continued on page 8 Punjab woman gets death for killing toddler Ludhiana: The court of Sessions Judge Munish Singal has awarded death penalty to 35-year old woman Neelam of Shimlapuri, Ludhiana, on the charges of kidnapping and murder of a minor girl Dilroz Kaur, aged 2 years 9 months, on November 28, 2021. “The convict crossed all limits of cruelty and killed the child in most barbaric manner as if it was a medieval era. There cannot be more graver, heinous and barbaric crime than burying alive a girl of tender age,” observed the court. INSIDE ‘Vote to save democracy’: Mann starts AAP campaign in Punjab Sanjeev Singh Bariana Tribune News Service CM Bhagwant Mann with AAP’s LS candidates in Zirakpur. NITIN MITTAL Zirakpur, April 18 “The coming General Election is not about anyone winning or losing, it is about saving our democracy from dictatorship,” said Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann while launching the party campaign here today. “The self-centred dictator works only for putting oppo- sition leaders in jail. The country needs a voice that speaks the truth without fear. ‘Jail da badla vote, zulm da jawab vote’,” he said. Addressing the “Mission AAP 13-0” campaign in Punjab, Mann said, “Give us all 13 seats in Punjab; give us all seats in Delhi, Haryana, Gujarat and Goa, and you will have lightened the lamp for a voice that will safeguard your authorities to ensure the safe homecoming of the remaining Indian crew members of the vessel MSC Aries. “With concerted efforts of the Indian mission in Tehran and the Iranian government, Indian deck cadet Ann Tessa Joseph from Thrissur, Kerala, US, UK impose sanctions on Iran after ‘brazen assault’ on Israel ED attaches ~98-cr assets of Kundras in Bitcoin scam New Delhi, April 18 The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached properties worth Rs 98 crore belonging to Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty’s husband Raj Kundra, aka Ripu Sudan Kundra, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The attached properties include a Juhu flat in the name of the actress, a Pune bungalow and equity shares in the name of Raj Kundra, besides other things. The action came in connection with a Rs 7,000-crore Bitcoin ponzi scam. The attach- access to the Indians by the Iranian authorities. The other 16 Indian crew members onboard the ship had not been detained and they were free to leave Iran, Elahi added. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it was in touch with the Iranian interests in Parliament.” “AAP candidates and leaders are not sons of ministers or the Chief Minister. They are common hard-working, honest and true representatives of the common man. Our leaders don’t have bags of money, but no opposition can beat us when it comes to hard work and dedication,” Mann said. continued on page 8 Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Delhi Tribune. c m y b Curbs include asset freezes, travel bans ernment’s missile and drone programme that enabled this brazen assault,” said US President Joe Biden in a statement. He also indicated that the US-UK duo would ask rest of the G7 bloc to increase economic pressure on Tehran. The sanctions will include asset freezes and travel bans on Iran’s Defence Minister and other military figures and organisations, including the Armed Forces General Staff and the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Navy. A US Treasury Department statement said its measures targeted 16 individuals continued on page 8 edit: Iran-israel conflict who was among the Indian crew members of the container vessel MSC Aries, landed safely at the Cochin International Airport today afternoon,” said an MEA statement. “The Indian mission is also in touch with the Iranian authorities in ensuring the wellbeing of the remaining crew members,” it added. “The Indian mission in Tehran remains seized of the matter and is in touch with the remaining 16 Indian crew members. They are in good health and in contact with their family members in India,” it added. The 17 Indians were part of the 25-member crew of the ship. The other members are Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian. The Israel-linked merchant vessel was seized by Iran on April 13, for allegedly violating maritime laws. IN BRIEF Have cut sugar by 30% in baby food: Nestle NEW DELHI: Responding to charges of adding sugar and honey in baby food sold in India, Nestle India Ltd said it has reduced sugar content by 30% in past five years. BACK PAGE Girls clinch top 3 spots in PSEB Class X exam LUDHIANA: The Punjab School Education Board on Thursday declared the Class X results in which top three positions were grabbed by girls. INSIDE
The Tribune, now published from Chandigarh, started publication on February 2, 1881, in Lahore (now in Pakistan). It was started by Sardar Dyal Singh Majithia, a public-spirited philanthropist, and is run by a trust comprising four eminent persons as trustees.
The Tribune, the largest selling daily in North India, publishes news and views without any bias or prejudice of any kind. Restraint and moderation, rather than agitational language and partisanship, are the hallmarks of the paper. It is an independent newspaper in the real sense of the term.
The English edition apart, the 133-year-old Tribune has two sister publications, Punjabi Tribune (in Punjabi) and Dainik Tribune (in Hindi).