27022025-TTC-01.qxd 2/27/2025 1:15 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 57 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 ZELENSKYY TO ‘VISIT’ US TO SIGN CRUCIAL MINERALS DEAL WORLD /thetribunechd CBI SEIZES ~23.9 CR DIGITAL ASSETS IN CRYPTO SCAM NATION BULLISH ON INDIA’S ECONOMIC PROSPECTS: WORLD BANK BUSINESS NO THREAT OF SEAT LOSS AFTER DELIMITATION: SHAH TO STALIN BACK PAGE thursday | 27 february 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com 45-day spiritual soiree ends PTI Centre opposes life ban on convicted lawmakers Matter comes under Parl domain:Govt to top court Satya Prakash Tribune News Service ■ The 45-day Maha Kumbh, billed as the world’s largest ■ On the final ‘snan’ marking Mahashivratri, over 1.32 crore religious gathering, came to a close on Wednesday devotees took a dip in the sacred waters of the Sangam ■ The overall devotee count at Prayagraj surged past 66 cr Edit: Monumental Kumbh ISI, Bangladesh operatives teaming up to revive ULFA camps near Assam border THE TRIBUNE EXCLUSIVE BID TO DESTABILISE NORTHEAST REGION ■ Intel sources reveal ULFA training camps reopened in Animesh Singh Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 26 Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), in collaboration with operatives in Bangladesh, is working to reestablish training camps of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) near the border areas, signalling an escalation in efforts to destabilise India’s Northeast region. Highly placed sources indicate that the ISI has even met ULFA leader Paresh Baruah, who reportedly travelled to Bangladesh close to Assam, other northeastern states ■ Sources say ISI has even met ULFA leader Paresh Baruah, who reportedly travelled to Bangladesh in recent weeks ■ The revival of ULFA camps signals an escalation in efforts to destabilise India's Northeast region Bangladesh in recent weeks. Amid these threats, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma last month expressed hope that Baruah, who is in exile, would not destabilise his home state. During a media interaction in Kokrajhar, Sarma stated, “My personal view is that he wants peace. I keep talking to him and I have no information or idea that he wants to destabilise Assam. He may not come to the negotiating table, but I believe he does not want to disrupt peace in Assam. After all, he is also an Assamese. Who would want to bring bloodshed to their own state?” However, intelligence sources reveal that several ULFA training camps have been reopened in Bangladesh close to Assam and other northeastern states over the past few months. These camps had been shut down during the Sheikh Hasina’s regime. The revival of these camps coincides with political unrest in Bangladesh, which led to Hasina fleeing the country on August 5, 2024, and the interim Mohammad Yunus-led government taking charge. The sources further indicate that Baruah, who was reportedly in China and Myanmar earlier, visited continued on page 8 Trump’s latest: $5 mn gold card for US residency WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said he plans to offer a "gold card" visa with a path to citizenship for $5 million, replacing a 35year-old visa for investors. "They'll be wealthy and they'll be successful, and they'll be spending a lot of money and paying a lot of taxes and employing a lot of people, and we think it's going to be extremely successful," Trump said. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said the "Trump Gold Card" would replace EB-5 visas in two weeks. Lutnick said the gold card or permanent legal residency would raise the price of admission for investors. INSIDE Punjabi stays Class X Nitish expands Bihar Cabinet, subject: CBSE clarifies inducts 7 ministers, all from BJP amid furore in Punjab Tribune News Service Anshita Mehra Tribune News Service New Delhi, February 26 Following widespread backlash from political leaders across Punjab over allegations that Punjabi had been excluded from the list of regional language subjects for Class X, the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) issued a clarification reaffirming that Punjabi would continue to be offered as a language option in academic sessions. The controversy arose after CBSE’s draft policy for the Dual Board Exams, set to begin in the 2025-26 academic year, included a list of languages under the “regional and foreign languages group” that initially omitted Punjabi. This led to sharp criticism from various political parties. The ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab accused the BJP-led Union Government of an “attack on Punjab, Punjabi and Punjabiyat”. Meanwhile, the Congress