04102024-TTC-03.qxd 10/4/2024 12:51 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 8 NO. 275 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 ISRAEL INTENSIFIES STRIKES ON LEBANON; 28 MEDICS KILLED, SAYS WHO WORLD /thetribunechd SECURITY FORCES, ULTRAS EXCHANGE FIRE IN KISHTWAR J&K ADANI, GOOGLE TIE UP MALICIOUS, MEA SLAMS US TO BOOST CLEAN PANEL REPORT ON RELIGIOUS ENERGY BUSINESS FREEDOM BACK PAGE friday | 4 october 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Campaign din ends in Haryana, direct Dhaka recalls Indian envoy, signals foreign policy reset contest on the cards in most segments Tribune News Service BJP confident of beating anti-incumbency, Cong eyes comeback after decade Paddysale,notvote, farmers’ concern Geetanjali Gayatri Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 3 The high-decibel campaigning for the Haryana Assembly elections ended today as rival political parties traded charges in their last-ditch attempt to garner votes ahead of the October 5 voting. The ruling BJP looks to beat anti-incumbency to stay in power for a third consecutive term, while arch rival Congress eyes a comeback after a decade-long hiatus. The counting of votes will take place alongside Jammu & Kashmir on October 8. continued on page 10 KURUKSHETRA/KAITHAL: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi with Haryana ex-CM Bhupinder Singh Hooda in Nuh on Thursday. PTI In balancing act, Rahul meets Selja ahead of Haryana voting Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 3 In a delicate balancing act on the eve of the October 5 Haryana elections, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met senior party leader Kumari Selja who, until recently, was visibly upset with the affairs in the state unit. The venue of the early morning meeting was significant — 10, Janpath. It’s the official residence of Rahul’s mother and former party chief Sonia Gandhi, who has progressively withdrawn herself from active strategising, choosing to leave party’s affairs to current president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul. During the meeting, Rahul is learnt to have sought Selja’s feedback on Congress’ prospects in the Haryana elections and the ground situation. The meeting was a bid to Chief ministership issue to be ‘decided after the elections’ Kumari Selja pacify the AICC general secretary who has openly staked claim to the CM’s post should the party win this time. She had also for a while bunked the campaign scene in Haryana to make her absence felt. She eventually campaigned. On the tricky issue of the chief ministership, Congress sources said the party’s position in Haryana, as in other states, was that the matter was open and would be discussed after the results. “There is nothing new about the party’s position on the issue of chief ministership. The Congress has conventionally decided CMs only after the elections. An exception was made for Capt Amarinder Singh on the eve of 2017 Punjab Assembly poll but otherwise it has always been a post-poll matter,” a top AICC functionary told The Tribune today. Asked how the name of non-MLAs (Selja and Randeep Surjewala) could be deliberated upon at the Congress Legislature Party continued on page 10 Multi-cornered fight in 20 seats; BJP hopes for gain, Cong worried Pradeep Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, October 3 Haryana is set to witness a direct fight between the BJP and the Congress in nearly 70 of the 90 Assembly constituencies. The remaining 20 segments where a multicornered contest is on the cards may hold the key to the government formation. Disgruntled BJP and Congress leaders, who were denied the party ticket, are in the fray as Independent candidates in a majority of these seats. In others, candi- dates representing the INLD-BSP AAP and the JJP, ASP could spring a surprise. Fully aware of such a scenario, both the Congress and the BJP have a different strategy to deal with it. Sources said the segments where non-Congress or nonBJP candidates could change the poll arithmetic included Kalayat, Pundri, Rewari, Baroda, Ambala Cantonment, Panipat Rural, Panipat City, Hisar, Gohana, Gurgaon, Ganaur, Ellenabad, Rania, Punhana and Dabwali. A BJP poll strategist told The Tribune that multi-party contests usually favoured the BJP “We think such con. tests are in fact essential on certain seats where the BJP candidates are on a sticky wicket,” he claimed. “The party strategy on these seats included propping up winnable ‘friendly’ candidates with the sole objective of defeating the Congress,” the strategist said. Sources in the BJP said such seats were “micro-managed” by the party with help of prominent local leaders continued on page 10 Nayab Singh Saini’s caretaker government may have advanced paddy procurement from October 1 to September 27 with an eye on the poll, but farmers are alleging harassment over delay in purchase and lifting. They are camping with their produce by the roadside in Thanesar as food & civil supplies officials blame the delay on the high moisture content in the produce. Alive to farmers’ plight, LoP Rahul Gandhi said the Congress government would buy the entire produce if voted to power. INSIDE New