13022025-TTB-01.qxd 2/12/2025 11:55 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 43 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  DELHI US READIES RECIPROCAL TARIFFS, TRADE WAR FEAR LOOMS WORLD /thetribunechd ARMY PAYS TRIBUTE TO SOLDIERS MARTYRED IN AKHNOOR J&K SEBI LAUNCHES MITRA TO TRACK MF FOLIOS BUSINESS TALK TO PARENTS WHEN IN STRESS: DEEPIKA TO STUDENTS BACK PAGE thursday | 13 february 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com India, France to co-build N-reactors; Aren’t we creating class of parasites? SC on freebies PM Modi wraps up ‘productive’ visit Says people unwilling to work on getting free ration, money REUTERS 10 key outcomes in tech, innovation, environment | PM heads to US on 2nd leg of tour Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 12 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday wound up his “productive” France tour, with the two sides agreeing to co-develop nuclear reactors and deepen civil nuclear energy cooperation. A decision was taken to declare 2026 as the “IndiaFrance Year of Innovation” and a logo for the same was unveiled at the 14th IndiaFrance CEOs Forum, which PM Modi addressed on Tuesday. The two sides today signed a Declaration on AI, besides agreeing to speed up collaboration to develop the world’s largest museum, Yuge Yugeen Bharat, in the heart of New Delhi. In a special gesture of friendship, President Emmanuel Macron came to see off Modi, who departed to the US on Wednesday on the second leg of his two-nation tour. The two leaders exchanged a hug after day-long bilateral engagements during which they discussed the full spectrum of bilateral relations and key global and regional issues. PM Modi & French President Emmanuel Macron after the inauguration of the Indian consulate in Marseille. The letter of intent India and France signed on co-designing, co-developing and co-producing small modular reactors (SMR) and advanced modular reactors (AMR) was a major takeaway from the three-day visit that saw 10 outcomes across sectors of technology and innovation, civil nuclear energy, triangular cooperation, environment, culture and people-to-people relations. Bilateral discussions happened aboard the French Presidential aircraft in which the leaders travelled to Marseille, over dinner later and were followed by delegationlevel talks through Wednesday, which also saw PM Modi and President Macron continued on page 8 edit: tread warily on AI All eyes on Modi’s meet with Trump amid tariff threats New Delhi, February 12 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday headed to Washington where he will meet US President Donald Trump for the first time since his inauguration to the White House. The twin issues of reciprocal tariffs and the US crackdown on illegal migration are expected to figure in the talks, which come close on the heels of Trump announcing plans for 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports. The US is the top aluminium export market for India. The PM’s visit from February 12 to 14 also comes amid outrage over illegal Indian migrants being sent home by the US in shackles on a military plane. While India, during the PM’s visit, will look to avert any tariff battle situation with the US, Trump is expected to take up the renewal of defence cooperation continued on page 8 Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 12 As political parties continue to make irrational poll-eve promises, the Supreme Court on Wednesday took a dig at the freebie culture, saying people are not willing to work as they are getting free ration and money. “Unfortunately, because of these freebies —- which are declared just on the anvil of election like ‘Ladki Bahin’ and some other schemes —people are not willing to work. They are getting free ration, amounts without doing any work! I am telling you from personal experience... because of these freebies, some states give free ration, so the people do not want to work,” a Bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih said while hearing a petition on the right to shelter of homeless persons in urban areas. “Rather than permitting them to be a part of the mainstream society by contributing to the development of the nation, are we not creating a class of parasites?” a Bench of Justice BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih wondered AGRICULTURISTS NOT GETTING LABOURERS I come from an agricultural family. Because of the freebies in Maharashtra which they just announced prior to the (Assembly) elections, the agriculturists are not getting labourers. ❝ Justice BR Gavai even as it appreciated the government’s concern for homeless people. On behalf of the Centre, Attorney General R Venkataramani submitted that the government was in the process of finalising the urban poverty alleviation mission, which would address various