and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) criticised Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for not vocally defending the state’s language and cultural identity. Amid the uproar, the Punjab Government mandated PUNJABI MUST IN ALL SCHOOLS: MANN GOVT ■ The Punjab Government on Wednesday made Punjabi a mandatory in all schools across the state, regardless of their educational board affiliation ■ The Education Department stated that education certificates would be considered null and void without Punjabi as a main subject INSIDE that all schools, regardless of their board, teach Punjabi as a main and compulsory subject. However, the CBSE quickly addressed the confusion by issuing a follow-up circular. It clarified that the draft list of languages was only indicative and assured that all languages currently offered, including Punjabi, would remain part of the curriculum for the 2025-26 academic year. The circular stated, “All the subjects and languages as offered presently shall continue to be offered for 2025-26 as well,” listing Punjabi alongside Russian, Nepali, Sindhi, Malayalam, Assamese and several other languages. This clarification helped alleviate concerns over the issue. continued on page 8 New Delhi, February 26 Bihar Chief Minister and JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar expanded his Cabinet on Wednesday, inducting seven new ministers — all from the BJP This marks the . final Cabinet expansion ahead of the Bihar Assembly elections scheduled later this year and underscores the BJP’s growing influence in the state politics. With this expansion, Bihar will now have 36 ministers, the maximum allowed for a 243-member Assembly. The new ministers include Bihar Governor Arif Mohammed Khan with CM Nitish Kumar during the swearing-in ceremony of new members in Patna. PTI former minister Jibesh Kumar, five-term MLA Sanjay Sarangi (Darbhanga), three- term MLA Sunil Kumar (Bihar Sharif, Nalanda), continued on page 8 New Delhi, February 26 The Centre has opposed in the Supreme Court a plea seeking to debar convicted lawmakers for life from contesting polls, saying imposing such a disqualification was solely within the domain of Parliament. “The question whether a life-time ban would be appropriate or not is a question that is solely within the domain of Parliament,” the Centre said in an affidavit filed in response to a PIL filed by advocate Ashwini Kumar Upadhyay in 2016 for barring convicted persons from contesting polls, forming political parties and holding any post in a political party. Under the current election law, a convicted person is immediately disqualified and they are also barred from contesting polls for six years from the date of completion of their sentence. But the disqualification disappears after the expiry of six years from the date of completion of their sentence. The affidavit came barely 6-YEAR RULE APPLIES UNDER EXISTING LAW Under the current election law, a convicted person is immediately disqualified and they are also barred from contesting polls for six years from the date of completion of their sentence. two weeks after the Supreme Court expressed serious concern over the criminalisation of politics and asked the Centre and the Election Commission to spell out their respective stand on the contentious issue. A Bench of Justice Dipankar Datta and Justice Manmohan had on February 10 wondered how a person convicted of crime could be permitted to come back to Parliament and state Assemblies. “Once he is convicted, and the conviction is upheld...and after that how can such people come back to Parliament and (state) legislatures... that they (Centre and EC) have to answer. There is also an apparent conflict of interest. They would be making the laws,” the Bench had said. Bypoll ticket to Sanjeev Arora sets off Kejriwal’s RS entry talk Ruchika M Khanna & Nitin Jain Tribune News Service Chandigarh, February 26 The announcement of Sanjeev Arora, Rajya Sabha member from Punjab, as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) candidate for the Ludhiana West bypoll has sparked speculation that either Arvind Kejriwal or Manish Sisodia might replace him in Parliament. While AAP has officially denied that Kejriwal would seek a Rajya Sabha nomination from Punjab, the early announcement of Arora’s candidature — despite the bypoll not being officially scheduled and only due before July — has fuelled such rumours. The bypoll was necessitated by the recent death of AAP’s Ludhiana West MLA, Gurpreet Gogi Bassi. The timing of the announcement has intensified speculation about Kejriwal’s political future, especially after he lost his New Delhi Assembly seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma earlier