07042025-TTC-01.qxd 4/7/2025 12:24 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 95 | 12 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 ESTABLISHED PRIMACY OF JUSTICE WITH BNS: BIRLA IN TASHKENT NATION /thetribunechd FARMER POSES QUERY TO AGRI MINISTER, ARRESTED PUNJAB SHAH BEGINS 3-DAY VISIT TO REVIEW SECURITY J&K 50 NATIONS APPROACH US FOR TALKS AFTER TARIFF CHAOS WORLD monday | 7 april 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Three-fold hike in allocation for TN, yet Dallewal calls off 131-day fast, vows to put up stronger fight some cry over funds: PM’s dig at Stalin Surinder Bhardwaj Unveils ~8.3K-cr projects, including sea bridge in Rameswaram|Tamil Nadu CMskips event Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 6 Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said there had been a substantial increase in Central funds allocated to Tamil Nadu’s development under the BJP rule compared to the previous UPA government. He inaugurated key infrastructure projects worth Rs 8,300 crore, including Pamban Rail Bridge, India’s first vertical lift sea bridge in Rameswaram. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin skipped the event. The Prime Minister’s visit — seen as a campaign pitch ahead of next year’s state elections — blended development with political messaging. During his address, Modi revealed that Tamil Nadu had received three times more Central funds in the past decade compared to the pre2014 period. “Despite this, some cry over funds,” he said. He highlighted the spike in railway investments, noting that while Tamil Nadu received continued on page 8 Edit: india-lanka rapport PM Narendra Modi waves at a Coast Guard ship during the inauguration of a new Pamban Bridge at Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu, on Sunday. ANI In a veiled reference to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin’s push for Tamil language, PM Modi said, “I sometimes receive letters from Tamil Nadu leaders that surprise me — none of them bears signatures in Tamil. If they truly take pride in their culture, they should at least sign in Tamil... will ensure the language reaches every corner.” CM Stalin, meanwhile, escalated his stance on the delimitation issue, saying, “Standing on Tamil soil, the PM must pledge that our state’s parliamentary seat share remains unchanged in percentage terms.” He warned that the impending delimitation exercise threatened to penalise population-controlled states. ‘Blast’ rocks police post at Kaithal, BKI ownsresponsibility Do not want control over Waqf:NaddaonBJPanniv UAPA slapped on 2 in Beed blast case Tribune News Service Ujwal Jalali 2 MORE PLEAS FILED IN SC Tribune News Service New Delhi, April 6 The Centre does not want to control Waqf Boards but wants to ensure that they operate within the bounds of law so that their assets are used in promotion of education, healthcare and employment for the Muslim community, said BJP president JP Nadda on Sunday. “Be it Turkey, or any other Muslim country, their governments have taken Waqf property under their control. And here we are not even seeking the control but only asking those who are operating (Waqf Boards) that The Jamiat Ulama-i-Hind and the Samastha Kerala Jamiathul Ulema have filed pleas in the SC challenging the constitutional validity of the Waqf (Amendment) Act-2025, claiming it was a “dangerous conspiracy” to strip Muslims of religious freedom. you do it as per rules,” Nadda said at party headquarters on the BJP’s 46th Foundation Day. “We do not want to control the Waqf Board. Our goal is to ensure that those managing it operate within the bounds of the law and adhere to continued on page 8 Edit: Fight not over yet IIT team finds brick structures below ground at Hry’s Mauryan-era village Tribune News Service Yamunanagar, April 6 An investigation by a team of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, using the ground penetrating radar (GPR) has indicated the existence of ancient structures at Topra Kalan village in Yamunanagar district. The team of the Depart- ment of Earth Sciences, including Prof Javed N Malik, Mitthu Dhali and Monika Kumaiya, surveyed the area in January and submitted the report to the Director of Archaeology and Museums, Haryana, recently. Professor Malik said GPR surveys were conducted at three sites, revealing brick structures beneath the ground close to the village pond. Some cross-section structures were also observed 5 metre below the surface, pointing to the possibility of ancient structures. “Inclined georadar reflections observed from the profiles collected around the village temple suggests that it may be a dome-shaped structure,” said Professor Malik. continued on page 8 MUMBAI: The police have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against