10022025-TTB-01.qxd 09-02-2025 23:59 Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 40 | 14 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA SPOKEN TO PUTIN ON ENDING UKRAINE WAR: TRUMP WORLD /thetribunechd KATHUA ‘TORTURE’: ILTIJA SEEKS JUDICIAL INQUIRY J&K CAN’T UNDERMINE FARMERS’ ROLE IN GROWTH: VP NATION BACK IN FORM, ROHIT HITS 32ND ODI TON VS ENGLAND SPORT monday | 10 february 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Facing heat over ‘role’ in ethnic clashes, Manipur CM Biren quits FLYING START Air Chief Marshal AP Singh with Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi after taking a joint sortie aboard a Tejas aircraft on the eve of Aero India-2025 in Bengaluru on Sunday. PTI Was to face no-trust vote today | 250 dead in violence since May 2023 Animesh Singh PREZ RULE LIKELY IF NO CONSENSUS ON CM Tribune News Service ‘Beef biryani’ sparks controversy at AMU ALIGARH: A notice to serve “beef biryani” for lunch on Sunday at the Sir Shah Sulaiman Hall in Aligarh Muslim University triggered a row after it went viral on social media. The AMU administration clarified that it contained a “typing error” and assured that those responsible had been issued a show-cause notice. BACK PAGE FIRs filed in Haryana on deportees’ plaint KARNAL: Days after the depor- tation of illegal Indian immigrants from the US, the Kurukshetra police registered two FIRs against four individuals for allegedly cheating job seekers by promising them employment opportunities in the US. No arrests have been made in connection with these FIRs so far. INSIDE 2 cops, 31 Naxals killed in Chhattisgarh encounter Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 9 Security forces on Sunday gunned down 31 Naxalites during an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, officials said. Two security personnel were also killed in the incident while two others were injured, they said. The encounter took place in the dense forests of Indravati National Park in the morning. It was part of a larger, coordinated anti-Naxal operation led by a joint team from various security forces. Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P confirmed that 31 Naxalites, including 11 women, had been killed. The authorities also seized a large quantity of weapons and Cooperation in nuclear energy, defence on table as Modi heads to France ALL-OUT WAR AGAINST LEFT-WING EXTREMISM 81 65 Naxalites killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year of the 81 killed in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts 38 219 were killed in Abhujmaad area of Bastar on October 4, 2024 Naxalites were killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh last year MARCH 2026 DEADLINE TO WIPE OUT MAOISTS I reiterate my resolve that before March 31, 2026, we will completely eradicate Naxalism from the country so that no citizen has to lose his life due to it. Amit Shah, HOME MINISTER ❝ explosives from the encounter site. The security officials who were killed in the exchange of fire belonged to the District Reserve Guard and the Special Task Force. More than 650 security personnel entered the Indravati National Park area from different sides and eliminated the 31 Naxalites in their den, Chhattisgarh’s Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the end of Naxalism continued on page 10 New Delhi, February 9 A day before he was to face a no-confidence motion in the Assembly, embattled Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned from his post on Sunday evening. Biren submitted his resignation to Governor AK Bhalla in Imphal in the presence of BJP’s state in-charge Sambit Patra. The Governor accepted Biren’s resignation, along with that of his council of ministers, and requested that he continue in office until alternative arrangements were made. Within hours of the resignation, the Governor also revoked his earlier order summoning the Budget session of the Assembly from February 10. Analysts saw this as an indication of a possible dissolution of the Assembly. The ■ BJP MLAs reportedly held par- Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh hands over his resignation to Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla at Raj Bhavan in Imphal on Sunday. ANI STRIFE-TORN STATE AWAITS VISIT BY PM: CONG Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the CM’s resignation had come too late. “The people of Manipur now await a visit by our PM, who hasn’t found time to visit the state these past 20 months.” opposition Congress had planned to bring a no-confidence motion against the CM tomorrow. Biren’s resignation followed a meeting he had earlier in the day with Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 9 A day after clocking a historic win in Delhi after a gap of 27 years, the BJP appeared in no hurry to name the CM and form the government with top sources saying the process would set in motion after PM Narendra Modi’s return from his tour to France and the US. In PM’s absence, party functionaries on Sunday held meetings with the newly elected 48 MLAs of Delhi. BJP national general secretary (organisation) BL San- ATISHI RESIGNS VERMA MEETS NADDA Delhi CM Atishi handed over her resignation to Lt Governor VK Saxena on Sunday, a day after her AAP faced a crushing defeat in the Assembly polls. The L-G asked her to continue till the formation of the new govt INSIDE Former Delhi CM Sahib Singh Verma’s son Parvesh Verma, who defeated AAP convener Arvind Kejriwal in New Delhi, on Sunday met BJP president JP Nadda. Source said it was a courtesy meeting tosh, BJP Delhi in-charge Baijayant Panda and state chief Virendra Sachdeva held closed-door meetings with the legislators. “The meetings were held in groups featuring MLAs from each of the seven parliamen- tary constituencies. A general introduction took place and the party gave a clear direction on what to do. All MLAs were told to go to the people and thank them for their support. For about four to five days, we will engage with the OFF TO GURU RAVIDAS’ ABODE months as the rift among the BJP MLAs, including those belonging to the Kuki community, was out in the open. Another significant trigger continued on page 10 people of Delhi,” said an MLA who attended the meeting. The Tribune has learnt that BL Santosh gave three clear messages to the MLAs — stay rooted, humble and in constant touch with the people; honour party discipline as elected representatives and avoid out of line statements; and respect party’s decision on the CM as and when announced. There was no word on when the meeting of the BJP legislative party will be held. Sources said the