30062026-TT-01.qxd 6/29/2026 BENGAL PASSES TOUGHER ‘ANTI-GOONDA’ BILL NATION /thetribunechd 11:28 PM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 179 | 12 PAGES | ~6.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HIMACHAL PRADESH 38 ‘CIVILIANS’ KILLED IN PAK STRIKES ON KABUL WORLD tuesday | 30 june 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Someone who truly cares is sending support and it will be sent every month Every woman in Punjab will receive per month MOTHERS’ AND DAUGHTERS’ DREAMS WON’T HAVE TO WAIT ANYMORE PTI Women belonging to the SC category will receive per month ₹1,000 ₹1,500 At meet with Sikh MLAs, Akal Takht calls for changes to sacrilegelaw in a month Leaders cutting across party lines present | Open to making amendments, says Speaker Charanjit Singh Teja Tribune News Service Haryana CM Nayab Singh Saini with Rajasthan counterpart Bhajan Lal Sharma during the signing of MoU in Home Minister Amit Shah’s presence. Haryana, R’sthan ink pact for Yamuna water project Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 29 The governments of Rajasthan and Haryana on Monday signed an agreement in New Delhi for the construction and implementation of the Yamuna water project. Under it, arrangements will be made to supply drinking water to the regions of Sikar, Churu and Jhunjhunu in Rajasthan, along with Bhiwani and Fatehabad areas in Haryana. The agreement was signed by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini and his Rajasthan counterpart Bhajan Lal Sharma in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah. The pact seeks to facilitate the conveyance of Rajasthan’s allocated share of Yamuna waters through an USING RAINWATER 580 MILLION 3.6 METRES cubic metres of water will be supplied to Rajasthan through three underground pipelines the diameter of these pipelines; water to Rajasthan will flow from July to October underground pipeline from the Western Yamuna Canal, enabling the state to effectively utilise the water allocated to it under the 1994 memorandum of understanding on the sharing of utilisable surface waters of the Upper Yamuna Basin. The project is expected to benefit millions of people by ensuring reliable drinking water supply and supporting socio-economic development in the arid and semi-arid continued on page 8 Amritsar, June 29 Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj on Monday directed the Punjab Government to remove “objectionable” clauses in the anti-sacrilege law within a month, conveying the message through Sikh ministers and MLAs who appeared before the Takht after being summoned. The Jathedar also told the government to keep the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act on hold until the amendments were made. The legislators, for their part, “agreed” to carry out the changes. It was the first time that all Sikh ministers and MLAs cutting across party lines appeared before the Akal Takht. There were 87 MLAs at the meeting at the Akal Takht Secretariat, of them 69 from the ruling Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), 15 Congress, two Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) and one Independent. In earlier instances, the leaders had gone individually. Addressing the lawmakers, Gargaj said the government had been “misled” while DIPR, Punjab Aapka Apna Bhagwant Mann No new petrol bikes in Delhi from 2028 NEW DELHI: From next month, Delhiites buying electric cars priced up to Rs 30 lakh will not have to pay road tax or registration fees, as the Delhi government on Monday cleared a new EV policy. As part of the policy, only electric two-wheelers to be registered from April 1, 2028, and only e-autorickshaws will be registered from January 1, 2027. INSIDE Relief for Class X in 3-language policy NEW DELHI: The CBSE on Monday issued fresh guidelines for the implementation of its three-language policy, granting exemption to the current batch of Class X students from studying three languages. For Class 9 too, the CBSE clarified that the current batch will have to study three languages. BACK PAGE Punemangetsdeath for 3-year-old’s rape AAP Sikh MLAs and ministers appear before Akal Takht Acting Jathedar Kuldeep Singh Gargaj and four other high priests to present the government’s stance on the Jaagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment) Act in Amritsar on Monday. Legislators from other parties are also seen. drafting the law. “Those who prepared the Bill did not have proper understanding of the Sikh traditions and Panthic practices, which led to an unnecessary controversy and confusion. The Act has created fear and misunderstanding among devotees,” he said. The Jathedar assured the government of full cooperation from the Akal Takht if the Act was amended as per the Sikh sentiments and the established Panthic traditions. One of the main issues discussed during the hearing was the definition of “custodian” in the Bill and the proposal to create a central register of Guru Granth Sahib saroops. Gargaj warned that putting registry details online could reveal the continued on page 8 MUMBAI: A special Pune court on Monday sentenced a 65year-old man to death for the kidnapping, rape and murder of a three-year-old girl in Nasrapur village. The verdict came within 60 days of the crime that sparked widespread protests across Maharashtra. The court termed the case “rarest of the rare”. — PTI RAM TEMPLE DONATION THEFT Govt lifts curbs on fuel US, Iran halt strikes; likely to hold sale from tomorrow talks in Doha over way forward SC refuses urgent hearing Aditya Rangroo Tribune News Service Yasin,4otherJKLF mennamedin’90 murderchargesheet Arjun Sharma Jammu, June 29 The State Investigation Agency (SIA) on Monday filed a 737-page chargesheet in connection with the abduction, torture and brutal murder of a nurse, Sarla Bhat, in April 1990 and named jailed separatist leader Yasin Malik and four others as accused. The chargesheet was filed before the Court of Additional Sessions Judge (TADA/POTA) and Special Judge designated under the NIA Act, Srinagar. Bhat, a Kashmiri Pandit, who worked at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) was