08102024-TT-01.qxd 10/7/2024 11:09 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 279 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH NAXALS BIGGEST VIOLATORS OF HUMAN RIGHTS: SHAH NATION /thetribunechd DON’T FORM GOVT TILL STATEHOOD RESTORED: RASHID TO PARTIES J&K SENSEX TUMBLES FOR OLYMPIAN GYMNAST 6TH DAY, INVESTORS DIPA KARMAKAR LOSE ~8.9L CR BUSINESS RETIRES SPORT tuesday | 8 october 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com India, Maldives ink two currency swap pacts as Muizzu banks on ‘true friend’ D-day: BJPlooks for 3rd term, Cong comeback in Haryana Agreements worth ~6,300 cr | Delhi back to providing Male with defence platforms Geetanjali Gayatri Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 7 India and the Maldives on Monday signed two currency swap agreements totalling about Rs 6,300 crore to tide over the foreign exchange crisis in the island nation even as New Delhi looks to firm up its strategic foothold in the key Indian Ocean country by “supporting” defence platforms, enhanced surveillance and new radar systems. The agreements were signed as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu held their first bilateral meeting. At a media briefing where PM Modi stood alongside, Muizzu, who is on a five-day visit to India, said, “The Maldives will remain a true friend and stay committed to shared vision of peace.” The “true friend” promise comes 11 months after Muizzu rode to power in his country on an “India out” campaign. On assuming power, he had asked Indian military personnel to leave the nation. He then opted to visit Turkiye Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Maldives President Mohamed Muizzu ahead of bilateral talks at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Monday. TRIBUNE PHOTO: MUKESH AGGARWAL and China, breaking away from the tradition of touring India first. India and the Maldives also released a vision document for a comprehensive economic and maritime security partnership, besides agreeing to start discussing a free trade agreement. The twin currency swap agreements, worth $400 million and Rs 3,000 crore, will allow the Maldives to use dollars for foreign exchange needs. It will be able to use Rs 3,000 crore worth of Indian currency when sourcing something from India and repay in their own currency. Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said the idea was to bolster the reserves. Over the past five months, the State Bank of India has rolled over $100 million worth of payments due from the Maldives. At the strategic level, Modi said, “We will continue to support in the training and capacity building of the Maldives national defence forces (MNDF)”. The Ministry of External Affairs said India would support the Maldives with provisioning of defence platforms and assets to augment the MNDF’s capabilities. India “will advance maritime and security requirements in line with (Maldives’) national priorities”, besides helping in surveillance by supplying radars. Asked if the military ties were back to the pre-November 2023 levels, Misri said, “There are no issues (pending) with regard to cooperation between India and the Maldives…. We will continue to work in a very close manner, as we did previously, in responding to the defence and security challenges.” Earlier in the day, Modi handed over 700 housing units constructed in the Maldives with New Delhi’s money. Modi and Muizzu lauded the use of RuPay debit cards in the island nation and virtually continued on page 8 edit: muizzu in india Roy raped, killed doc: ‘Why not?’ Farooq open CBI files chargesheet to taking PDP support New Delhi, October 7 Civic volunteer in the Kolkata police Sanjay Roy had raped and killed the junior doctor in the seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9, the CBI has alleged in its first chargesheet in the sensational case filed on Monday while ruling out gangrape. In the chargesheet filed before a Sealdah court 54 days after it took over the investigation, the CBI said Roy had committed the crime alone and it had not found evidence so far to substantiate allegations of gangrape and involvement of other individuals, officials said. The agency told the court that it had kept the probe open into other aspects of the crime. The report had an annexure carrying statements of prosecution witnesses. The local police had arrested Roy on the next day of the crime — August 10 — based Adil Akhzer Kolkata RG Kar case: Says he acted alone, no proof of gangrape Sanjay Roy on the CCTV footage and his inability to explain his conduct at the time of the crime. The CBI heavily relied on the CCTV footage which showed Roy entering the seminar hall around 4 am on August 9, they said. The footage showed that he had left the room after 30 minutes, they said. The DNA samples collected from his nails also indicated his role in the gruesome crime, they said. The body of the doctor was found continued on page 8 Srinagar, October 7 Ahead of counting of votes, National Conference president Farooq Abdullah today said the NC-Congress alliance was open to taking the support of the Peoples Democratic Party for government formation. He said