Jagir Singh, 90, died on December 31

Many of the protesters, driving tractors, reached the Red Fort and entered the monument on Republic Day. Tribune file

Ravneet Singh

Tribune News Service

Patiala, March 6

In a bizarre case, the crime branch of Delhi Police has summoned a farmer, who died on December 31, to join an investigation for the January 26 violence.

As a matter of fact, the three brothers named in the notice were never associated with the farmers’ protest, says the family.

Bhupinder Singh, son of Surjit Singh (88) said, his father and brothers, Jagir Singh and Gurcharan Singh, were never a part of the farmer’s protest.

Women protesters on their way to Gurdwara Rakabganj refuse to remove ‘flags’, detained
A two-year-old was also held

“Jagir Singh, who had died at the age of 90 on December 31, was bedridden for last one year due to old age. He was a farmer and landowner all his life, but never participated in the protest.”

Singh said his father Surjit Singh, and his younger brother Gurcharan Singh also did not participate in the protest over the three farm Bills.

“My father is 86 years old and suffers from age-related issues. He lives at our village, Neholka of Kurali. His brother Gurcharan Singh, who is a retired government teacher, lives in the city and is no longer associated with farming now,” he said adding, “We received the notice on February 24 and were shocked as we did not know how to deal with the matter. We contacted the legal team of Samyukt Kissan Morcha. They have assured us all possible help.”

He said they also want the Punjab government to help them and other people facing such notices.

Buta Singh Burjgill, state president, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta), said the Delhi Police have sent such notices to many other people who have died much before January 26.

“They are creating a fear and are also sending notices to people on the basis of registration numbers of vehicles that came for langar sewa or other services in the protest. We have told people not to go to the crime branch directly but contact our legal team instead.”

Opinion: How the police let down Delhi riot victims

‘Our demand is the same, we want withdrawal of the three farm laws’

Farmer leader Balbir Singh Rajewal

New Delhi, March 6

On completion of 100 days of the farmers’ stir, Punjab’s Balbir Singh Rajewal on Saturday said the farmers are ready for the next round of dialogue with the Central government, but they will not accept the three contentious farm laws with modifications.

Speaking from the Western Peripheral Expressway in Kundli in Haryana, where the farmers organised a blockade from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in a bid to intensify their protest, Rajewal said this protest is just a “symbolic” one against the government on these farm laws and it will become “bigger”.

“This is a symbolic protest. It will become bigger… We are ready for talks if government invites us (farmer leaders). But our demand is the same. We want withdrawal of the three farm laws. We will not accept the modification in these laws,” Rajewal said while speaking to IANS.

The 77-year-old farmer leader, who has been leading the current agitation against the Narendra Modi government’s farm laws along with other key farmer leaders, said that the farmers’ strategy is to add more states in the demonstration which completed 100 days on Saturday.

Rajewal, the leader of his own BKU faction, is credited with having drafted the constitution of the BKU. His vast experience and in-depth knowledge of agriculture in Punjab has made him the ‘think tank’ of this agitation.

Hundreds of vehicles were stopped as protesting farmers blocked the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway to mark the completion of 100 days of their agitation at the Delhi borders.

The call for blocking the KMP Expressway was given by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, an umbrella body of protesting farmer unions spearheading the agitation against the agriculture-related legislations. The 136-km KMP Expressway is also known as the Western Peripheral Expressway.

Thousands of farmers are sitting on the Delhi borders since November 26 last year against the three farm laws enacted in September 2020 during the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The farmers say they are “black laws” and “anti-farmer”.

Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh at the Combined Commanders’ Conference in Gujarat. PTI

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, March 5

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday participated in discussions with senior military commanders to address the ongoing modernisation of armed forces, especially focusing on creation of integrated theatre commands and infusion of modern technology.

Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister

Focus on growth

We as a country are looking to strengthen our ability to create secure and stable environment that can facilitate India’s economic growth.

Rajnath joined the Commanders of three armed forces for deliberations at the ongoing Combined Commanders Conference-2021 at Kevadia in Gujarat. Delivering the inaugural address, the minister dwelt upon a wide range of issues affecting the defence and security of the nation. He spoke at length on the emerging nature of military threats, critical role of the armed forces in meeting these threats and the anticipated changes in the nature of warfare in future.

The minister expressed his appreciation and respect to the selfless courage displayed by the soldiers during the eastern Ladakh standoff with the PLA.

Deliberation during the day was over a wide range of issues, some of them held behind closed doors.

India’s resolute response on its borders has helped in positive and peaceful resolution of certain significant issues, he stated. (With inputs from PTI)

Photo for representation purposes. Reuters

Washington, March 6

The current India-China border tensions reflect a disturbing trend of growing Chinese aggression and assertion in the region and towards allies and partners of the United States, President Joe Biden’s pick for top Pentagon policy job, Colin Kahl, has told lawmakers.

