Ramban/Jammu, January 16

The construction of a Bailey bridge at Kela Morh on the Jammu-Srinagar national highway has been completed and a trial run carried out successfully, paving the way for resumption of traffic on the strategic road, the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) said on Saturday.

The traffic between the two capital cities of Jammu and Kashmir was suspended on January 10 after a portion of the road caved in near Kela Morh in Ramban, hours after the 270-km highway was opened. The road was closed for over a week earlier owing to heavy snowfall and multiple landslides.

An official spokesperson said the traffic on the 270-km highway, the only all-weather road linking Kashmir to the rest of the country, was restored with the completion of the construction of the Bailey bridge. — PTI

Jammu, January 17

Hundreds of farmers on Sunday staged a rally, demanding revocation of the new agriculture laws even as police briefly detained the main organiser along with nearly half a dozen of his supporters here.

The tractor rally was led by District Development Council (DDC) member Taranjit Singh Tony who defeated senior BJP leader and former minister Sham Choudhary in the recently held elections, officials said.

As the rally started from Bana Singh stadium at Mia Sahib, police blocked the main road and later detained Tony and some of his supporters when they insisted to move towards Satwari along Jammu Airport road as per their programme, the officials said.

However, they were later released and the rally ended peacefully. “We have organised this rally in support of the ongoing farmers protest for revocation of the new farm laws. The police initially created a hurdle and detained us briefly,” Tony said. He regretted the inconvenience caused to the public. — PTI

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, January 17

The farmer organisations protesting the newly enacted agriculture laws have refused to acknowledge the summons issued to their members by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). However, some activists of Sikh outfits have decided to oblige the agency.

NIA has summoned around 40 persons for examination as witnesses in a case related to Sikhs for Justice (SFJ) under section 160 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

Baldev Singh Sirsa, a farmer leader and head of the Lok Bhalai Insaf Welfare Society, has flatly refused to appear before the NIA. On the other hand, Paramjit Singh Akali and Palwinder Singh Amarkot, members of Sikh Youth of Power of Punjab, have left for New Delhi to join the NIA investigation.

“We were called as a ‘witness’ in a case that was registered against someone else. We have no hitch to clarify our stance as we are representatives of a Sikh organisation. I will join the probe on January 19 whereas Amarkot would face NIA on January 18,” Akali said.

Similarly, Ranjit Singh Damdami, president, Sikh Youth Federation Bhindranwale, said he was summoned to appear on January 21 and he would also be appearing.

Meanwhile, Sirsa, who was supposed to join the investigation today, said he was bound to follow the decision of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha, which had directed its members not to acknowledge NIA’s call.

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, January 17

Supporting the issue of the farmers staging a protest at the Delhi border, a section of ex-servicemen has also complimented the contribution of women in the ongoing agitation.

Addressing the gathering, Brig KS Kahlon (retd), president of All India Defence Brotherhood Association’s Punjab chapter, said the jawans and kisans are the true defenders of the nation, but this potent force is being awfully neglected by the government.

He said veterans have been involved in planning and organising the agitation and thereafter they have been visiting the Delhi border in batches and have also assisted in managing and handling of the operation such as traffic control, stage management and administration.

The veterans also said repeal of the three agricultural laws is the only solution to safeguard the interest of the farmers and would also been in the overall interests of the national.

New Delhi, January 15

Around 300-400 terrorists trained in camps across the Line of Control (LoC) are ready to sneak into Jammu and Kashmir, Army Chief Gen MM Naravane said on Friday.

In his speech during the Army Day parade, he also said there has been 44 per cent increase in ceasefire violations that reflects Pakistan’s sinister design. Pakistan often provides cover fire to help terrorists sneak into J&K.

Gen Naravane said India’s active operations and strong counter-infiltration grid not only inflicted heavy losses on the enemy, but also contained infiltration attempts.

He said the Army killed over 200 terrorists in counter-terror operations and on the LoC last year, adding that these measures have provided people of J&K relief from terrorism.

“Strong response is being given to the enemy on the other (Pakistan) border. Pakistan continues to provide safe haven to terrorists. In the training camps, across the LoC, around 300-400 terrorists are ready to infiltrate,” he said.

“There was an increase of 44 per cent in the ceasefire violations last year which is proof of Pakistan’s sinister plans. There were also attempts to smuggle weapons using drones,” he added. There were efforts to smuggle weapons into India from across the border using drones and tunnels, he mentioned.

Gen Naravane said the Indian Army is working towards reorganisation and modernisation in order to increase its war-fighting capability.

“It is working with top education institutions like IITs on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence, block chain, quantum computing, unmanned systems, directed energy weapons and swarm drones,” he said. — PTI

Tribune News Service

Sonepat, January 17

Samyukta Kisan Morcha on Sunday finalised the route for ‘Kisan Tractor Parade’ to be scheduled on January 26 and announced that the ‘parade’ will be organised on Outer Ring Road in the national capital.

There will be no disruption in National Republic Day Parade, farmer leaders said.

All tractors would bear national flag and farmer organisation flag only and no political party flag would be allow during the tractor parade, it said.

Farmer leaders maintained that the tractor parade will be peaceful.

Addressing a press conference at the Singhu border protest site, Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav said, “We will carry out a tractor parade on the Outer Ring Road in Delhi on Republic Day. The parade will be very peaceful. There will be no disruption of the Republic Day parade. The farmers will put up the national flag on their tractors.”

The authorities had moved the Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the proposed tractor march or any other kind of protest by farmers which seeks to disrupt the gathering and celebrations of Republic Day on January 26. The matter is pending in court.

Another farmer union leader, Darshan Pal Singh, alleged that the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is filing cases against those who are part of the protest or supporting it.

“All farmer unions condemn this,” Pal said, referring to the NIA summons reportedly issued to a farmer union leader in a case related to the banned Sikhs For Justice outfit.

Thousands of farmers, mainly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting at various border points of Delhi for over a month now demanding repeal of the three laws — the Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, and the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.

Enacted in September 2020, the central government has presented these laws as major farm reforms aimed at increasing farmers’ income, but the protesting farmers have raised concerns that these legislations would weaken the minimum support price (MSP) and “mandi” (wholesale market) systems and leave them at the mercy of big corporations.

The government has maintained that these apprehensions are misplaced and has ruled out a repeal of the laws. With PTI inputs

New Delhi, January 17

After inputs that some terrorist organisations, including Khalistani outfits and Al-Qaeda, may carry out unwanted activities on January 26, Delhi Police have taken a few steps including putting up posters of wanted terrorists in the capital.

“We have inputs that some terrorist organisations including Khalistani outfits and Al-Qaeda may carry out unwanted activities on January 26. Keeping this in mind, we have taken a few steps including putting up posters of wanted terrorists,” said Siddharth Jain, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) for Connaught Place, on Sunday.

The police have also increased patrolling in the area as well as sensitised market and resident welfare associations people in view of security alert.

“Amid the COVID pandemic, we have tried to reduce the gathering of people from 1.5 lakh to 25 thousand. Only limited people have been issued passes and tickets for the Republic Day parade. They have been asked to carry their photo-based ID card for the verification process. No person will be allowed to stand, only sitting arrangements have been made,” informed the ACP.

The Delhi Police have issued several guidelines for Republic Day to avoid the spread of COVID-19. People have been asked to wear masks, sanitize hands, and follow social distancing. — ANI