the aim of all three parties was betterment of Jammu and Kashmir. “Why not? What is wrong with it? We can be rivals in elections but if we all want the good of the people, I will have no objections. I’m sure the Congress will also have no objections,” Farooq told reporters here when asked about the PDP hinting support to the NC and the Congress. Notably, after exit polls, several PDP leaders have said they were ready to support a secular alliance to keep the BJP out. Asserting there was no harm in allying with the PDP Farooq , 2 US scientists get Medicine Nobel for gene regulation breakthrough Stockholm, October 7 The Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine was on Monday awarded to US scientists Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun for their discovery of microRNA, tiny pieces of genetic material that alter how genes work at the cellular level and could lead to new ways of treating cancer. The Nobel Assembly at the Karolinska Institute, which awarded the prize, said the discovery was “proving to be fundamentally important for how organisms develop and function”. “Their ground-breaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular Victor Ambros Gary Ruvkun MicroRNA DISCOVERY MAY HELP TREAT CANCER ■ MicroRNA is a fundamental prin- ciple governing how gene activity is regulated at cellular level ■ Provides genetic instructions to tell cells to make new proteins; it is helpful in developing drugs ■ It has opened up scientists’ approach to treat diseases such as cancer by helping to regulate genes organisms, including humans,” the assembly said in a statement explaining the importance of their work. The prize carries a cash award of continued on page 8 PETITION IN SC FOR J&K’S STATEHOOD Contending that J&K Assembly election results would be meaningless without the statehood, a plea has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking restoration of its statehood within two months. INSIDE said, “If we all work for the same thing, for improvement in the condition of people in the state, removing unemployment, removing all distresses that have occurred in these 10 years, freedom of press... (we can ally).” Talking to a news agency, Farooq even said if the NC and Congress did not need the PDP’s support to form the government, the alliance would still take it. “Because if we have to go ahead, we have to do it together,” he explained. However, PDP vice-president Omar Abdullah and continued on page 8 ED raids Punjab AAP MP in laundering case JALANDHAR: The ED on Monday raided multiple sites in Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Gurugram and Delhi in connection with a land “fraud” case against AAP Rajya Sabha member Sanjeev Arora and others. The premises included the MP’s houses in Ludhiana and Gurugram. INSIDE Chinese drones seen in Kinnaur: Minister SHIMLA: Drones have been spotted along the Indo-China border in Kinnaur district and they are likely being used for surveillance and espionage, state minister Jagat Singh Negi said. Drone activity had been noticed in Shipki La and Rishi Dogri villages, he added. INSIDE c m y b Stakes high for bigwigs |Counting at 93 centres from 8 am Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 7 The counting of votes for the 90 Assembly segments, slated for tomorrow, will decide the fate of Haryana’s next government as also its political heavyweights even as the ruling BJP government and the Congress continue to exude confidence about coming to power in the state. While the BJP is hoping to score a hat-trick by retaining Haryana, the Congress, enthused by the findings of the exit polls, is hoping to make a comeback in the state after being out of power for 10 years. continued on page 11 Around 12K security men deployed at counting centres. SUMIT THARAN POWER GAMES: HOODA, SELJA IN DELHI The Congress on Monday witnessed power games in the Capital with Bhupinder Singh Hooda and Kumari Selja posturing around the issue of CM face. While Hooda insisted MLAs’ opinion would be taken before the high command took the final call, Selja reiterated that the decision rested with the central leadership. INSIDE Test of Modi magic, Shah’s strategy Pradeep Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 7 The Haryana Assembly election results are expected to serve as a litmus test for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s popularity and Home Minister Amit Shah’s political manoeuvring, the two leaders having been credited with the BJP’s two consecutive victories in the state, located next to the national capital. The prestige of three central ministers from Haryana — Manohar Lal Khattar, Rao Inderjit and Krishan Pal Gurjar — and caretaker Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini, among others, will also be at stake. Shah, considered to be the BJP’s chief strategist, is learnt to have micro-managed the campaign through his trusted leaders in close coordination with RSS functionaries. “Modi magic and Shah’s strategy will be at test as the BJP is facing 10-year anti-incumbency,” a senior party leader told The Tribune. The leader said the Haryana elections were fought on continued on page 11