party would continued on page 10 edit: bjp all the way Day after Delhi loss, Kejri summons Punjab MLAs Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Modi, Macron to co-chair AI summit in Paris TO ATTEND DINNER TODAY ■ On Monday, the PM will attend a dinner hosted by the French President at the Elysee Palace in honour of visiting heads of government ■ The two leaders will visit the war cemetery on Tuesday and pay tribute to the sacrifices made by Indian soldiers in World War I announced while presenting the Budget in Parliament on February 1. India and France have a robust defence partnership. The major ongoing projects include the purchase of Rafale-M aircraft for the Navy and three additional submarines of the Kalvari class. The two countries are also collaborating in development of next generation engines for fighter planes. A DRDO office was opened in the Indian Embassy in Paris in 2023 for strengthening technology cooperation between India and France. Last year, the two sides signed a letter of intent on deepening the defence space partnership. India and France have a history of cooperation in the field of space for over 60 years. France remains a major continued on page 10 GUV TO VISIT DELHI TODAY Manipur Governor AK Bhalla is likely to reach Delhi on Monday amid speculations that the Assembly could be dissolved Delhi govt formation likely after PM’s return Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 9 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a three-day France visit from Monday at the invitation of French President Emmanuel Macron. He will co-chair the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Action Summit with Macron on February 11. India and France are likely to unveil a bilateral roadmap on AI during the PM’s visit. US Vice-President JD Vance and Vice-Premier of China Ding Xuexiang along with other key stakeholders are expected to attend the summit. Modi and Macron are also scheduled to hold bilateral talks with focus on defence, space and nuclear energy. The high-point of Modi’s visit is expected to be a formal announcement on establishing a partnership to produce low and medium power modular nuclear reactors, including Small Modular Reactors (SMR) and Advanced Modular Reactors. India has already announced a decision to set up a Nuclear Energy Mission for research and development of SMRs with an outlay of Rs 20,000 crore. “At least five indigenously developed SMRs will be operationalised by 2033,” Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman had Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi. After landing in Imphal, he straightaway headed to Raj Bhawan. There had been speculation about the resignation for leys with state in-charge Sambit Patra to choose the next CM ■ Among the probables for the top post are Speaker T Satyabrata and Y Khemchand ■ Both leaders had separately visited Delhi recently and met Home Minister Amit Shah ■ If options for a new CM fail, the state could be put under President’s rule, say sources Devotees in Jalandhar rush to board the Begumpura Express for Varanasi to celebrate Guru Ravidas Jayanti on February 12. SARABJIT SINGH Chandigarh, February 9 A day after the Aam Aadmi Party suffered a crushing defeat in the Delhi Assembly elections, its supremo Arvind Kejriwal today summoned party’s Punjab MLAs and ministers for a meeting in Delhi on February 11. This comes amid claims by certain state Congress leaders of being in touch with nearly 20 AAP MLAs. The party has in the past also accused the Bharatiya Janata Party of trying to poach its MLAs as part of “Operation Lotus” in the state. The party legislators have Meet tomorrow amid poaching concerns been asked to cancel their engagements on Tuesday and attend the meeting at Kapurthala House, the official residence of Punjab Chief Minister when he visits the national capital. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who had been camping in Delhi for the past three days, arrived here late this afternoon. Soon after, the Cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday was postponed to continued on page 10 Punjab man taking ‘dunki’ route to US dies in Guatemala PK Jaiswar Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 9 Days after 104 illegal Indian migrants were deported by the United States, an Ajnala resident died of a heart attack in Guatemala while attempting to sneak into the US through the ‘dunki’ route. The term ‘dunki’ route is used to describe an illegal way of entering a foreign country. Relatives said the victim, Gurpreet Singh (33), a resident of border town of Ramdass in Ajnala, had left his home three months ago with an aim to settle in the US. “We came to know about the tragic incident only when a man who was accompanying him to the US informed us about it over the phone,” said Harpreet Singh, a relative of Gurpreet Singh. Cabinet minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal met family members on Sunday. He assured them that the Punjab Government would make every effort to bring Gurpreet’s body back so that the family could perform the last rites. Harpreet said around eight months ago, Gurpreet came in contact with a travel agent who promised to send him to the US. The travel agent told Suffers heart attack on the way PAID ~36 LAKH TO AGENT ■ Gurpreet Singh was lured by Cabinet minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal (right) consoles family members of Gurpreet Singh (inset), who died while sneaking into the US through a ‘dunki’ route. a travel agent who promised to send him to the US ■ The travel agent told him that he could earn ~5 lakh to ~6 lakh per month in the US ■ Gurpreet paid ~36 lakh to the agent by borrowing money from relatives & taking loan him that after reaching the US, he could earn Rs 5 lakh to 6 lakh per month. A deal was struck between them at and he thought he could pull his family out of poverty by going to the US. His family borrowed money from rela- c m y b Rs 36 lakh, he said. Gurpreet, who was doing smalltime work, was taken in by promises of the travel agent tives and took a loan to pay the travel agent. “The travel agent had assured the family of sending Gurpreet to the US without valid documents,” Harpreet said. Six years ago, Gurpreet had gone to England on a work permit, but he couldn’t settle there and returned home. Dhaliwal appealed to the youth not to attempt to travel abroad through unauthorised means. He said they could start their own work here with the money they planned to spend on reaching abroad. The minister also advised them to pursue skill training. edit: illegal migration