issues, including shelter for the urban homeless. Asking the Attorney General to spell out how much time it would take to make the urban poverty alleviation mission applicable, the Bench posted the matter for further hearing after six weeks. As petitioner’s counsel Prashant Bhushan said there was no one in the country who didn’t want to work if they had some work, Justice Gavai shot back, “You must be having only one-sided knowledge.” Narrating his personal experience, Justice Gavai said, “I come from an agricultural family. Because of the freebies in Maharashtra which they just announced prior to the (Assembly) elections, the agriculturists are not getting labourers. Everybody is getting free (ration and money) at home.” It said everybody, including the Attorney General, was on the same page that providing shelter to the homeless merited due attention. “But at the same time, should it not be balanced?” it asked. The top court had on July 5, 2013, declared that freebies promised in poll manifestos vitiated the electoral process and asked the Election Commission to frame guidelines to check it in consultation with political parties. However, no substantive progress continued on page 8 5 students arrested Ex-Congress MP Sajjan guilty of As food prices decline, for brutal ragging double murder during ’84 riots retail inflation slows to Arguments on quantum of sentence slated for Feb 18 5-month low of 4.31% in Kerala college Satya Prakash Tribune News Service Anil Vij replies to BJP show-cause notice AMBALA: Haryana minister Anil Vij on Wednesday said he had sent his reply to the BJP high command regarding the showcause notice issued against him. Taking a serious note of the statements by the senior BJP leader against CM Nayab Singh Saini and state BJP chief Mohan Lal Badoli, the BJP had issued a show-cause notice to Vij. The minister has reportedly sent an eight-page reply to the high command. INSIDE Simplified I-T Bill to be tabled in LS today NEW DELHI: The government is likely to introduce the much awaited Income Tax Bill-2025 in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, a legislation which aims to simplify tax laws and modernise compliance structures. One of the significant changes in it is the introduction of simpler terminology, with the ‘tax year’ replacing ‘assessment year’ and ‘financial year’ replacing ‘previous year’. — TNS Kottayam (Kerala), February12 Five third-year students have been arrested for allegedly ragging first-year students at the Government Nursing College here, the police said on Wednesday. A case was registered after three first-year students lodged a complaint, alleging that the ragging had been ongoing for nearly three months at the institute, which functions under the Government Medical College. The accused students have been suspended, the college authorities said. The action was taken following an inquiry conducted under the anti-ragging law, they added. The arrested students have been identified as Samuel Johnson (20), Rahul Raj (22), Jeev (18), Rijil Jith (20) and Vivek (21). According to the complaint, the ragging began in November last year. The students reported that ‘STRIPPED NAKED’ ■ Junior students alleged they were forced to stand naked and subjected to severe physical abuse ■ Injuries were inflicted using compasses and similar objects, they alleged the incidents involved extreme brutality. They alleged that they were forced to stand naked and subjected to severe physical abuse. Further allegations include injuries inflicted using compasses and similar objects, followed by the application of lotion on the wounds. Additionally, they were forced to have cream applied to their faces, heads and mouths. The complaint also states that senior students regularly extorted money from juniors on Sundays to buy alcohol and frequently assaulted them. On November 16, the accused continued on page 8 New Delhi, February 12 A Delhi court on Wednesday held former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar guilty of murder in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case in connection with the murder of two persons in the Saraswati Vihar area of the national capital. “In the light of… the evidence on record considered in its totality, I am of the opinion that the prosecution has been able to prove its case against the accused beyond reasonable doubt. Thus, accused Sajjan… is hereby convicted of offences punishable under Sections 147, 148 and 149 of the IPC and for offences punishable under Sections 302, 308, 323, 395, 397, 427, 436 and 440 read with Section 149 of the IPC,” Special Judge Kaveri Baweja said. Besides murder, Sajjan has also been convicted of rioting, dacoity, attempting to cause death or grievous hurt, committing culpable homi- Sajjan Kumar. FILE PHOTO ALSO CONVICTED OF DACOITY ■ Besides murder, Sajjan (79) has also been