Delhi, October 3 The Supreme Court on Thursday pulled up the governments of Punjab and Haryana for not taking penal action against farmers indulging in stubble burning, which turns Delhi-NCR into a virtual gas chamber during October-December. A Bench led by Justice AS Oka also slammed the Com- mission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) for failing to control stubble burning. “Not a single prosecution has been initiated and the last meeting was only held on August 29. Only five of the 11 members were present and it did not discuss implementation of directions. This Apart from the High Commissioner to India, Dhaka has also recalled five other senior diplomats posted in Brussels, Canberra, London, Lisbon and the UN in New York NEPAL, INDIA, B’DESH INK ELECTRICITY PACT Nepal, India and Bangladesh on Thursday signed an agreement to facilitate cross-border electricity trade. According to the pact, Nepal would export its surplus electricity to Bangladesh via India annually. Commissioner Pranay Verma on Wednesday posted on X about his meeting with Mohd Touhid Hossain, foreign Govt opposes pleas to criminalise marital rape NEW DELHI: Satya Prakash Prime Minister Narendra Modi late on Thursday chaired a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security amid escalation of conflict in West Asia. The conflict is expected to upend trade scenarios and petroleum supply, thereby impacting domestic economy. India has called for dialogue as the only way forward and has repeatedly said this “is not the time for war”. — TNS Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 3 If sexual intercourse or sexual acts by a man with his own wife without her consent is made punishable as “rape”, it may severely impact the conjugal relationship and lead to serious disturbances in the institution of marriage, the 2 abducted Meitei youths released NEW DELHI: Two Meitei youths — Oinam Thoithoi Singh and Thokchom Thoithoiba — who were allegedly abducted by Kuki militants on September 27, were released early on Thursday. Initially three youths, who were on their way to participate in an SSC recruitment camp, were abducted as they strayed into Keithelmanbi in Kangpokpi district. One of them, Ningombam Johnson Singh, was rescued by the Assam Rifles. — TNS Notice to Haryana over stilt+4 floors CHANDIGARH: The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Thursday put Haryana on notice on a plea filed in public interest challenging, among other things, the “arbitrary, unplanned, and unsustainable” decision to revoke a selfimposed embargo on stilt+4 constructions. The notice by the Bench of Chief Justice Sheel Nagu and Justice Anil Kshetarpal for October 23 came on a plea filed against the state and another respondent by Sunil Singh. INSIDE Stubble burning Asks both states to file compliance affidavits in week Tribune News Service New Delhi, October 3 Bangladesh has recalled its High Commissioner to India Mustafizur Rahman, signalling a foreign policy reset after the ouster of former PM Sheikh Hasina. Her rule ended on August 5 following street protests in Dhaka. Rahman is among the six diplomats Bangladesh has recalled from various countries and the UN. A letter signed by Mohammad Nazmul Haque, director general (administration) of the Bangladesh foreign ministry, did not give reasons for the recall but asked the diplomat to return to Dhaka immediately. In Dhaka, Indian High affairs adviser to the Bangladesh government. “Discussed ways to promote ties towards realising shared aspirations of the people of both countries,” he posted. On August 5, Hasina had flown from Dhaka and landed at the Hindon airbase. An interim government led by Nobel laureate Mohd Yunus was sworn in on August 8. Among the other envoys recalled by Dhaka are Permanent Representative to the UN Mohammad Abdul Muhith, Ambassador to Belgium Mahbub H Saleh, High Commissioner to the UK Saida Muna Tasneem, Ambassador to Australia M Allama Siddiky and Ambassador to Portugal Rejina Ahmed. W Asia on boil, PM chairs CCS meet Orders ignored: SC slams Punjab, Haryana Satya Prakash 5 MORE WITHDRAWN is how the sub-committees are functioning… They have held 11 meetings in nine months,” said the Bench, which also included Justices A Amanullah and AG Masih. The top court lamented that the states had not done anything to implement its order and had only recovered nominal compensation from the farmers indulging in stubble burning. The first continued on page 10 c m y b Says it may harm the institution of marriage ATTACHES IMPORTANCE TO CONSENT The Centre also asserted that a woman’s consent was not obliterated by marriage and its violation should result in penal consequences Centre told the Supreme Court on Thursday. In an affidavit filed in the top court, the Centre defend- ed a criminal law provision which protected husbands from being prosecuted for rape for having sex with his wife against her will. “In the fast growing and ever-changing social and family structure, the misuse of the amended provisions can also not be ruled out, as it would be difficult and challenging for a person to prove whether consent was there or not,” the Centre said, opposing petitions continued on page 10