27082024-TTC-01.qxd 8/27/2024 12:54 AM Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 8 NO. 237 | 16 PAGES | ~5.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881 MURDER CASE FILED AGAINST HASINA, EX-MINISTER WORLD /thetribunechd BATENGE TOH KATENGE: YOGI’S UNITY PITCH ON UP BYPOLL EVE NATION RBI TO SOON LAUNCH UNIFIED LENDING INTERFACE BUSINESS PM SETS TONE FOR QUAD SUMMIT, SPEAKS TO OZ COUNTERPART BACK PAGE tuesday | 27 august 2024 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com Ladakh gets 5 new districts; step towards prosperity: PM PM Modi, Biden discuss Ukraine, Bangladesh NEW DELHI: Number rises to 7 with Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra, Changthang Animesh Singh & Arjun Sharma PROVIDE DIST COUNCILS We’ll be happy only if dist councils are also provided in the new administrative units, otherwise these will have no importance in the absence of democracy. ❝ Tribune News Service New Delhi/Jammu, August 26 The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance on Monday created five new districts for Ladakh, taking the total number of districts in the UT to seven. The new districts — Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang — are in addition to the existing districts of Leh and Kargil. Zanskar and Drass have been created out of Kargil while Sham, Changthang and Nubra have been created out of Leh. Three of the five new districts share international borders — Changthang is on the Line of Actual Control with China, Drass and Nubra face Pakistan-occupied Kashmir, while Sham and Zanskar are in central Ladakh. Home Minister Amit Shah today announced the decision of the Centre in a post on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi lauded the move, describing it a step towards better governance and prosperity. “Zanskar, Drass, Sham, Nubra and Changthang will Sonam Wangchuk, EDUCATIONIST now receive more focused attention, bringing services and opportunities even closer to the people. Congratulations to the people there,” Modi said. The Leh Apex Body (LAB) and the Kargil Democratic Alliance (KDA), which have been protesting for the past two years over several demands, including statehood, welcomed the decision. LAB member Chering Dorjay Lakrook said both organisations would continue to protest for the inclusion of Ladakh in the Sixth Schedule, Public Service Commission and two Lok Sabha seats for the UT (presently only one). The LAB and the KDA are also set to start a “Delhi Chalo” march from September 1 to October 2 to press for their four-point agenda. The march will start from Ladakh and end in New Delhi. Former BJP MP from Ladakh Jamgyal Namgyal also welcomed the move, pointing out that both Leh and Kargil were enormous — Leh is 45,000 sq km and Kargil 15,000 sq km. “Earlier governments neglected Ladakh and the demand for more districts had been an old one. Now that the Centre has fulfilled that demand, there will be much better management of development work as deputy commissioners will be deputed and all expenditure for development-related projects will be incurred locally,” Namgyal said. Security experts said addi- tional districts meant more policing and more human intelligence network in sensitive border areas, especially at a time of LAC tension between India and China. SD Singh, incumbent Additional Director General of Police, Ladakh, told The Tribune that the creation of five new districts would increase government footprint in sensitive border areas of Kargil. “New SPs will be deputed and manpower created. Also, new police units will be set up in border areas, which will bolster security,” Singh said. Former DGP of J&K SP Vaid said Zanskar and Drass were far-flung areas and quite distantly located from the district headquarters of Leh. “Zanskar and Drass are sparsely populated, therefore the creation of new districts will help improve connectivity and people will get services on the doorstep. This will further help streamline the administration in these areas,” Vaid said. However, some analysts in Leh termed the move a ploy to weaken climate activist continued on page 9 BJP workers protest after the party released the first list of candidates in Jammu on Monday. PTI BJP names 44 for J&K poll, trims list to 16 after protest Adil Akhzer Srinagar, August 26 The BJP on Monday morning found itself in a spot as it announced a list of 44 candidates for all three phases of the Assembly elections, only to withdraw it hours later, and finally releasing only the names of 16 candidates for the first phase. In the revised lists, the candidates for 16 seats — eight each in Kashmir and the Jammu region — have been named. The BJP had won 25 seats in Jammu the last time polls were held in 2014, but had drawn a blank in the SEAT DEAL SEALED — NC 51, CONGRESS 32; ‘FRIENDLY’ CONTEST ON FIVE ■ The National Conference and the Congress on Monday finalised the strategy for sharing seats for the Assembly polls in Jammu & Kashmir ■ The NC will contest 51 seats while the Congress 32. The Panthers Party and CPM will get one seat each ■ The NC and the Congress will have a “friendly contest” on five Assembly seats ■ The deal was finalised after the Congress rushed its leaders to Srinagar to hold discussions on Monday ■ Leaders of the two parties have held multiple discussions ever since the alliance was