GS Paul
Tribune News Service
Amritsar, February 21

The BJP-led Central government was criticised on both the sides of India-Pakistan border for its denial to permit Indian ‘jatha’ to visit Pakistan to take part in the centenary of Nankana Sahib massacre, known as Saka Nankana Sahib, on Sunday.

Akal Takht officiating Jathedar Giani Harpreet Singh addressed the Pakistan devotees’ digitally through ‘zoom’ and appreciated the Pakistan authorities for organising the event to pay homage to the hundreds of Sikhs who laid down their lives for the sake of Sikh Panth and the shrine’s administration.

In Pakistan, around 2,000 Sikhs and Nanak Naam leva sangat attended the occasion.  Federal Minister Brig (Retd) Ejaz Shah was the chief guest.

Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (PSGPC) president Satwant Singh told that all the arrangements were made in collaboration with the Evacuee Trust Property Board.

“Pakistan had issued 720 visas to Indian devotees as special permission to attend the occasion but in vain,” he said.

The SGPC marked the occasion at Godharpur village in Gurdaspur district, where the kin of Bhai Lachhman Dass Singh Dharowali, who was killed during Nankana Sahib massacre, lived.

Launching an attack on the Central government, Giani Harpreet Singh said the BJP-led Central government has been playing politics of “polarisation”.

“Since 1947, the minorities like Muslims and Sikhs were being targeted politically, socially, economically and religiously only to grab powers through votes from the majority community. The Sikhs ought to be politically strong while burying internal conflicts,” he said.

On Centre’s move to restrict Indian Jatha to Nankana Sahib, he said it was a fallout of Sikhs’ active participation in protest against the newly enacted farm laws.

He said that even if the Centre attempted to intercept the Sikh jathas on Gurpurabs ahead, the Sikhs would never bow down before the Centre.

“I want to clarify to the Central government that its attempt to desist the Sikhs’ participation in farm protest could never be fructified. A century ago, the British government had stopped the Sikh jatha heading to Nankana Sahib, a day after the massacre, led by Jathedar Kartar Singh Jhabbar and today the BJP’s Central government did the same,” he said.

He said the Sikhs would commemorate Saka Nankana Sahib martyrs every year and the occasion would also memorise the Centre’s move to stop Sikh jatha to Nankana Sahib.

Addressing a gathering, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal also questioned the Centre for its denial to jatha and the CM for not taking up the issue.

“Even few days back few persons were granted permission to visit Pakistan at the insistence of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh,” he said.

SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur urged Sikhs to unite under the banner of the SGPC and also announced to construct a Guru Ka Langar hall in remembrance of Bhai Lachhman Singh and a library in memory of the martyrs of Nankana Sahib in their native villages.

Salem (Tamil Nadu), February 21

The disengagement process by India and China in eastern Ladakh is ‘complete’ after nine rounds of diplomatic and military level talks between the two neighbours, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said here on Sunday as he hit out at Congress for ‘doubting’ Indian soldiers’ bravery.

The country will not allow any “unilateral action” on its border and will pay any cost to thwart such attempts, he told the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha’s state conference here.

“After nine rounds of military and diplomatic dialogue, the disengagement process is complete. But unfortunately the Congress is doubting Indian army’s bravery…. isn’t it insulting to the soldiers who do the supreme sacrifice,” he said.

Twenty Indian army personnel were killed in the Galwan clash with the Chinese troops last year during the face-off.

The government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi “has never compromised with country’s unity, territorial integrity and sovereignty” and it shall never do so, he asserted. PTI

New Delhi, February 21

Protesting farmers on Sunday announced a series of events from February 23-27 to further intensify their agitation against the three new agricultural laws as they accused the government of adopting “repressive” measures against them.

They also said they will soon devise a strategy to keep the protest going for long.

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM), which is spearheading the protests, told a press conference here that under their proposed escalation programme, February 23 will be observed as ‘Pagadi Sambhal Diwas’ and February 24 as ‘Daman Virodhi Diwas’, essentially to underline that farmers must be respected and no “repressive measures” should be taken against them.

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The Morcha said February 26 will be observed as ‘Yuva Kisan Diwas’ (youth farmers day) and February 27 as ‘Mazdoor Kisan Ekta Diwas’ (farmer-labourer unity day).

“The government is adopting all the repressive measures, mischief and manipulations including arrests, detentions and registration of cases against the protesters. The Singhu border has been fortified and appears to be an international border,” farmer leader Yogendra Yadav said.

A long-term plan for movement will be discussed in view of the Parliament session from March 8, and the strategy will be shared in the next meeting of SKM, he said.

Another Morcha leader, Darshan Pal, also alleged “repression” by the government.

He said around 32 people have got bail out of 122 arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the violence and vandalism in the national capital during a farmers’ tractor rally on Republic Day. PTI

New Delhi, February 21

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, in a meeting with farmer leaders, on Sunday said the three farm laws are a “death warrant” to the farmers.

Kejriwal had invited farmer leaders from Western Uttar Pradesh for lunch at the Delhi Assembly.

“The three anti-farmer laws are death warrant to the farmers. If these laws are implemented then the agriculture of India will go into the hands of some industrialists and the farmers will be devastated,” the CM said.

He added that if these laws are implemented, the farmers of India will become labourers in their own land.

He also demanded that the central government immediately withdraw all the three “black laws” and the legal guarantee of MSP be granted to all the 23 crops following the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

The meeting was attended by over 40 farmer leaders from western UP.