killed by Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) terrorists on April 18, 1990. The case was transferred to the SIA in March 2024 under the orders of the DGP The bullet-rid. dled body of the victim was found at Omer Colony, Malbagh. “No matter how many years have elapsed, those responsible for terrorist atrocities will continue to remain answerable before the law. The case demonstrates that while terrorism may delay justice through continued on page 8 New Delhi, June 29 The government on Monday lifted restrictions on the sale of petrol and diesel at retail outlets run by PSU oil marketing companies (OMCs), including the daily cap of 200 litres per vehicle, with effect from July 1. In an official statement, the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas said it had withdrawn the temporary regulatory measures governing the sale and distribution of Motor Spirit (MS) and HighSpeed Diesel (HSD) through retail outlets of OMCs. The government had continued to maintain stable retail prices of petrol and diesel during the disruptions arising 200-litre daily cap on diesel purchase goes from the West Asia crisis. This led to a significant difference between retail fuel prices and those applicable to bulk consumers. Consequently, certain industrial, commercial and institutional consumers began procuring fuel through retail outlets, leading to instances of diversion, hoarding and black marketing, which affected the equitable distribution of fuel, the order said. To address the situation, the temporary regulatory measures introduced on June 12, 2026, to prevent black marketing, hoarding and diversion of diesel. Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 29 The United States and Iran have agreed to stop attacking each other and are expected to hold high-level talks at Doha in Qatar on Tuesday after tit-for-tat weekend strikes threatened to derail their fragile peace accord. Although US President Donald Trump announced that a meeting will take place in Qatar, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the talks would take place only after “conditions were met”. “Consultations with Qatar, including regarding the follow-up of the implementation of the other party’s commit- ments, are going on as usual. The reports that technical talks of the working groups will be held in Doha cannot be confirmed,” Gharibabadi told Tasnim news agency. Earlier, Trump said Tehran “requested talks” following days of reciprocal attacks. “Trump’s envoys would attend a meeting with Iranian officials,” said White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt. “Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner will be flying to Doha for high-level meetings this week as we continue to discuss the memorandum of understanding,” she said in an interview with Fox News. The US and Iran agreed to continued on page 8 Army sheds colonial past with new-era uniform code Ajay Banerjee Tribune News Service Some of the Army’s new uniforms. New Delhi, June 29 The Army’s new manual for uniforms to be worn by its personnel brings in a practical change to align the clothing to match Indian weather conditions and does away with the “residual” colonial-era practices. Army personnel are needed to wear different uniforms for separate activities, including ceremonial functions, combat, mess, hot climates and high altitudes. A 185-page booklet, ‘Army Outfits blend practicality, flexibility Uniforms 2026’, released earlier this month reflects a step towards aligning regulations with the contemporary Indian ethos through the progressive removal of residual colonialera practices and non-essential accoutrements and the discontinuation of archaic terminology such as “Royal”. The document removes ambiguity and provides flexi- c m y b bility, especially in winter clothing. Also, for civilian formal occasions, officers now have the option of wearing a half jacket – a ‘bandi’ jacket. The coat or the blazer has not been removed from the list; the bandi jacket is an additional option that can be used with a full-sleeved shirt and matching formal trousers and shoes. It does away with the mandatory carrying of swords by parade reviewing officers and the use of pouch belts, worn continued on page 8 Bihar Guv Hasnain, MEA MoS to attend Khamenei funeral New Delhi, June 29 Minister of State for External Affairs Pabitra Margherita and Bihar Governor Lt Gen Syed Ata Hasnain (retd) will represent India at the funeral of former Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had invited PM Narendra Modi for the ceremony. Khamenei was killed on February 28 in a USIsraeli strike in Tehran. The funeral will start on July 4 and conclude on July 9 with the burial in Khamenei’s hometown Mashhad. — TNS on plea seeking CBI probe Satya Prakash Tribune News Service New Delhi, June 29 The Supreme Court on Monday refused to urgently take up a petition seeking the registration of an FIR and a fair and time-bound probe by a CBI-led multi-disciplinary special investigation team (SIT) into the alleged embezzlement of funds of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya. “Heavens are not going to fall if the petition is heard after the court resumes regular functioning after the summer break,” a Bench led by Justice MM Sundresh told the petitioners. “What’s the urgency?” asked the ‘~5 LAKH PENALTY FOR DEFENDING ACCUSED’ The Faizabad Bar Association, Ayodhya, has resolved that none of its members would represent the eight accused arrested in the case, warning that any lawyer violating the decision would face a ~5 lakh penalty Bench which also included Justice Sheel Nagu. The petition was filed by advocates Ajay Kumar Rai and Dinesh Kumar Yadav on June 22. They demanded the CBI-led SIT to probe “illegalities” concerning the affairs and administration of the Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust. CALL OF DUTY A health worker, Paljom Butti, crosses a swollen stream on a bulldozer to administer polio vaccines to kids in the remote Tingrat area of HP’s Lahaul-Spiti. Area MLA Anuradha Rana lauded Buttifor her commitment. INSIDE