31032025-TT-01.qxd 3/30/2025 11:18 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 88 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH SHAH SOUNDS POLL BUGLE IN BIHAR NATION /thetribunechd OGWsUNDER SECURITY SCANNER FOR AIDING TERRORISTS J&K WAQF BILL LIKELY IN PUTIN FACES HEAT AS LS THIS WEEK, MAY TRUMP WARNS OF SPARK ROW BACK PAGE TARIFFS WORLD monday | 31 march 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Sangh banyan tree of Indian culture: PM on 1st visit to RSS headquarters Will bomb Iran if no N-deal: Trump Lauds its contribution in nation-building, stresses vision for ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047 Washington, March 30 US President Donald Trump threatened Iran on Sunday with bombing and secondary tariffs if Tehran did not come to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. In Trump’s first remarks since Iran rejected direct negotiations with Washington last week, he told NBC News that US and Iranian officials were talking, but did not elaborate. “If they don’t make a deal, there will be bombing,” Trump said in a telephone interview. “It will be bombing the likes of which they have never seen before.” “There’s a chance that if they don’t make a deal, that I will do secondary tariffs on them like I did four years ago,” he added. Iran sent a response through Oman to a letter from Trump urging Tehran to reach a new nuclear deal, saying its policy was to not engage in direct negotiations with the US while under its maximum pressure campaign and military threats, Tehran’s foreign minister was quoted as saying on Thursday. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian reiterated the policy on Sunday. “Direct Tribune News Service New Delhi, March 30 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday likened the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) to the “Akshay Vat” (immortal banyan tree) of India’s enduring culture, during his first visit to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur since assuming office 11 years ago. Modi, now in his third term as Prime Minister, became only the second sitting PM to visit the RSS headquarters after Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who did so in 2000 during his own third term. During his visit, Modi paid homage at Dr Hedgewar Smruti Mandir in Reshimbagh, a memorial dedicated to RSS founder Keshav Baliram Hedgewar and its second chief, MS Golwalkar. In a message penned in Hindi, he described the memorial as a “source of inspiration” for lakhs of swayamsevaks committed to nation-building. “I am overwhelmed to visit the Smruti Mandir which cherishes the memories of Param Pujaniya Dr Hedgewar and Pujya Guruji,” he EQUALITY NOT IN LEXICON OF RSS There is no place for equality in the thoughts and conduct of the RSS, which is why it always talks about harmony, not equality. Pawan Khera, CONG LEADER SANGH DOESN’T OPPOSE ANYONE The Sangh does not believe in opposing anyone. It has progressed from neglect and ridicule to curiosity and acceptance. ❝ ❝ PM Narendra Modi pays tribute to RSS founder KB Hedgewar at his memorial in Nagpur. PTI wrote. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis, and Union Minister Nitin Gadkari accompanied him during the visit. Later on X, Modi reflected on the significance of his visit coinciding with Varsha Pratipada and the birth anniversary of Dr Hedgewar, calling it a “profoundly special experience”. The Prime Minister also visited Deekshabhoomi in Nagpur, where BR Ambedkar embraced Buddhism in 1956, calling it a “symbol of social justice and empowerment of the downtrodden”. He reiterated his government’s resolve to realise Ambedkar’s vision of “an inclusive and developed India”, stating that building such a nation would be the true tribute to the architect of the Constitution. In the visitors’ diary, Modi wrote, “I am overwhelmed that I got an opportunity to visit Deekshabhoomi, one of the five ‘Panchthirth’ of Dr Ambedkar. The sanctity of Deekshabhoomi resonates with Babasaheb’s ideals of equality, justice and social harmony.” This was his first visit to the site since 2017. Modi also laid the foundation stone for the Madhav Netralaya Premium Centre, an Dattatreya Hosabale, RSS GEN SECY extension of an eye care institute named after former RSS chief Madhavrao Golwalkar. Addressing the gathering, he praised RSS volunteers for their selfless service. “The period from 2025 to 2047 is crucial. We must lay the foundation for India’s next thousand years,” he noted. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat echoed this sentiment, stating that “selfless service is the RSS’ life mission”. Tehran has rejected talks with US BJP set to shift its 1 dead in Odisha mishap HQ from Rohtak to P’kula on April 6 Tribune News Service Cops with drug smugglers and seized contraband in Tarn Taran. 