16112024-TTC-01.qxd 11/16/2024 12:58 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 144 NO. 317 | 18 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 FADNAVIS VS PAWAR OVER ‘BATENGE TOH KATENGE’ NATION /thetribunechd TWO TEENS KILLED AS CAR RAMS INTO STATIONARY TRUCK J&K MOODY’S PEGS POWER FLOW TO B’DESH INDIA’S GROWTH AT FROM NEPAL VIA INDIA 7.2 PER CENT BUSINESS BEGINS BACK PAGE saturday | 16 november 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com After BCCI’s objection, ICC cancels trophy tour in PoK Champions Trophy schedule also put on hold amid controversy Tribune News Service Congress MP Rahul Gandhi’s helicopter stranded in Jharkhand’s Godda due to a clearance issue. PTI CHARGES FLY THICK & FAST AFTER PM’S COPTER SNAG ■ The Congress cried foul on Friday as Rahul Gandhi’s helicopter remained grounded at Jharkhand’s Godda after PM Modi’s plane developed a snag in nearby Deoghar 8 Iranians held with 700 kg drugs off Gujarat coast New Delhi, November 15 In a joint operation, the Navy, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) and the Gujarat Police seized about 700 kg of methamphetamine and arrested eight Iranians off the Gujarat coast around Porbandar on Friday. The value of the seized synthetic narcotic, which impacts the central nervous system of consumers, could be between Rs 2,500 and Rs 3,500 crore in the international market, said NCB officials. This was the second major successful antinarcotic operation by the Navy this year. — TNS Fearing upheaval, HP challenges order on CPSes Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 15 The Himachal Pradesh Government has moved the Supreme Court against the Himachal Pradesh High Court’s order quashing the appointment of six Chief Parliamentary Secretaries (CPSes), contending that they were likely to be disqualified as MLAs leading to political instability in the state. In a petition filed in the top court, the Himachal Pradesh Government has also challenged the November 13 order of the high court that declared as “void” the Himachal Pradesh Parliamentary Secretaries (Appointment, Salaries, Allowances, Powers, Privileges and Amenities) Act, 2006, and said it was beyond the legislative competence of the state legislature to enact such a law. It was this law under which the appointments of CPSes were made. Filed through advocate-onrecord Sugandha Anand on Thursday, the petition urged the top court to stay the high continued on page 6 ■ The PM, who was in Bihar for a rally at Jamui in honour of tribal hero Birsa Munda, returned to Delhi in another plane after a 2-hour delay at Deoghar airport (Jharkhand) ■ “We urge the EC to ensure a level playing field,” said the Congress even as the Deogarh DC said the airspace was declared a no-flying zone as the PM’s plane was stranded New Delhi, November 15 Following a strong objection by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), the International Cricket Council on Friday stopped Pakistan from conducting a Champions Trophy tour at Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad in Pakistanoccupied Kashmir (PoK). It is understood that BCCI Secretary Jay Shah, who is set to take over as the ICC Chairman on December 5, had communicated the objection to the ICC on Thursday. Consequently, the ICC asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to stop the trophy tour. The tournament, last held in 2017, is already in limbo after the BCCI last week refused to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing security concerns. The schedule for the tournament has also been put on hold and the latest controversy over the PoK tour could only make things complex and worse. India has always considered the PoK as its integral Trump replaces prosecutor who pressed charges in Pannun ‘plot’ Tribune News Service New Delhi, November 15 US President-elect Donald Trump has announced the replacement of the federal prosecutor who filed charges against a former Indian Intelligence officer in an alleged plot to kill Khalistani terrorist Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Trump nominated US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) former chairman Jay Clayton to serve as the District Attorney for the Southern District of New York. Clayton will replace the federal prosecutor, Damian Williams, who filed charges against Vikash Yadav, a former Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer, accusing him of orchestrating a plot to hire a hitman to kill Pannun. The development is being followed closely in India as the government has all along denied association or involvement in any such plot. The other accused in the “murder-for-hire” case are Indian national Nikhil Gupta and a Gurpatwant Singh Pannun HAD PROSECUTED EX-RAW OFFICER, INDIAN BIZMAN ■ Manhattan federal prosecu- tor Damian Williams had filed a case against ex-RAW officer Vikash Yadav for trying to hire a hitman to kill Pannun ■ Last year, he charged Indian bizman Nikhil Gupta as a coconspirator in case. Gupta was extradited