17022025-TTC-01.qxd 2/17/2025 12:32 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 9 NO. 47 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 US SECY OF STATE BEGINS WEST ASIA TRIP FROM ISRAEL WORLD SUSTAINABILITY KEY FEATURE OF INDIAN TEXTILES: PM NATION monday | 17 february 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com ANI CHANGE OF GUARD IN NEW FORMAT Only a rumour: Railways’ initial response draws public outrage Aditi Tandon Tribune News Service President Droupadi Murmu at the Change of Guard Ceremony in a new format at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Sunday. The new format features an elaborate visual and musical performance against the backdrop of the presidential palace. BACK PAGE 3rd batch of112 deportees, including 31 from Punjab & 44 Hry, lands in Amritsar Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Amritsar, February 16 A third special flight carrying 112 deportees from the US, including 31 from Punjab, landed at Amritsar’s Sri Guru Ram Das Ji International Airport late on Sunday evening. This follows the arrival of two earlier flights, including a US military plane on Saturday night, which brought 117 Indian immigrants, 65 of whom were from Punjab. Earlier on February 5, 104 individuals were deported to India. The deportees on Sunday’s flight included 31 Sikhs made to ‘remove’ turbans, SGPC fumes At least 24 Sikh deportees were made to remove their turbans by the US authorities before sending them back to India on a military plane, said sources. They were part of the second batch of Indians that landed at the Amritsar airport on Saturday night.The SGPC has condemned the US authorities over the issue. DETAILS INSIDE from Punjab, 44 from Haryana, 33 from Gujarat, two from UP and one each from HP and Uttarakhand, official sources said. The deportations are part of a US crackdown on individu- als who entered the country illegally, with most of them having arrived in the US in the second week of January. The political hustle and bustle that was witnessed at the airport on earlier two BJP meet over Delhi CM likely today, 2 observers to take part Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 16 The newly elected BJP MLAs in Delhi are likely to meet on Monday to elect the Chief Minister. The BJP has instructed all 48 of its legislators to be prepared for a potential legislature party meeting, where two central observers will oversee the CM election process. The meeting, it is learnt, was initially scheduled for Sunday, SUNDAY MEET PUT OFF DUE TO STAMPEDE The BJP’s meeting to pick Delhi CM was reportedly scheduled for Sunday, but was postponed due to the railway station stampede but it was postponed due to the tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station on Saturday night. The names of the central observers for the meeting are yet to be announced. Hectic discussions are underway to finalise the CM candidate. The BJP has returned to power in Delhi after a gap of 27 years. The last BJP Chief Minister in Delhi was the late Sushma Swaraj in 1998. This time, the CM will be chosen from among the elected MLAs, and the party is unlikely to appoint a deputy CM, given the small size of the Delhi Assembly (70 members) and the absence of coalition continued on page 9 Musk cancels USAID’s $21 mn grant on ‘voter turnout in India’ Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 16 Elon Musk-led US Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) on Sunday announced cancellation of grants worth millions of American dollars which the now disbanded USAID had pledged across countries, including India and Bangladesh. “US taxpayer dollars were BJP: Funding amounts to interference in polls going to be spent on the following items, all which have been cancelled,” Musk wrote on X listing 15 separate USAID grant heads, including a massive $21 million for “voter turnout in India”. Another grant that Musk cancelled related to $29 million to “strengthen political landscape in Bangladesh”. Following the resignation of Sheikh Hasina on August 5, 2024, violence broke out between protesters and opposition activists on one side and Hasina’s Awami League supporters, government and security officials on the other. Hasina fled to continued on page 9 occasions was missing on Sunday. The SGPC, meanwhile, arranged turbans for Sikh deportees, following reports that Sikhs on the previous flight were allegedly made to remove their turbans. The SGPC also organised langar for the families of deportees and visitors at the airport. The Haryana Government arranged a bus, which operates under the CM Tirath Yatra Yojana, to transport deportees. The bus, originally used to ferry pilgrims to Prayagraj, was repurposed for