announced INSIDE Kashmir valley. The BJP’s list confusion is emblematic of the importance with which it holds this election. Shortly after publishing the full list for 44 candidates, it was deleted from official party WhatsApp groups, with the party media cell in the Valley explaining that it had “typographical errors”. The continued on page 8 PM Narendra Modi and US President Joe Biden on Monday discussed the situation in Ukraine and the developments in Bangladesh. Modi received a telephone call from President Biden on Monday. This was the first time the two spoke since Modi visited Moscow in July. US diplomats had protested the timing of his visit and sought New Delhi’s intervention in the Ukraine-Russia war using its long-standing ties with continued on page 9 Champai meets Shah, to join BJP on August 30 NEW DELHI: In a major setback to the INDIA bloc ahead of the Jharkhand Assembly elections, former CM and Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) veteran Champai Soren is all set to join the BJP on August 30. Champai met Union Home Minister Amit Shah here on Monday and is likely to join the BJP with some more sitting JMM MLAs. Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, credited with the continued on page 8 ‘Not authorised’: BJP ticks off Kangana on farm stir remark Will follow democratic path even if Tribune News Service Chandigarh/NewDelhi, Aug 26 The BJP today distanced itself from party MP Kangana Ranaut’s remarks on farmers’ protests. The party said she had been directed to refrain from making such statements. In a video statement on X, Kangana had stirred a controversy by suggesting that the farmers’ protests could have led to a Bangladesh-like situation in the country. She had alleged that “bodies were hanging” and “rapes took place” during the protest while also mentioning the role of “foreign powers” behind the goings-on. The BJP said: “The statement made by Kangana on the farmers’ movement is not the party’s opinion. The BJP expresses its disagreement with the statement. She is neither permitted nor authorised to make statements on the party’s policy matters.” The statement added that she had been directed against making any such Oppn slams party; SKM, AIKS demand ‘apology’ statements. “The BJP is committed to following the principles of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’ and social harmony,” it said. Meanwhile, the opposition trained its guns on the BJP and farmers’ bodies demanded an “unconditional apology” from Kangana. Congress spokesperson Supriya Shrinate said people would give a befitting reply to the BJP in the elections. She added, “The BJP must explain if the comments were Kangana’s own or endorsed by the party. Also, she suggested that America and China were behind the protests. Has the country weakened so much under Prime Minister Narendra Modi that foreign powers are creating unrest?” Farmers’ bodies SKM and AIKS, too, condemned the statement and sought an apology failing which they threatened to take to the streets and file complaints against her. Reacting to the controversial statement, Rajya Sabha MP and Congress leader Randeep Surjewala, on X, questioned if continued on page 8 Ateli, Kosli reserved for Rao’s daughter Sumedha Sharma Tribune News Service A vehicle burnt by militants in Balochistan, Pakistan, on Monday. REUTERS Gurugram, August 26 The state BJP selection committee has reserved Ateli and Kosli for Arti Rao, daughter of MP and MoS Rao Inderjit Singh. She has been asked to submit her preference to the central selection committee at the earliest. The party finalising the list of candidates from Haryana has set Majority of supporters fail to make it to preliminary list, seek his intervention aside the two Ahir strongholds for Arti. Though the party had asked Rao to decide on the seat for his daughter, he refused, saying that she was an independent leader. “She is an independent leader and whether to seek a ticket or not and where to debut from is completely her decision. It’s between her and the party,” he said. Sources claim that Rao, who was part of the two-day selection committee marathon meeting in Gurugram, did not seek ticket for his daughter, even when asked to do so. continued on page 9 hurdlescreated:J&K’sbannedJamaat Candidates to contest as Independents: Senior member Adil Akhzer Srinagar, August 26 The banned Jamaat-e-Islami (JeI-JK) is all set to “unanimously” contest the Assembly elections in Jammu & Kashmir next month after more than 30 years, and will “follow the democratic path, even if hurdles are created,” Jamaat senior member Ghulam Qadir Lone has told The Tribune. In an interview with The Tribune, Lone, however, admitted that because the ban on the Jamaat remains in place, all candidates will contest as Independents. A senior member of the Jamaat’s “organisational affairs” panel, Lone was speaking ahead of the Tuesday, the last date of filing of nomination in the first phase of elections. He said at least four candidates were expected to file nominations on Tuesday. “We want to be part of Kashmir’s democratic CHARTING OUR FUTURE We are setting a direction for our future. There are some difficulties, but we will move forward because we value this democratic process. ❝ Ghulam Qadir Lone, JEI-JK LEADER process. That’s why we are contesting after more than 30 