14.53-kg heroin worth ~70 cr seized in Punjab Packet recovered from Fazilka school Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 30 The Punjab Police on Sunday recovered 14.53 kg heroin, including 535 gm from the premises of a government school, in three districts across the state. The seized drug is worth over Rs 70 crore. The seizure comes close on the heels of the 23 kg heroin haul in Amritsar, linked to a smuggling network operated by US-based smuggler Jasmit Singh, alias Lucky, earlier this month. The police arrested Aakash, alias Chotu, with 8 kg heroin from his car after a trap was laid following specific inputs in the Mallanwala area of Ferozepur district, said SSP Bhupinder Singh. In Tarn Taran district, the police arrested two drug peddlers — Hardeep Singh, alias Deep, and Harjeet Singh, both residents of Thathi Sohal village — and recovered 6 kg heroin from their possession. The two were in touch with Pakistan-based smugglers Billa and Shah, who had been sending drug consignments from across the border via drones, said DIG (Ferozepur Range) continued on page 8 6 killed, 6 hurt as tree falls on parked vehicles, pedestrians in Manikaran Tribune Reporters Kullu/Shimla, March 30 Six persons were killed and six injured when a tree, uprooted by a landslide, fell on parked vehicles, street vendors and pedestrians on a road near the Manikaran gurdwara today. Three of the deceased have been identified as Varshini, daughter of Ramesh from Bengaluru, Reema from Manikaran and Sameer Guran from Nepal. The remaining three Incident triggered by landslide; CM Sukhu mourns deaths deceased, including two men, one of whom is believed to be from Punjab, are yet to be identified. The injured have been identified as Ramesh Babu (53), Pallavi Ramesh (49) and Bhargav from Bengaluru, Vikram Acharya (42) and Tumpa Acharya (40) from Assam and Parachi (23) from Hisar. The injured were taken to a hospital in Kullu. A medical team, led by the Jari Block Medical Officer, arrived at the spot to provide first aid to the injured. The incident occurred when the area was alive with activity. The landslide dislodged a tree, causing it to plummet down the hillside on to unsuspecting pedestrians, street vendors and parked vehicles. Eyewitnesses said they heard continued on page 8 ITDeptslaps~944-cr penalty on IndiGo Donald Trump ‘WON’T ENGAGE WITH US DIRECTLY’ In Tehran’s first response to a letter sent by Trump to the country’s supreme leader, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said they had rejected direct talks with the US over its N-programme, leaving open the possibility of indirect negotiations negotiations (with the US) have been rejected, but Iran has always been involved in indirect negotiations, and now too, the Supreme Leader has emphasised that indirect negotiations can still continue,” he said, referring to Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. In the interview, Trump also threatened so-called secondary tariffs, which affect buyers of a country’s goods, continued on page 8 Tribune News Service Rescue operation underway after at least 11 coaches of the Bengaluru-Kamakhya Superfast Express derailed near Nergundi in Cuttack on Sunday. One person died while several were hurt in the mishap. PTI Bedi replaces Gurminder as Punjab AG Saurabh Malik 44-YEAR-OLD MANINDERJIT SINGH BEDI 4TH TO OCCUPY POST IN THREE YEARS Tribune News Service Chandigarh, March 30 Advocate Maninderjit Singh Bedi, 44, was today appointed Punjab Advocate General, hours after senior advocate Gurminder Singh stepped down from the post. Bedi is one of the youngest AGs in the state’s history. Bedi, who belongs to Ram- pura Phul, was serving as Additional Advocate General in the Punjab AG office. Bedi is the fourth AG to Bijapur: As many as 50 Naxalites, including 14 with a cumulative reward of Rs 68 lakh on their heads, surrendered in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Sunday, a police official said. Union Home Minister Amit Shah said those who laid down weapons and adopted the path of development would be rehabilitated. INSIDE New Delhi: The Income Tax Department has slapped Rs 944.20 crore penalty on IndiGo. The order was received by InterGlobe Aviation, the parent of the country’s largest airline. IndiGo termed the order “erroneous and frivolous” and said it would take appropriate legal remedies against the move. — PTI SC rejects plea on stubble burning New Delhi: The Supreme Court has rejected a plea by an activist seeking directions to Punjab and Haryana to take strict measures to control stubble burning, citing that the application does not offer any particulars. The plea said pollution was harmful for the health of not only people in living in DelhiNCR but also those in states where it was burnt. — PTI AFSPA extended in Manipur, parts of Nagaland, Arunachal Geetanjali Gayatri Chandigarh, March 30 The BJP is all set to shift its base from Haryana’s political capital