27122025-TTB-01.qxd 12/27/2025 MIRWAIZ DROPS HURRIYAT FROM X, CITES PRESSURE J&K /thetribunechd 12:04 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 145 NO. 357 | 20 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA saturday | 27 december 2025 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Unrelenting hostility, can’t escape blameincidents of violence againstMEA to B’desh for lynchings: minorities under interim govt Cites 2,900 Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, December 26 The Ministry of External Affairs on Friday delivered one of its strongest public rebukes of the deteriorating situation in Bangladesh, flagging what it described as “unremitting hostility” against minorities, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, at the hands of extremist elements, and squarely rejecting attempts to deflect blame through antiIndia rhetoric. “The unremitting hostility in Bangladesh against minorities, including Hindus, Christians and Buddhists, at the hands of extremists is a matter of grave concern,” Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, condemning the recent gruesome killing of a Hindu youth in Mymensingh and calling for the perpetrators to be brought to justice. Citing independent documentation, Jaiswal said over 2,900 incidents of violence, including killings, arson and continued on page 6 VHP members stage a protest in Prayagraj on Friday over the alleged killing of a Hindu man in Bangladesh. PTI PROTEST AT KOLKATA MISSION Activists of Hindu Sanhati, a fringe pro-Hindu outfit, took out a rally to the office of the Bangladesh Deputy High Commission in Kolkata on Friday to protest the alleged attacks on minority Hindus in the neighbouring country and submitted a sixpoint charter of demands to mission officials. ANTI-INDIA BLOC PROTESTS IN DHAKA Activists of Bangladesh’s slain radical leader Sharif Osman Hadi’s party, a prominent antiIndia group, on Friday took out a protest march and blocked one of Dhaka’s busiest intersections, demanding justice for his killing and disrupting traffic in the capital for several hours. Ind councillor on its side, BJP wins Mayor’s post for first time in Kerala SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE C Gouridasan Nair Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 26 In a historic first, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has assumed power in a Municipal Corporation in Kerala. BJP leader VV Rajesh was elected Mayor of the Thiruvananthapuram Municipal Corporation on Friday, securing 51 votes in the 101-member council. Rajesh’s victory is symbolic of the strides that the BJP 20-yr-oldIndianpupil shot dead in Canada has made in Kerala, particularly the capital city, over the past decade. The BJP wrested 16 seats from its rivals to emerge as the single largest party in the corporation with 50 members. It had shown signs of its growing clout in the city during the 2020 corporation elections, winning 34 seats. The BJP gained additional seats mostly at the expense of the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), whose tally slumped from 51 seats in 2020 to 29 seats, losing its decades-long hold on the council. The Congress and its allies put in a better performance compared to last time, but could win only 19 seats (10 in 2020), ending up at the third place. Rajesh had a smooth sailing to the Mayor’s chair, thanks to the support extended to him by one of the two victorious independent candidates. A byelection to the council, necessitated by the death of a candidate, is scheduled to be held on January 12, but it would now be continued on page 6 VEER PUTTAR NEW DELHI: A 20-year-old Indian doctoral student was shot dead near the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus in Canada, prompting the Indian Government to reach out to the local authorities and extend support to the bereaved family. The victim has been identified as Shivank Avasthi, a resident of Toronto, who was studying at the University of Toronto. BACK PAGE CEOamong3heldfor gangrapeinUdaipur JAIPUR: Three persons, including the CEO of a private IT company, have been arrested for the alleged gang rape of a woman manager of the firm after a birthday party in Udaipur, the police said on Friday. The police said CEO Jitesh Sisodia had organised a party on his birthday last Saturday, in which the manager was also a guest. — PTI Prime Minister Narendra Modi interacts with 10-year-old Ferozepur boy Shavan Singh, winner of the Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar, during an event on Veer Bal Diwas in New Delhi. PTI BACK PAGE IGMC SCUFFLE HP docs on strike from today, want medico reinstated Subhash Rajta Tribune News Service Shimla, December 26 The scuffle between a doctor and a patient at the Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital (IGMC), Shimla, a few days ago has snowballed into a major health crisis in the state. Mass casual leave hits healthcare Seeking the reinstatement of the dismissed doctor, whose services were terminated for allegedly assaulting the patient, resident doctors’ associations of the IGMC and the medical college, Tanda, have decided to proceed on an indefinite strike from tomorrow. The Himachal Medical Doctors Association, which has around 2,800 doctors posted from primary health centres up to district hospitals, has also decided to follow suit, making the situation even worse for patients. Except for the emergency services, all medical services will remain shut at the health facilities as long as the strike continues. Even though doctors got an assurance of a fresh inquiry into the incident from Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu this morning, they have decided to go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow. Meanwhile, patients at the health facilities across the state faced a lot of inconvenience today as doctors went on mass casual leave. At the IGMC, the patients were at the receiving end. “Why are continued on page 6 Haryana MLAs can now enjoy five-star stay on tours Pradeep Sharma Tribune News Service Chandigarh, December 26 Haryana MLAs can now enjoy five-star hospitality while on tours as members of the Vidhan Sabha committees, as new rules have allowed them to rent a luxury hotel room up to tariff of Rs 12,000 in metro cities and Rs 9,000 in nonmetro cities. This is a 168 per cent increase from the earlier cap of Rs 5,000. Official sources said the increase in the halting charges Can rent room for ~12,000 in metros, ~9,000 in non-metros UP 168% FROM EARLIER ~5,000 ■ The earlier room rent cap was ~5,000, the hike is pegged at 168% ■ The MLAs get a salary of ~2.25 lakh per month, reimbursement of ~18 per km for attending meetings and an annual travel grant of ~3 lakh had been done keeping in view the rising prices and as per the status of the elected representatives, who are usually placed above the state Chief Secretary in the protocol. The Haryana legislators get a hefty salary of about Rs 2.25 lakh per month, MALAYSIAN EX-PM GETS 15-YR JAIL IN GRAFT CASE WORLD besides reimbursement of Rs 18 per kilometre for attending meetings and an annual travel grant of Rs 3 lakh. With the impressive increase, the MLAs would now be able to afford luxury hotels at government expense, as the room tariff of leading five-star hotels in Chandigarh ranges between Rs 9,000-12,000 per day. Currently, the salaries and allowances of the lawmakers are governed by the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Salary, Allowances and Pensions of Members) Act, 1975, which has been amended multiple times. The allowances are also governed by “rules which the Speaker may make for carrying out the purposes of this Act”. continued on page 6 c m y b