years. We are setting a direction for our future. There are some difficulties, but we will move forward because we value this democratic process,” Lone added. A meeting of former JeI members in Srinagar last week had given the green light to contest polls from over 10 seats in the Kashmir valley. According to Lone, contesting polls was a “unanimous decision” and that they had also received support of the Majlis Shura — the highest decision-making body of the banned Jamaat. Founded in 1943, the JEI is the only cadre-based party in Jammu & Kashmir, besides the National Conference. The Jamaat’s participation in the polls is bound to impact the electoral outcome of next month’s polls, especially the prospects of People’s Democratic Party (PDP) which has received tacit Jamaat support over the last two decades. Lone said he and senior leaders of the Jamaat were acutely aware that the situation had changed significantly in Kashmir and that it was important to participate in the democratic process so as to demonstrate to the rank and file the direction the organisation should take. “It is not important whether people agree with us or not. They can have differences. Sometimes, they may be right and sometimes wrong. But we are showing our members a way. It doesn’t continued on page 9 Gunmen massacre 37 in restive Balochistan Milkman to ~1.83L crore Pearls boss, lonely end for Bhangoo Karachi, August 26 Heavily-armed Baloch gunmen killed at least 37 persons in multiple attacks in Pakistan’s restive Balochistan province on Monday. According to government and security officials, militants belonging to outlawed separatist groups carried out four attacks on the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, leading to death of 37 persons. The Inter-Services Public Relations, the media wing of the Pakistan army, in a statement, said 21 terrorists were also killed in cleanup operations launched after the attacks. 21 terrorists neutralised, claims Pak army In the first incident, at least 23 persons from Pakistan’s Punjab province were killed in a targeted attack in Balochistan’s Musakhel district after gunmen offloaded them from buses and checked their identities. According to Musakhail Assistant Commissioner Najeeb Kakar, around 10 heavily-armed men blocked the inter-provincial highway in the Rarasham area of the district and offloaded passengers from several buses. continued on page 8 Jupinderjit Singh Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 26 Nirmal Bhangoo, who rose from being a milkman at a village in Chamkaur Sahib, Ropar, to run the Rs 1.83 lakh crore worth Pearls Group of companies, died a lonely death in police custody at a Delhi hospital after his health deteriorated in Tihar Jail. He had lost his son in a road accident in 2011 and is survived by two daughters, who are in Australia. His wife, Prem Kaur, is also in jail. Bhangoo’s chit fund schemes allegedly duped over 5.5 crore investors of around Rs 45,000 crore (Rs 60,000 crore as per investors). So far, 21 lakh investors have received refunds of their investment. The Justice Lodha Committee, monitored by the SC, was formed in 2015 to oversee and sell the frozen properties of the Pearls Group to refund the amount to the investors. The investors, who formed an organisation called the All Investor Safety Organisation, have been organising dharnas and protests claiming that a vast majority has not yet received refunds. Darshan Singh, a spokesperson for the organisation, said Over 5.5 cr investors await chit-fund scheme refunds PONZI SCAM WIFE ALSO BEHIND BARS ■ Nirmal Bhangoo lost son in a road accident in 2011 and is survived by two daughters, who are in Australia. His wife, Prem Kaur, is also in jail ■ Bhangoo’s chit fund schemes allegedly duped over 5.5 crore investors of around ~45,000 crore (~60,000 crore according to investors) ■ So far, 21 lakh investors have received refunds; the Justice Lodha Committee was formed in 2015 to oversee refund to the investors the next dharna was scheduled for September 6 at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. “Only 21 lakh investors, who made small investments of about Rs 19,000, have been compensated, he said.” Darshan had invested Rs Today’s issue is of 16 pages, including four-page Jalandhar Tribune. c m y b 50 lakh in instalments. “Many have lost their lifetime savings,” he said. Bhangoo was a big shot during the SAD-BJP tenure. He provided Rs 35 crore for funding kabaddi tournaments, besides roping in famous cricketer Bret Lee to publicise his hotel in Australia. He also funded teams in golf leagues, besides super fight leagues. When the scam was busted, during incarceration, he stayed at a private hospital in Mohali rather than a jail. He was sent to jail following an expose by The Tribune about him staying at a hospital instead of a jail. Bhangoo used to supply milk door to door in his younger days at Bela near Attari in Chamkaur Sahib, Ropar, before he moved to Kolkata in the late 1970s where he worked for Peerless, a chit fund company, and later for Golden Forest India Ltd, where he learned the intricacies of the chit fund business. In 1980, Bhangoo founded Pearls Golden Forest Ltd (PGFL), which promised high returns on investments in teak plantations. In 1982, he founded his own company called Pearls Agrotech continued on page 9