transporting deportees to their home towns in Haryana. New Delhi, February 16 The gross mismanagement of the anticipated Maha Kumbh passenger rush at New Delhi Railway Station was not the only lapse that drew public outrage against the Railways over the past two days. Equally troubling was the Railways’ initial response to the tragedy — a shocking denial of the stampede that claimed 18 lives, followed by a delayed condolence message from Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw. After a major flip-flop about the scale of the incident, which began unfolding at 9.55 pm on Saturday, it was only at 1.09 am on Sunday that Vaishnaw acknowledged the stampede and expressed condolences to the families of the victims. His tweet came much after Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena’s post at 11.55 pm on X, which first confirmed the stampede deaths, though Saxena later edited his remarks to remove references to the casualties. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh offered his condolences at 12.13 am, followed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at 12.56 am. Ministers continued on page 9 PM Modi calls on President Murmu NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday evening called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan. The meeting followed PM's return from what India called a “productive visit” to the US and France and ahead of the government formation in Delhi. — TNS Bhagwat stresses unityofHindusociety NEW DELHI: Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday emphasised the importance of uniting the Hindu society, calling it the country's “responsible” community and stating that it views unity as an embodiment of diversity. INSIDE 11 militants held in 2 days in Manipur IMPHAL: Security forces have arrested 11 militants from Manipur in the last two days, including seven suspected cadres of the Kuki National Army (KNA), along with arms and ammunition, the police said on Sunday. The KNA cadres were nabbed in in Churachandpur district. INSIDE Rana files mercy plea, extradition may be delayed Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 16 The 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks accused Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s extradition to India is likely to be delayed by some weeks as he is learnt to have filed a final appeal on humanitarian grounds in a US appeals forum. On February 14, US Presi- DEPORTATION TO HELP JOIN THE DOTS Tahawwur Hussain Rana’s extradition from the US in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks could provide important leads to his travels to India days before the carnage in 2008. Rana had visited Hapur, Delhi, Agra, Kochi, Ahmedabad and Mumbai with his wife between November 13 and November 21, 2008. INSIDE dent Donald Trump had announced Rana’s extradition to India during a joint press conference in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington. JAISHANKAR MEETS B’DESH TOP DIPLOMAT IN MUSCAT BACK PAGE It was expected that 64year-old Rana, a Pakistanborn Canadian national, would be brought to India by the month-end, but with the latest development his extradition could take some more time, said sources. Rana’s appeal came after the US Supreme Court had rejected his review petition, leading continued on page 9 c m y b Spl train announcement ‘behind’ Delhi stampede Travellers crushed switching platforms: Rlys | Toll 18 MANAS RANJAN BHUI /thetribunechd MIRWAIZ’S SECURITY UPGRADED, CRPF TO PROVIDE COVER J&K Passengers board Bihar Sampark Kranti Express through a window at New Delhi station on Sunday. Shubhadeep Choudhury & Samad Hoque Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 16 A mad scramble to get from one platform to another following an announcement regarding the arrival of a special train to Prayagraj, where Maha Kumbh is underway, triggered the tragic stampede at the New Delhi Railway Station (NDLS) on Saturday night, the Railways has said. The death toll rose to 18 on Sunday as the Northern Railway named the two-member committee that will probe the incident. An unusually large crowd had assembled on platform No. 14 to board Prayagraj Express. In a bid to ease congestion, the Railways announced the arrival of another train — Prayagraj Special — on platform No. 12, triggering a sudden surge of continued on page 9 edit: another stampede Day later, chaos persists at Delhi railway station NEW DELHI: A day after a tragic stampede at New Delhi Railway Station claimed 18 lives, chaotic scenes persisted on Sunday as passengers continued to rush for their trains. Despite the tragedy, crowds thronged the platforms, with passengers boarding and de-boarding trains in a frenzy. BACK PAGE