to US in June after arrest in Czech Republic former Indian Intelligence officer, unnamed so far. Williams had charged Gupta, a businessman, as a co-conspirator. Gupta was extradited to the US in June from the Czech Republic. He has denied any role in the alleged plot. In the charges filed, Yadav is described as a “senior field officer” of RAW. He is reportedly in custody in India on charges of kidnapping and extortion. Yadav is on the “wanted” list of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. They are accused of trying to hire a person they believed was a professional criminal — who later turned out to be a government agent — to kill Pannun. Trump hailed Clayton as “a highly respected business leader, counsel, and public servant”. “He did an incredible job at the SEC,” he added. Clayton was the SEC chairman during Trump’s first tenure from 2017-21. He brings special expertise to Wall Street and financial irregularities cases. The Southern District of New York covers Manhattan and handles highprofile cases involving investments, and stock market trading manipulation and fraud. Like India, fresh appointments to key posts are made when a new government takes over in the US. TOURNAMENT IN TROUBLE ■ The Champions Trophy, ■ Last week, the BCCI last held in 2017, is in limbo after the BCCI last week refused to send its team to Pakistan for the tournament, citing security concerns ■ The schedule for the tournament, which was to be made public on November 11, has been put on hold and the latest controversy over PoK tour could make things worse had refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, which was scheduled from February 19 to March 9, 2025, in Karachi, Lahore and Rawalpindi ■ The BCCI has requested that all its matches should be held in Dubai. The ICC is still trying to get the PCB on board to hold the tournament in a hybrid model part. Both Houses of Parliament had adopted a resolution in February 1994, stating that Jammu and Kashmir was an integral part of India, and Pakistan must vacate parts of the state under its occupation. On Thursday, the PCB had announced the trophy tour in the PoK on the micro-blogging site X: “Get ready, Pakistan! The ICC Champions Trophy 2025 tour kicks off in Islamabad on November 16, also visiting scenic travel destinations like Skardu, Murree, Hunza and Muzaffarabad. Catch a glimpse of the trophy which Sarfaraz Ahmed lifted in 2017 at The Oval from November 16-24.” Like the tournament schedule, the trophy tour is also decided in consultation with the ICC and it is understood that the PCB had not taken the ICC’s nod to take the trophy to the PoK. The new dates of the tour are now likely to be announced by the PCB in consultation with the ICC. Last week, the BCCI had refused to travel to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy, which was scheduled from February 19 to March 9 continued on page 6 Hindu pilgrim on way to Nankana Sahib shot dead Lahore, November 15 A Hindu pilgrim, who was going to attend the 555th birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak Dev in Nankana Sahib, was shot dead by robbers, the police said on Friday. A native of Larkana city in Sindh province, Rajesh Kumar was going to Nankana Sahib from Lahore by a car along with his friend and brother-in-law when three robbers intercepted them on the Mananwala-Nankana Sahib Road, 60 km from Lahore. “The gunmen snatched Rs 4.5 lakh from the trio and Rs 10,000 from the driver. After Kumar resisted, the robbers opened fire on him and fled,” the police said. Kumar was rushed to hospital in a critical condition where he succumbed to his injuries. A case has been registered against unidentified men on the complaint of Kumar’s brother-in-law. — PTI 10 children die in Jhansi medical college blaze Jhansi (UP), November 15 At least 10 children died in a fire that engulfed the children’s ward of a medical college in Uttar Pradesh’s Jhansi district on Friday night, officials said here, adding the casualties might go up. District Magistrate (DM) Avinash Kumar said the fire broke out around 10.45 pm in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) of Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College possibly due to a short circuit. SHORT CIRCUIT SUSPECTED TO HAVE TRIGGERED FIRE The children who were in the outer part of the NICU were rescued, along with some of those who were in the interior part. “Prima facie, there is information of the death of 10 children,” the DM said. Fire engines were rushed to the spot while senior officers of the district also reached the medical college, the police said in a brief statement on social media. Purported visuals from the medical college showed panic-struck patients and their caretakers being evacuated, even as several police personnel aided rescue and relief measures. CM Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the incident and directed officials to ensure proper treatment of the injured. Stop petty politics over House: Saini to Mann as Punjab hardens