In his submission to the members of the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing for Defence Under Secretary for Policy, Kahal, however, expressed the US resolve to stand by its allies and partners.

“The India-China border tensions reflect a concerning trend of growing aggressiveness and assertiveness by China in the region, including towards allies and partners of the United States,” said Kahl.

“We will, however, continue to stand by our allies and partners and support their ongoing efforts to deescalate the situation. If confirmed, I will continue to monitor the situation closely as both parties work towards a peaceful resolution,” he said, in his written answers to the questions for his confirmation hearing.

The past decade has seen promising trends in the US-India defence trade and technology relationship, he said, adding that if confirmed, he would work to sustain these trends, including through a focus on major procurements and high-end technology.https://1896aa2bb12d16882331ea70fd16b648.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

Responding to a question on India, Kahl said if confirmed, he would continue to operationalise India’s status as a “Major Defence Partner” by positioning the US and Indian militaries to cooperate more closely to advance shared interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

“To this end, I would support efforts to strengthen interoperability, expand bilateral and multilateral security cooperation across the region and deepen defence trade and technology sharing,” he said.

He added that he would also leverage regular senior-level bilateral and multilateral engagements with likeminded partners to bolster the relationship. PTI

Photo for representation. Reuters file

New Delhi, March 6

Authorities in Myanmar have asked India to return several police officers who sought refuge to avoid taking orders from a military junta that seized power in the Southeast Asian country last month, an official in northeast India said on Saturday.

Around 30 Myanmar police and their family members came across the border seeking refuge in recent days, as the junta’s suppression of protesters has turned increasingly violent, with dozens killed since the February 1 coup.

The senior-most official in Champhai, a district in the Indian state of Mizoram, told Reuters that she had received a letter from her counterpart in Myanmar’s Falam district requesting the return of eight police “in order to uphold friendly relations”.

Deputy Commissioner Maria CT Zuali said on Saturday that she was “waiting for the direction” from the India’s Ministry for Home Affairs in New Delhi.

Although there have been instances recounted on social media of police joining the civil disobedience movement and protests against the junta, this is the first reported case of police fleeing Myanmar.

In the letter, a copy of which was reviewed by Reuters, Myanmar authorities said they had information on eight police personnel who had crossed into India. The letter listed details for four police, aged between 22 and 25 years, including a female officer.

“In order to uphold friendly relations between the two neighbour countries, you are kindly requested to detain eight Myanmar police personnel who had arrived to Indian territories and hand-over to Myanmar,” the letter said.https://fbe084a4d927541f94c1c5df60a9130b.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html

India’s Home Ministry did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. India’s Foreign Ministry responded to a request for comment by referring to a statement given at a media briefing on Friday which said the ministry was still “ascertaining the facts”. Reuter

Thousands of farmers have been protesting since late November at Delhi borders with Haryana and UP

Tribune News Service
Chandigarh/Delhi, March 6 

As farmers’ blockade of the six-lane Kundli-Manesar-Palwal Expressway came to an end on Saturday evening, Bharatiya Kisan Union spokesperson Rakesh Tikait warned of intensifying such measures unless the Centre heeded to their demands of repealing the controversial agriculture laws.  

“Like Delhi borders, KMP can also be blocked completely. Today was a trial for five hours,” he said. 

Farmers blocked some parts of the highway as a mark of 100 days of their protest at Delhi’s borders on Sunday.  The road blockade began at 11 am and continued till 4 pm.

533 candidates pass examinations

National Defence Academy cadets march past during a Passing Out Parade. PTI file photo

New Delhi, March 6

The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) on Saturday declared the final results of the National Defence Academy (NDA) and the Naval Academy Examination (NAE) and 533 candidates have passed the examinations.

The list was issued in order of merit of 533 candidates who have qualified on the basis of the results of the written examination held by the UPSC on September 6, 2020, and the subsequent interviews held by the Services Selection Board (SSB), the UPSC said.

The examinations were held for admission to the Army, the Navy and the Air Force wings of the NDA for the 145th Course and the Naval Academy for the 107th Indian Naval Academy Course (INAC), it said in a statement.

For detailed information about the date of commencement of the above courses, the candidates may visit the websites of the Ministry of Defence, it said.

The results of the medical examination have not been taken into account in preparing the lists, the UPSC said.

The result is also available on the UPSC website. However, marks of the candidates will be available on the website after 15 days from the date of declaration of final results, it said. PTI

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi. PTI/File

New Delhi, March 6

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Centre over the farmers’ protest and said nails were laid at Delhi’s borders for those whose sons risk their lives at the country’s borders.

