13092025-TTC-01.qxd 9/13/2025 12:55 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 253 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 FRANCE SENDS JETS TO PROTECT POLISH AIRSPACE WORLD /thetribunechd VAISHNO DEVI YATRA TO RESUME FROM TOMORROW J&K RETAIL INFLATION RISES TARIFFS IMPOSED AS INDIA MARGINALLY TO 2.07% GROWING STRONG, SAYS IN AUGUST BUSINESS BHAGWAT BACK PAGE saturday | 13 september 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com THE TRIBUNE RELIEF FUND FOR J&K, PUNJAB & HP PM in Manipur today; to reach out to violence-hit No big deal, says Rahul, terms ‘vote chori’ key issue Animesh Singh Tribune News Service An Appeal to our Readers The devastating floods that have ravaged J&K, Punjab and Himachal Pradesh in the past weeks have caused unprecedented destruction, sweeping away homes, crippling infrastructure, taking away lives, displacing families and leaving countless people in need for urgent relief and rehabilitation. In the past years, during such calamities, be it the floods in Kerala, the landslides in Uttarakhand, the floods in Jammu and Kashmir, the cloudburst in Ladakh, the Orissa Cyclone, the Kargil War or the Gujarat earthquake, Tribune readers have always come forward to make their valuable donations. The Tribune Trust appeals to its readers to do so once again. Their contributions will provide invaluable support for reducing the anguish of the families of those who have lost lives and their homes. The names of all those who donate ~500 and above will be published in the paper. These donations shall also qualify for deduction under the Income Tax Act, in accordance with the applicable provisions. Donations should be in the form of crossed cheques or demand drafts in favour of the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund and sent to The Tribune Trust, Sector 29-C, Chandigarh160030, or to The Tribune offices in various cities. All donations received by us will be duly sent to the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. — President and Trustees of The Tribune Trust, Chandigarh New Delhi, September 12 Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Manipur on Saturday, his first trip to the state since ethnic violence broke out there over two years ago. He will be in the state only for a day and begin his tour from Churachandpur, where he is scheduled to lay the foundation stones for development projects and meet people affected by the ethnic violence. From there, he will travel to Imphal, where he will address a public gathering at Kangla Fort and inaugurate and lay the foundation stones for multiple initiatives. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, meanwhile, downplayed Modi’s scheduled visit to Manipur, asserting that it was “not a big deal” and that the central issue facing the country at present was “vote chori” (vote theft). Speaking to the media in Junagadh district of Gujarat on Friday, Rahul said citizens across India were raising the “vote chor” (vote thief) slogan. “Manipur has been in trouble for a long time and the PM has decided to go there now. So that’s not a big deal. The main issue today in Narendra Modi WILL LAY STONES OF KEY INFRA PROJECTS ■ During his short day-long trip to the state, his first since ethnic violence broke out there over two years ago, Modi will inaugurate and lay the stones of several infrastructure projects ■ COCOMI, a civil society group of the Meiteis, has called upon the PM to use his visit to address the state’s deep-rooted crisis, warning against reducing it to “tokenism” or mere inauguration of projects India is ‘vote chori’,” the Member of Parliament from Raebareli said in response to questions about Modi’s scheduled trip. On the eve of his travel, a civil society group of the Meitei community — the Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI) — called upon Modi to use his September 13 visit to address the state’s deep-rooted crisis, warning against reducing it to “tokenism” or mere inauguration of projects. Khuraijam Athouba, convener of COCOMI, said the PM’s visit, “after a long absence”, carried “both symbolic and practical weight” and should prioritise core issues destabilising Manipur. COCOMI reiterated its long-standing demands, urging the PM to focus on identifying illegal immigrants, implementing the National Register of Citizens (NRC), resettling internally displaced persons, and ending the ongoing proxy war. Athouba stressed that the state was facing “the brunt of illegal immigrants”, which had distorted its social and political balance, making mechanisms like the NRC critical for restoring stability. The committee also called for action against the forces behind the ongoing proxy war, which it links to the controversial suspension of operations (SoO) agreement. They sought an assurance from the PM on protecting the constitutional rights and freedom of movement of all residents. The All Manipur United Clubs’ continued on page 6 Penal tariff over Russian oil buy not easy thing to do, caused rift with India: Trump Says it was necessary to pressure Putin| Reiterates India-Pak war mediation claim Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 12 US President Donald Trump has acknowledged that imposing tariffs on India for its purchase of Russian oil created a strain in relations between Washington and New Delhi. “Look, India was their biggest customer. I put a 50 per cent tariff on them because they’re buying oil from Russia. That’s not an easy thing to do. That’s a big deal and it causes a rift with India,” Trump told an American news UKRAINE CONFLICT EUROPE’S PROBLEM tariff on