stance Finance Minister Cheema says state won’t part with an inch for Haryana Tribune News Service Chandigarh, November 15 Politics over the first hurdles being cleared for the allotment of land to the Haryana Government in Chandigarh for the construction of a new Vidhan Sabha building continued to play out through the day today. While Punjab’s ruling Aam Aadmi Party sent a delegation led by Finance Minister Harpal Cheema to meet Punjab Governor and Chandigarh Administrator Gulab Chand Kataria to oppose the move, Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini asked Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann not to indulge in “petty politics” on the issue and instead focus on the pressing issues of farmers in his state. Saini reiterated that Haryana also had a right over Chandigarh and urged Punjab leaders not to play petty politics over the matter. Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini at a gurdwara in Ladwa on Friday. The Chief Minister was addressing a press conference here. MLAs Ram Kumar Gautam, Randhir Panihar, Vinod Bhayana and Devender Kadian were also present on the occasion. He said the Punjab Chief Minister was claiming that he would not allow the Haryana Vidhan Sabha to be built in Chandigarh. Saini urged the Punjab Government to work in the interests of the people. Saini said Haryana was Punjab’s “younger brother”, adding that Punjab should not create animosity or spoil the brotherhood by making such statements. “Driven by political motives, leaders of Punjab had first stopped Haryana’s SYL water and now they are talking about stopping the Haryana Vidhan Sabha from being built. The people of Punjab share a strong bond with Haryana and want the state to get SYL water,” he said. He expressed disappointment over “cheap politics” being played by some Punjab leaders. Meanwhile, a delegation of AAP led by Punjab Finance , Minister Cheema, today submitted a memorandum to the Governor of Punjab, registering its strong opposition to the Haryana Government’s proposal to set up a separate Legislative Assembly complex in Chandigarh. The memorandum was handed over by the delegation, which also included minister Harjot Singh Bains, AAP leaders Deepak Bali and Parminder Singh continued on page 6 Even ~1,000-cr Smart City push fails to move Ludhiana out of civic mess Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Ludhiana, November 15 Heaps of garbage strewn by the roadside, open and overflowing drains, encroachments on streets, potholed roads, parking woes, nonfunctional streetlights and freely roaming stray animals — “Smart City” Ludhiana doesn’t have much to boast of when it comes to amenities. And that too after an expenditure of Rs 935 crore under the Centre’s Smart Cities Mission. The Smart Cities Mission (SCM) aims to transform 100 selected cities nationwide by enhancing infrastructure to Six local AAP legislators call it ‘unmindful’ expenditure, demand CBI investigation PUNJAB’S INDUSTRIAL CAPITAL TOP RANKING IN PUNJAB 97.42% OF FUNDS USED Smart City Ludhiana Amritsar Jalandhar Punjab National Share 1 49 Centre 2 53 Punjab 3 62 Total STATUS OF PROJECTS Cars parked haphazardly on roadside in Ludhiana. HIMANSHU MAHAJAN provide quality life to the residents. Ludhiana Smart City Limited (LSCL), a Punjab Government company floated for the project, has claimed the completion of 61 Stage Projects Expenditure Completed 61 ~688.81 cr Under execution 13 ~207.1 cr Tendering stage 9 ~28.1 cr Total 83 ~924.1 cr projects worth Rs 688.81 crore. Another 13, worth Rs 207.1 crore, were under exe- c m y b Allocated Utilised ~490 cr ~475.06 cr ~469.25 cr ~459.5 cr ~959.25 cr ~934.56 cr 35 LAKH POPULATION ■ Ludhiana population was 17 lakh in 2011, but it’s now over 35 lakh ■ Has over 25 lakh registered vehicles; 79,000 bought in 2023 ■ Road-lane network of 4,000 km cution while nine, amounting to Rs 28.1 crore, were at the tendering stage, said an offi- cial. Called the industrial and financial capital of Punjab, Ludhiana has an estimated population of around 35 lakh. All six MLAs whose constituencies fall within Ludhiana have alleged that unmindful spending has neither beautified nor developed the city, as was envisaged. The MLAs — Daljit Singh Grewal Bhola (Ludhiana East), Rajinder Pal Kaur Chhina (South), Ashok Parashar Papp (Central), Gurpreet Bassi Gogi (West), Madan Lal Bagga (North) and Kulwant Singh Sidhu (Atam Nagar) — belong to the ruling AAP and have demanded a high-level probe by either the CBI or the Vigilance Bureau into the alleged scam in the execution of the Smart City project. “The entire SCM funds were either misutilised in a single constituency or misappropriated at the behest of the then ruling Congress leadership,” they said. The allegations notwithstanding, Ludhiana ranked first among the three smart cities — Amritsar and Jalandhar the other two — being developed in Punjab and 49th among the 100 nationwide, as per the latest rankings released by the Union Ministry of Housing continued on page 6