this month. When asked during a media interaction whether Kejriwal or Sisodia might be nominated for the Rajya Sabha from Arvind Kejriwal Tribune News Service Chandigarh/Hisar, Feb 26 International boxer Saweety Boora and her husband, Deepak Hooda, a former player of the Indian kabaddi team, are embroiled in a marital dispute. While Saweety levelled allegations of domestic violence against Hooda, he countered by accusing her family of financial wrongdoing. Saweety, 32, has alleged that Hooda, 30, physically assaulted her and demanded an SUV and Rs 1 crore from her family. On the other hand, Hooda has accused the Hisar-based boxer’s family of usurping his property and threatening him with dire consequences. The Haryana couple has filed complaints against each other at the Hisar and Rohtak police stations. In her complaint to the Hisar police, Saweety alleged Deepak had demanded a Toyota Fortuner SUV and Rs 1 crore from her. Boxer Saweety accuses kabaddi star Hooda of domestic violence Saweety Boora c m y b Deepak Hooda She claimed she was pressured to quit the game. She also alleged that she was thrown out of the house after a fight in October last year. Following Saweety’s complaint, the Hisar police registered an FIR against Hooda under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Hisar SP Shashank Kumar Sawan stated, “Based on Saweety Boora’s complaint, a notice was issued to Deepak Hooda regarding the marital dispute, but he did not Sanjeev Arora MP PROMISED BIGGER ROLE IN STATE? ■ Sources say that Sanjeev Arora has been promised a ‘bigger’ role in the state government after he becomes an MLA ■ His entry into state politics is aimed at consolidating the 42% Hindu vote base, keeping in line with the party’s earlier decision to appoint Aman Arora as the state party president Punjab once Arora vacates his seat, Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan did not dismiss the possibility. He stated, “Every party has its own mandate to decide who they will field as a nominee for the Rajya Sabha or as a candidate in polls. Where is the illegality in this? Even Manmohan Singh (the former Prime Minister) went to the Rajya Sabha from another state.” Pressed further about opposition claims that AAP’s top leadership is eyeing entry into the Upper House, Sand- Hry’s Arjuna awardee couple locked in marital dispute Gaurav Kanthwal & Deepinder Deswal “Criminalisation of politics is a serious concern. The Election Commission must have deliberated on this and should propose a better solution than what has been presented before us,” it had said, posting the matter for further hearing on March 4. The top court had also sought the assistance of Attorney General R Venkataramani as the PIL also challenged the validity of Sections 8 and 9 of the Representation of the People Act (RPA), 1951, which disqualified convicted politicians from holding elected positions for a limited period only. “Today, the law allows a person convicted of murder to serve as the chairman of a nationally recognised political party. This is a serious issue that requires judicial scrutiny,” senior counsel and amicus curiae Vijay Hansaria had pointed out. On behalf of the petitioner, senior counsel Vikas Singh had said, “What we are seeing is 46-48% people with kidnapping, rape, murder charges coming back to continued on page 8 respond. Further investigation is underway.” The couple, who tied the knot on July 7, 2022, now headed for a separation. Sources said Saweety had filed an application in the court for divorce and alimony. Saweety, a 2023 World Championships gold medallist, was honored with the Arjuna Award in January. Hooda, a 2020 Arjuna Award recipient, unsuccessfully contested the 2024 Assembly election on a BJP ticket from the Meham constituency. hwan remarked, “Opposition parties make many such statements. As a Speaker, I am not involved in political decisions.” The Tribune was the first to report on Arora's candidature for the bypoll. AAP currently has seven members in the Rajya Sabha from Punjab, including Arora. The other AAP Rajya Sabha members from Punjab include Raghav Chadha, Sandeep Pathak, Harbhajan Singh, Ashok Mittal, Balbir Singh Seechewal and Vikramjit Singh Sahney. continued on page 8 Terrorists fire at Army vehicle in Rajouri district JAMMU: An Army vehicle came under fire from suspected terrorists in a forward village near the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir’s Rajouri district on Wednesday, officials said. There were no casualties in the brief firing near Phal village in the Sunderbani sector, they added. The terrorists, believed to be hiding in a forest, fired a few rounds at the Army vehicle passing through the area. INSIDE