Rohtak to Panchkula, which is close to state capital Chandigarh’s “power corridors”. The state unit has already been informed about the directive of the top brass of the party. The shift will take place on April 6, around the time the new party chief is likely to be in place given the ongoing organisational elections. “We will hold our foundation day programme on April 6 at the new party headquarters in Panchkula. This will be followed by another big programme to mark the birth anniversary of Dr BR Ambedkar on April 14,” state chief Mohan Lal Badoli said. Stating that the Rohtak party office would be turned into a workers’ training school, Badoli said all administrative activities would be carried out from Panchkula. “We have been in Rohtak because all political parties were headquartered there. Our tallest leader, the late continued on page 8 50 Naxalites give up armsinChhattisgarh have been appointed by the AAP government since March 2022. Anmol Rattan Sidhu was the first to be appointed to the post soon after the party came to power. Senior advocate Vinod Ghai replaced Sidhu after he resigned in July 2022. Ghai in turn was replaced by Gurminder Singh, who was appointed in continued on page 8 New Delhi, March 30 The Home Ministry on Sunday extended the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in Manipur and parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland by six months. In strife-torn Manipur, the AFSPA has been extended in the entire state except in the jurisdiction of 13 police stations in five of the state’s valley districts. The AFSPA, which is imposed in areas declared “disturbed”, has also been extended in eight districts of Nagaland and 21 police station areas in five other districts of the state by six months, according to a notification issued by the Home Ministry. The law has also been extended in Tirap, Changlang and Longding districts in Arunachal Pradesh and three police station areas in Namsai district in the state by six months, beginning April 1. The AFSPA, often criticised as a draconian law, gives the armed forces oper- ating in disturbed areas sweeping powers to search, arrest and open fire if they deem it necessary. The police station areas of Manipur where the AFSPA will not be in force are Imphal, Lamphal, City, Singjamei, Patsoi, Wangoi, Porompat, Heingang, Irilbung, Thoubal, Bishnupu, Nambol and Kakching. On November 14, 2024, of the 19 police stations in seven districts of Manipur, the AFSPA was reimposed in the limits of six police stations in five districts, mostly in the valley, in the wake of ethnic violence in the state that erupted on May 3, 2023. President’s rule was imposed in Manipur on February 13. The AFSPA was withdrawn from all valley police stations of the state from April 1, 2022 to April 1, 2023, by the government amid an improved security situation and “large sense of security among the general public”. The provisions of the Act were withdrawn from the Imphal Municipality area in 2004. Syringes at Hisar sports meet raise dope stink Deepender Deswal Tribune News Service Syringes inside a washroom at Hisar’s Giri Centre. PHOTO BY WRITER Hisar, March 30 Used syringes were found scattered inside the washroom of the Giri Centre sports stadium at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, the venue of the seventh Haryana State Senior Athletics Championship that concluded on Sunday. The discovery has raised suspicions that some athletes may have used performance-enhancing drugs during the event. This marks the second c m y b Second such incident months after syringe scare at boxing event such incident in recent months. In December last year, used syringes and vials were found at a boxing event in Hisar, also pointing to possible doping. Following a report by The Tribune, the Haryana Sports Department issued strict warnings to sports associations and federations, threatening suspension and denial of venues for future events. The two-day athletics meet, organised by the Athletics Haryana and its Hisar unit, saw around 900 participants. The syringes were found strewn on the floor, hidden behind toilet flushes and even placed above washroom walls. Manoj Kadwasra, secretary, Athletics Hisar, admitted to spotting the syringes after the event, but claimed no samples were taken from participants. “We could not detect any suspected athletes, so there was no need for testing,” he said. However, he acknowledged discussing the matter with coaches and officials, some of whom speculated that the syringes may have been used by athletes during regular practice sessions rather than the championship. “If doping is happening during practice, what can we expect in competitions?” he remarked, not ruling out the possibility. Rajender Malik, president, Athletics Haryana, asserted that the association had an anti-doping committee to monitor participants, but continued on page 8