two men arrested after a blast at a mosque in Maharashtra’s Beed district, officials said. The blast had occurred at the mosque on March 30, allegedly after an altercation between two groups. — PTI Malegaon trial case judge transferred MUMBAI: NIA court judge AK Lahoti, conducting the trial in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, has been transferred to Nashik, days before the court was likely to announce the verdict. Claiming the transfer would delay justice, victims said they were planning to approach the HC in this regard. — PTI K’taka HC judge for UCCimplementation BENGALURU: Justice Sanjiv Kumar of the Karnataka High Court has appealed to Parliament and state legislatures to move forward with the implementation of the Uniform Civil Code, calling it a crucial step towards realising the constitutional ideals of equality, secularism and unity. BACK PAGE Big worry as Punjab livestock population sees 5.78L dip Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, April 6 The preliminary report of the livestock census has thrown up a disturbing trend of a fall in the livestock population of Punjab by 8.5 per cent. The total animal population of the state has declined by 5.78 lakh since 2019. The livestock population of Punjab, according to the preliminary report, is 68,03,196 as against 73,81,540 in 2019, when the last census was conducted. This is the 21st livestock cen- convincing the farm leader. While announcing the end of his fast, Dallewal asserted that despite the Centre and Punjab Government’s “coercive” actions, including dis- Tribune News Service GUARANTEE OUR PARL REPRESENTATION: STALIN Shiv Kumar Sharma Farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal with supporters at Sirhind. mantling protest sites at Khanauri and Shambhu, damaging tractor-trailers and confiscating activists’ belongings, the movement continued on page 8 Kerala’s MA Baby CPM gen secy LETTERS FROM TN NEVER SIGNED IN TAMIL: MODI Kaithal, April 6 An explosion reportedly took place near the Azimgarh naka of the Mahmoodpur police post in Kaithal on the Punjab border early this morning. The Kaithal police, along with their Punjab counterparts, have started an investigation into it. The police, along with FSL teams, are determining the explosives used in the incident, said Rajesh Kalia, Superintendent of Police, Kaithal. However, no loss of life and damage to property has been reported. continued on page 8 Fatehgarh Sahib, April 6 Veteran farm leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal on Sunday ended his 131-day fast following fervent appeals from farmers gathered at a mahapanchayat at the Sirhind grain market. Dallewal had been on a hunger strike since November 26 last year to press for various demands of the farmers, including a legal guarantee on the MSP for all crops. A day earlier, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan had urged Dallewal, a senior leader of the SKM (Non-Political), to end his fast. Sources said retired DIG Narinder Bhargav also played a key role in Prelim census bares trend; rapid urbanisation to blame WHAT PRELIMINARY CENSUS REPORT SAYS Species Prelim report of 21st census Cattle 22.99 lakh Buffalo 34.93 lakh Sheep 1.06 lakh Goat 4.47 lakh Horse 19,882 Mule 1,266 Population in 20th census 25.31 lakh 40.15 lakh 85,560 3.47 lakh 14,243 1,644 Prelim report Population in of 21st census 20th census Donkey 127 471 Camel 77 120 Pig 45,988 52,961 Rabbit 2,193 3,077 Dog 3.85 lakh 3.28 lakh Elephant 1 1 sus that is at present underway. The enumeration process for it took place between Octo- ber 2024 and February 2025. The livestock census in India is conducted every five years. Species The preliminary report shows that there is a fall in the cattle population by 2.32 lakh; buffalo population by 5.22 lakh and pig population by 6,973. On the other hand, the population of sheep has increased by nearly 1 lakh; dogs by 57,000, goats by 21,000 and horses by 5,720. The preliminary data also throws up an interesting fact of how the donkey and camel population in the state has declined rapidly, with the state having just 127 donkeys continued on page 8 c m y b New Delhi, April 6 Kerala veteran MA Baby was elected as the CPM’s sixth general secretary on Sunday. He’s the second leader from the Kerala unit of the party to make it to the top after communist patriarch EMS Namboodiripad. The 24th party congress MA Baby Prakash, Brinda Karat quit Politburo decided to increase the number of Politburo members to 18 from the existing 17. Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, already on extension, was given a further extension in the Politburo. Veterans Prakash Karat, Brinda Karat, Sarkar and Ali, who stepped down from the Politburo due to the age criterion, have been made invitees. continued on page 8