Gandhi’s attack came after the farmers’ agitation entered its 100th day on Friday, with protesting union leaders asserting that their movement is far from over and they are “going strong”.

In a tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said, “Whose sons risk their lives on the country’s borders, for them nails have been laid at the borders of Delhi. Annadaatas demand their rights, government commits atrocities.”    

The Congress leader has been supporting the farmers’ protest against the three central farm laws and has attacked the government over the legislations on several occasions.

Farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh, have been camping at several Delhi border points, including Tikri, Singhu and Ghazipur, since November 28, demanding a complete repeal of the three farm laws and a legal guarantee on the minimum support price (MSP) for their crops.

The government has denied allegations that it was trying to put an end to the MSP and the mandi system. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also assured farmers that the MSP would continue.

Farmer leaders have already made it clear that they would not settle for anything less than the repeal of the new farm laws. PTI

Tribune Web Desk
Chandigarh, March 4

A video of National Conference veteran Farooq Abdullah shaking a leg at the wedding of Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s granddaughter is the latest from the high-profile wedding to set the internet buzzing.

The video shows Abdullah, the 83-year-old former chief minister of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir, break into a jig to a live performance of the Bollywood song ‘Aajkal Tere Mere Pyar Ke Charche’.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh’s granddaughter Seherinder Kaur married Delhi businessman Aaditya Narang at the politician’s Siswan farmhouse. Seherinder, the daughter of Amarinder Singh’s son Raninder Singh, married Aditya Narang, the son of Delhi-based businessman Devin Narang, at a ceremony on Sunday.      

ile photo of Sashastra Seema Bal personnel | Twitter |

New Delhi: The government has sanctioned a dozen fresh SSB battalions, comprising over 13,000 personnel for the Nepal and Bhutan borders guarding force, to “fortify” defences along these fronts including the tri-junction area in Sikkim that adjoins Bhutan and Tibet, officials said.

Though the Union Home Ministry has denied creation of a new field frontier for the border force, it has allowed the SSB to create one out of three new sector — responsible for the operations of about 5-6 battalions — and it is expected to come up in the Delhi-NCR region

The Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB), with an estimated strength of about 90,000 personnel, is the designated force to guard the open Indian fronts with Nepal (1,751 km) and Bhutan (699 km).

SSB Director General (DG) Kumar Rajesh Chandra told PTI that the 12 new battalions will be raised in phases, three units each over the next four years.

“It is very supportive of the government to have given the sanction to raise new battalions and establishments for the SSB. The new manpower will ensure that border security is strengthened,” the DG said.

The SSB chief added that the government has also sanctioned a total of 548 posts to the force for deployment at four ICPs (integrated check posts) along the Nepal border out of which two are already operational at Jogbani and Raxaul (both in Bihar).

“We are thankful to the home ministry as these sanctions have come at a time when no new posts are being created. We are in the process to further implement the new approvals obtained,” Chandra said.

As per an official proposal of the border force approved by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the new battalions will be used to reduce inter-border outpost distance, strengthen trade and transit routes along Nepal and Bhutan and fortifying SSB’ strength in the tri-junction area in Sikkim.

The tri-junction area is the plateau between India, Bhutan and Tibet and the SSB is deployed just below it on the southern side as part of its mandate to guard the front with Bhutan.

The militaries of India and China had witnessed an over 70-day standoff in the Doklam at the tri-junction in 2017.

The new manpower will also help the SSB, as per the proposal, in upgrading the existing border posts at “strategically important” locations along the two fronts and providing armed security to the eight integrated check posts along these

Officials said the blueprint for sanction of new battalions and establishments for the force was drawn after Union Home Minister Amit Shah reviewed the operations of the SSB in October, 2019 and directed it conduct a vulnerability assessment and gap analysis of the two borders it secures.

The SSB, after completing this task, informed the MHA that it would require 12 new battalions, a frontier headquarter and at least 3 sector headquarters that would be used to enhance logistical and administrative support to its border units and some of those deployed for internal security duties in the hinterland.

However, the home ministry, approved only a sector formation and 12 battalions to be raised in phases in view of the given financial space, officials said.

A battalion has a strength of over 1,000 personnel.

The remaining two sectors and a frontier are also expected to be sanctioned by the home ministry in the next phase, they said.

A sector formation of a paramilitary or central armed police force (CAPF) is responsible for the operations of about 5-6 battalions and is headed by a deputy inspector general (DIG) rank officer.

About 2-4 sectors form a frontier that is headed by an IG-rank officer.

Also read: From next week, troops at LoC and LAC to get new & more lethal Israeli Light Machine Guns