Talking to the media, farmer leader Rohit Jakhar of Rashtriya Jat Mahasangh said that while the UP government cut electricity and water supply at the Ghazipur protest site, Kejriwal”s government supported farmers” protest by providing them water and toilets.

“Our support will go to those who will talk about our problems. The BJP government has hurt our self respect, we will give our reply through our votes,” Jakhar said. PTI

New Delhi, February 21

India and China today announced the successful completion of the disengagement of frontline troops in the Pangong lake area, terming it a significant “step forward”.

“This provided a good basis for resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in the western sector,” a joint statement issued in the evening said. The “western sector” refers to the eastern Ladakh in India-China talks.

The statement was issued after senior military commanders of both sides conducted a 16-hour meeting to discuss the disengagement of troops from Gogra and Hot Springs along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in eastern Ladakh. The meeting, which commenced at 10 am on Saturday at Moldo on the Chinese side of the LAC, ended at 2 am on Sunday.

The Indian statement said the two sides “had a candid and in-depth exchange of views on other issues along the LAC in the western sector”. The statement laid out the future course. “It was agreed to continue communication and dialogue, stabilise and control the situation on the ground, push for a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly manner, so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquillity in the border areas,” the statement said.

Sources said the pulling back of troops from Gogra and Hot Springs was on the agenda and it was the focal point of discussion between the two sides.

The two commanders reviewed their troop positions on both banks of the Pangong Tso, a 135-km glacial lake, to ensure that the disengagement was as per schedule.

The discussion on Gogra and Hot Springs would be conveyed to their respective headquarters for further directions.

The issue of Depsang would be discussed in subsequent meetings. Both armies have been stopping each other’s patrols at specific points along the LAC in Depsang. — TNS

Depsang issue to be taken up later

The issue of Depsang will be discussed subsequently. Both armies have been stopping each other’s patrols in the area

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21

Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi demanding urgent withdrawal of fuel and LPG price hikes, saying “India deserves better”.

“Governments are elected to ease the burden of our people. I urge you to roll back these increases in fuel prices and pass on the benefit to our middle and salaried class, farmers and poor. I hope you will agree that it is time for your government to focus on solutions instead of looking for excuses. India deserves better,” she said in her letter today.

Accusing the government of profiteering from people’s misery, the Congress chief said the middle class and those at the margins were struggling, while “the government has chosen to profiteer off people’s misery”.

She said fuel prices were at an historic and unsustainable high, petrol had breached the Rs 100/litre mark in many parts and surging diesel prices had hit the farmers.

“What baffles most citizens is that these prices have been increased despite moderate prices of international crude oil. Crude oil price is nearly half of what it was during the UPA government’s tenure. Therefore, your government’s act of raising prices (continuously for 12 days till February 20) is little less than a brazen act of profiteering,” she alleged.

The Congress chief said the BJP government had increased excise duty on diesel by 820 per cent and on petrol by 258 per cent over and collected upwards of Rs 21 lakh crore in the past six and a half years.

“This unaccounted-for windfall is yet to be passed to the people for whose benefit it was ostensibly collected. The whole principle of deregulation and dynamic pricing was predicated on the principle that reductions in crude oil prices will proportionately benefit the end consumers,” she added.

“Instead, your government has been unreasonably overzealous in levying excessive excise duty on petrol and diesel. This is nothing short of extortion to cover up economic mismanagement. As the principal party in opposition, I urge upon you to follow ‘Raj dharma’ and reduce fuel prices by partially rolling back excise duty,” Gandhi demanded.

Sandeep Dikshit

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 21

After concluding his two-day visit to Maldives, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar arrived in Mauritius on Sunday on the last leg of his two-nation tour during which he will hold talks with the top leadership of India’s strategically key maritime neighbour in the Indian Ocean region.

Jaishankar, who will be in the country for two days, will call on President Prithvirajsing Roopun and Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth — both of Indian-origin. “Namaste-Bonsoir Mauritius. Thank FM Alan Ganoo for his warm welcome. Look forward to a fruitful visit,” Jaishankar tweeted soon after his arrival here. He will also meet the minister of foreign affairs, regional integration and international trade and minister for land transport and light rail.

During his visit, Jaishankar will review all aspects of bilateral relations, ongoing implementation of various infrastructure projects being carried out by India in Mauritius, and hold discussions on bilateral, regional and global issues of mutual interest including India’s assistance to Mauritius.

Before leaving for Mauritius, Jaishankar reaffirmed its commitment to the Maldives’ security and signed a $50 million defence Line of Credit agreement with the strategically vital Indian Ocean island nation to boost its maritime capabilities. He also held in-depth talks with the country’s top leaders to further cement bilateral ties.

Jaishankar also witnessed the signing of a project execution contract for construction of roads in the southern-most island atoll Addu, which, he said, underscored the importance of connectivity in India-Maldives ties.

The last visit of an External Affairs Minister was in August 2018 when Sushma Swaraj visited Mauritius for the World Hindi Conference.

Mauritius PM Pravind Jugnauth last visited India on a private visit along with his spouse in December 2019, the visit being symbolic since it came just after his victory in the General Election. Both Maldives and Mauritius are India’s key maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean Region and occupy a special place in Prime Minister’s vision of “SAGAR” (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

(With inputs from PTI)

Reaching out via Vaccine diplomacy

• Mauritius was amongst the largest beneficiaries of India’s Covid-related assistance
• Got 13 tonnes of essential medicines, 5 lakh HCQ tablets and 10 tonnes of Ayurvedic medicines
• Received 1 lakh Covishield doses and mass vaccination began on January 26
• It was a symbolic move coinciding with India’s 72nd R-Day