India ❝ Iputa50%oilfromRussia.because they’re buying That’s a big deal and it causes a rift with India. But I’ve done it... This is a Europe problem much more than ours. Donald Trump, US PRESIDENT channel when asked about measures to pressure Russian President Vladimir Putin. “But I’ve already done it. I’ve done a lot,” he added, before emphasising that the Russia issue “is a Europe problem much more than our problem”. During the interview, Trump also repeated his claim of having resolved mul- Former CJ Sushila Karki is Nepal’s first woman PM; poll in 6 months SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE NAMRATA SHARMA IN KATHMANDU N EPAL has made history once again. The country’s first woman Chief Justice, Sushila Karki, has now become its first woman Prime Minister, sworn in by President Ram Chandra Poudel. This historic step followed the dissolution of the elected government headed by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. President Poudel said the new caretaker government was mandated to hold fresh parliamentary elections within six months. Sushila Karki Will help foster peace, stability:India hails move Karki and the Gen Z protesters had made it clear that she would lead an interim administration only after Parliament was dissolved — a demand that has now been fulfilled. PM Karki has been given the responsibility of all ministerial portfolios. Former PM Baburam Bhattarai and several foreign diplomats were seen during the event. After the Gen Z protest on September 8, there was concern that President Poudel had not addressed the nation in person. There were also concerns on whether he was under house arrest by the Army. Seeing the President giving the reins to PM Karki has been a relief to all. In the swearing-in continued on page 6 Added spice: SC on Kangana’s ‘retweet’ NEW DELHI: It was not a simple retweet and you had “added spice” to what was existing, the Supreme Court on Friday told actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut, who withdrew her plea for quashing a defamation complaint over her tweet during the 2020-21 farmers’ protest. Ranaut’s counsel said that the actor had retweeted a tweet. “It is not a simple retweet. You had added something, you added spice to what was existing,” the SC said. BACK PAGE Monsoon retreat to beginaroundSept15 NEW DELHI: I’m Dukh Mantri, not MukhMantri: CMMannvowsfloodreliefbyDiwali AAP MLA Lalpura gets 4-year jail in molestation case Claims only ~1,582 cr released by Centre as disaster fund The southwest monsoon is likely to start withdrawing from northwest India around September 15, the India Meteorological Department said on Friday. The country has received 836.2 mm of rainfall in the monsoon season so far against a normal of 778.6 mm, a surplus of 7 per cent. Northwest India has received 720.4 mm, 34 per cent more than the normal of 538.1 mm. — TNS CHANGE OF GUARD Gurbaxpuri Ruchika M Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, September 12 A day after being discharged from hospital, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann was back in action today, holding meetings to assess flood relief and rebuilding of infrastructure, while assuring that compensation would reach the affected people within 45 days. “I am not the Mukh Mantri of Punjab, but the ‘Dukh Mantri’. I am back to stand by the people who are facing the worst-ever crisis caused by the floods. ‘Dukh sanjha karan naal adha reh handa hai’ (let’s stand by each other in this hour of grief),” he said. Mann said a special girdawari on crop loss would start from Saturday, and that he had instructed all deputy commissioners to complete the process at the earliest. “We are collecting details on the loss of human lives, livestock deaths and damage to houses so that the government can start disbursing relief. I want to assure the affected people tiple international disputes during his second term as President. He said, “I solved seven wars. I did so many, including Pakistan and India, but big ones, some were unsolvable, Congo and Rwanda. I solved it. It was going on for 31 years, millions of people were killed. I solved wars that were unsolvable.” India has consistently defended its purchase of Russian crude, maintaining that its energy decisions are guided by national interests and market realities. Bhagwant Mann CM MUST MEET PM FOR MORE RELIEF, SAYS BJP Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar said CM Bhagwant Mann should meet PM Modi and seek a revision of the relief package allocated to the state. Jakhar, however, said before requesting time with the PM, Mann must sort out details of the ‘missing’ ~12,000-crore SDRF money. WHO WILL GET WHAT Crop loss Loss of life Loss of limb/eye (depending on gravity) Serious injury Clothing, household items Cattle death Sheep death House damage ~20,000/acre ~4 lakh ~74,000-~2.5L ~5,400-~16,000 ~2,500/family ~37,500/animal ~4,000 Up to ~1.2 lakh that we will release full compensation within 45 days. The cheques will be handed over by Diwali,” he said. Taking a jibe at opposition parties that ruled the state in the past, he said during their tenure, compensation took a year to reach the affected lot. “People need immediate relief. I am personally overseeing the process. Punjab will be giving the highest compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for crop loss,” he said. The CM said of the 55 people who had died in the floods, compensation had been given to next of kin of 42 victims. He also warned people against accepting the free seeds being distributed by Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal. He