convicted of rioting, dacoity, attempting to cause death, committing culpable homicide and burning the victim’s house as a member of an unlawful assembly ■ Sajjan is already serving life term in another anti-Sikh riots case and the SC has refused to grant him bail cide and burning the victim’s house as a member of an unlawful assembly. Vijay C Roy Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 12 The retail inflation in January fell to a five-month low of 4.31 per cent, mainly due to a decline in the prices of vegetables, eggs, cereals and pulses. Measured by the Consumer Price Index, the retail inflation stood at 5.22 per cent in December and 5.1 per cent in January 2024, according to data released by the Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation. On a decline since October, the previous low inflation was in August 2024 at 3.65 per cent. It stood at 5.48 per cent in November, 6.21 per cent in October and 5.49 per cent in September. The rural inflation in January was slightly higher at 4.64 per cent while it was 3.87 per cent in urban areas. There has been a sharp decline of 237 basis point in food inflation in January at 6.02 continued on page 8 SOME REPRIEVE Month Aug 2024 Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan 2025 Inflation 3.65% 5.49% 6.21% 5.48% 5.22% 4.31% INDUSTRIAL OUTPUT DOWN TO 3.2% India’s industrial output, measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP), slowed to 3.2 per cent in December 2024 from 5.2 per cent in November, driven largely by a slowdown in the manufacturing sector. Weather trends worrying, hint at beginning of the end of snowfall in Shimla Subhash Rajta Tribune News Service SC rejects Indrani’s plea to travel abroad NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Wednesday dismissed the plea of Indrani Mukerjea, accused of killing her daughter Sheena Bora, against a ruling denying her permission to travel abroad. A Bench of Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal directed the trial court to conduct the proceedings in the case within a year and upheld the Bombay High Court order refusing her plea. — PTI “It has further been established that Sajjan, being a member of such unlawful assembly, is guilty of having committed the murder of Jaswant Singh and Tarundeep Singh, the husband and son of complainant PW-13, during the incident of rioting on November 1, 1984,” Baweja said in her 139-page order. The Special Judge posted the matter for hearing arguments on the quantum of the punishment to be awarded to the convict on February 18. “Whatever time it might have taken, it’s important to punish the perpetrators of such heinous crime to uphold the rule of law,” senior advocate HS Phoolka told The Tribune, welcoming the order convicting the former Congress MP . Sajjan (79) is already serving life imprisonment in another anti-Sikh riots case and the Supreme Court has refused to grant him bail. He has been in jail since December 31, 2018, continued on page 8 Shimla has gone without a significant spell of snowfall in the past three years. TRIBUNE FILE Shimla, February 12 In the winter of 1990-91, Shimla received 239 cm of snowfall. In the five winters of the current decade, the city has received just around 250 cm of snowfall, indicating a diminishing trend of snowfall in and around Shimla. More worryingly, the city has gone without a significant spell of snowfall in the past three winters, including the current one. From the winter of 2022-23 to the current winter, the city has barely received around 25 cm of snowfall. It’s extremely worrying as Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Delhi Tribune. c m y b Got 1,332 cm snow in 1991-2000; 250 cm in 2021-25 ON A DECLINE SINCE 1991 1991-2000 Total snowfall 1,332 cm Average per year 133.2 cm HIGHEST: 239 cm in 1990-91 LOWEST: 56.4 cm in 1996-97 2001-2010 Total snowfall 676 cm Average per year 67.6 cm HIGHEST: 186 cm in 2001-02 LOWEST: 0 cm in 2005-06 the city has never seen three consecutive dry winters over the past 35 years. No one 2011-2020 Total snowfall 809 cm Average per year 80 cm HIGHEST: 129 cm in 2019-20 LOWEST: 25 cm in 15-16 2021-2025 Total snowfall 250 cm Average per year 50 cm HIGHEST: 161.7 cm 2021-22 LOWEST: 6 cm in 2023-24 knows whether it is merely an aberration in the weather cycle or the beginning of the end of snowfall in Shimla. Weather officials are also concerned about the dwindling snowfall in Shimla and the surrounding areas. “The data shows that snowfall in Shimla has been on the decline over the past few decades. Broadly, it could be attributed to global warming, growing number of vehicles on the road and rapid urbanisation,” said Kuldeep Srivastava, Director, Shimla Meteorological Centre. In the last decade of the last century, from 1991 to 2000, the city had received a total of 1,332 cm of snowfall, continued on page 8