said these could turn out to be “Tota Singh memorial seeds”, sarcastically referring to the alleged whitefly scam during the SAD rule from 2012-16. The CM also hit out at the Congress and the BJP (it ruled in alliance with the SAD) saying they had continued on page 6 Tarn Taran, September 12 In a case involving the molestation and torture of a Scheduled Caste girl nearly 12 years ago, the court of the Additional District and Sessions Judge on Friday sentenced Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA from Khadoor Sahib Manjinder Singh Lalpura and seven others to four years of rigorous imprisonment. The accused were found guilty on Wednesday. Additional Sessions Judge Prem Kumar pronounced the sentence. Along with Lalpura, those convicted under Sections 3(1)(x) and 4 of the SC/ST Act and Sections 354, 148 and 149 of the IPC are Devinder Kumar, Saraj Singh, Ashwani Kumar, Tarsem Singh, Harjinder Singh (all policemen), Harwinder Singh Shoshi and Kanwaldeep Singh. The court ordered the accused to undergo four years of imprisonment and pay a fine of Rs 50,000. The court also declared that the victim is entitled to compensation, the amount continued on page 6 Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan with predecessors Jagdeep Dhankhar, M Venkaiah Naidu and Hamid Ansari during his swearing-in ceremony at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Friday. PTI Tribune News Service Farmers face the challenge of identifying their fields as markings have been eroded during floods. MALKIAT SINGH Amritsar, September 12 In villages ravaged by floods along the Ravi, familiar landmarks that once defined farmers’ fields have either been swept away by the raging waters or lie buried under silt. For farmers, the soil that fed them for generations has now turned barren. The wheat sowing season is barely six weeks away. The farmers will first have to clear the silt, which is 4 to 5- Satya Prakash Tribune News Service Why limit firecracker ban to Delhi-NCR? Top court for adopting pan-India policy Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, September 12 As the festive season of Dasehra and Diwali approaches, the Supreme Court on Friday questioned why a ban on firecrackers should apply only to Delhi and the National Capital Region (NCR), suggesting it should instead be extended across the entire country. Move aimed at checking air pollution during festivals; next hearing on Sept 22 A Bench led by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai asked, “If citizens residing in the NCR are entitled to pollution-free air, why not citizens in other parts of the country? Just because this is the capital city or the Supreme Court is situated here, we should have pollution-free air… but not other citizens? We can’t have a policy just for Delhi because they’re elite citizens of the country.” The CJI made the remarks while hearing the MC Mehta case on air pollution in Delhi-NCR caused by firecrackers, stubble burning and other sources. continued on page 6 Field markings washed away in floods, silt-hit farmers don’t know where to sow Manmeet Singh Gill SC defers hearing on bail petitions of Khalid, Sharjeel & others to Sept 19 foot deep at many places, and level their fields afresh before they can sow. However, they will only be able to do so once the floodwaters fully recede and the soil hardens enough for tractors to move across it. “We have already lost our paddy crop. We fear that we will not be able to sow wheat too. It will take at least three to four weeks for the silt to dry. Moreover, roads are broken,” said Harpinder Singh of Nangal Sohal, his voice heavy c m y b with despair. The scale of destruction is daunting. Surjit Singh, a small farmer from Ghonewal, owns just one acre of land. “At present, I do not have the heart to visit my field. My neighbours told me there is a 40 to 45-foot-deep crater in my field,” he said. While at some places, the farmland bears deep craters, elsewhere, it is under silt. Fields closest to the river belt are the worst hit. Villages far from the breach have also not been spared. “Six to 10 inches of silt can be seen in most fields. And water is still flowing, which means more will be deposited,” said Preet Singh, another farmer. However, the ordeal does not end with the clearing of the silt. The lost field boundaries mean a fresh “nishandehi” (demarcation of land) will be required so that farmers can identify what belongs to them. The announcement by the government allowing farmers to sell sand from their continued on page 6 New Delhi, September 12 The Supreme Court on Friday deferred to September 19 the hearing on bail pleas of student activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the larger conspiracy case linked to the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots. A Bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria expressed its inability to take up the matters, saying it received the files of the supplementary list of cases at 2.30 am last night. Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, AM Singhvi, Colin Gonsalves, Siddharth Dave and others representing the petitioners agreed to the suggestion of the Bench to adjourn the hearing. The petitioners have challenged the September 2 verdict of the Delhi High Court Bench led by Justice Naveen Chawla, which also rejected the bail pleas of co-accused Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Shadab Ahmed and Abdul Khalid Saifi. The bail plea of another co-accused, Tasleem Ahmed, was dismissed by another Delhi High Court Bench led by Justice Subramonium Prasad. continued on page 6