08082026-TTB-01.qxd 08-08-2026 00:01 Page 1 13 CHANDIGARH | GURUGRAM | JALANDHAR | BATHINDA | VOL. 146 NO. 218 | 22 PAGES | ~7.00 | REGD. NO. CHD/0006/2024-2026 ESTABLISHED IN 1881  HARYANA TRUMP SIGNS NEW ORDER TO LIMIT BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP WORLD /thetribunechd OMAR BACKS RSS CHIEF’S REMARKS ON GEN Z, PROTESTS J&K OPERATION SAFED INDIA, CHINA TO SUSTAIN SAGAR: FITTING TRIBUTE DIALOGUE VIA DIPLOMATIC, TO HEROES REVIEW MILITARY ROUTES BACK PAGE saturday | 8 august 2026 /thetribunechd www.tribuneindia.com BEYOND CALL OF DUTY RAVI KUMAR Internal matter: India on proposed FCRA changes Dismisses criticism, says US too regulates foreign funds Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service A police officer picks up a protester’s turban as Punjab Government staff and pensioners face water cannons during a march to Vidhan Sabha in Chandigarh. Their demands include the release of DA arrears, restoration of the Old Pension Scheme and regularisation of contract staff. INSIDE Sukhbir meets Modi, sparks buzz on future of erstwhile allies ahead of Punjab elections SAD’s Gujral hopeful of alliance | BJP’s Dhillon still insists on solo fight Aditi Tandon & Mohit Khanna Tribune News Service New Delhi/Chandigarh, Aug 7 In a significant development ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections, Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sparking speculation around the future of the erstwhile allies. This was the first official engagement between the two MY FAVOURITE BJP LEADER, RAHUL LAUDS CAPT In an Instagram video, Rahul Gandhi said Capt Amarinder was his favourite politician from the BJP. “I get along with him. He is cool,” he said. The remark set off speculation that the former Punjab CM could be headed back to the Congress. In response, Capt Amarinder said his personal ties with the Gandhis would always be there. since the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) parted ways with the BJP-led NDA coalition in September 2020 at the height of the anti-farm law protests. The meeting, held in Parliament House Complex, was one-on-one, with the two leaders learnt to have discussed the challenges facing the border state. The former allies have lived through a prolonged spell of frost and tensions with today’s meeting being seen across political circles as a sign of thaw. Speaking to The Tribune, SAD leader Naresh Gujral welcomed the engagement and said the meeting signified that both sides understood the sensitivities of Punjab and had a shared interest in its wellbeing. Punjab BJP chief Kewal Singh Dhillon, however, continued to insist on “going it alone”. “I see this as a good sign. Old strains appear to be continued on page 7 Amritsartopcopmoved outamid posts ‘linking’ CJP protests to terror Pawan K Jaiswar Tribune News Service Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif looks on after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca. REUTERS Pak, Saudi, Turkiye sign pact to defend each other Ujwal Jalali Tribune News Service New Delhi, August 7 Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkiye on Friday signed a key joint defence agreement under which an attack against one of them will be treated as an attack against all of them even as India said it is closely monitoring the situation. The development has come amid increasing security concerns in the wake of escalating tensions in West Asia. Responding to a question at the weekly media briefing, Closely monitoring situation, says India Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said, “This is a development we are monitoring closely and we will keep you updated.” Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan signed the agreement after a defence summit held in Mecca. continued on page 7 Amritsar, August 7 A day after a controversy erupted over social media posts allegedly linking the Pakistan ISI-backed terror modules busted by the Amritsar Commissionerate Police with protesters at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi, the Punjab Government shifted Commissioner of Police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar. He has been asked to report to the office of the Director General of Police, Punjab. DIG (Border Range) Harmanbir Singh Gill has been given the additional charge of Commissioner of Police for the time being. Meanwhile, senior BJP leader Ravneet Singh Bittu has raised questions over the timing of his transfer. “The timing of Gurpreet Bhullar’s transfer is bound to raise eyebrows. Did his accurate revelations about the alleged Jantar Mantar plot trouble Kejriwal?” he wrote on X. The development came after certain videos of the BJP QUESTIONS MOVE The BJP on Friday questioned the timing of Bhullar’s transfer. Party spokesperson RP Singh said the move was bound to invite scrutiny as the transfer came days after Bhullar disclosed details of an alleged ISIbacked conspiracy to exploit the Jantar Mantar protests. KANGANA HAILS GEN Z Days after stirring a row by calling Gen Z protesters “generation gutter”, Kangana Ranaut on Friday praised them as ambassadors of the country’s culture and identity. August 4 press conference addressed by Bhullar went viral on social media. The posts, according to the Punjab Police, selectively edited portions of the press conference and used accompanying captions and visuals in a manner that created an impression that Jantar Mantar protesters were linked to the terror modules. The protests were led by the Cockroach Janta Party. continued on page 7 Bishnoi gang exploited student visas: Canada Recruited vulnerable youth for crime; strategy planned by Goldy Brar Mohit Khanna Tribune News Service Chandigarh, August 7 A classified intelligence report by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) has revealed that the Lawrence Bishnoi gang systematically exploited Canada’s international student visa and work permit programmes to recruit vulnerable youth for 4,000 Indians (approx) who entered Canada on study permit charged with a total of 17,929 offences between 2019 and 2023 its transnational extortion and violent crime network. The report, titled “The Bishnoi Gang: An Emerging Threat in Canada”, was circu- lated among immigration officers in December 2025 as a tactical guide to help authorities counter the gang’s growing activities targeting Canada’s South Asian communities. According to the report, the gang increasingly used Canada’s immigration pathways to recruit operatives and strengthen its presence in North America. Besides high-profile killings, extortion threats and shootings have emerged as the Bishnoi gang’s principal criminal activities in Canada. The report, made public during recent court proceedings, stated that after the murder of pro-Khalistan activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June 2023, the Bishnoi gang claimed responsibility for the murder continued on page 7 c m y b New Delhi, August 7 India on Friday brushed aside criticism from international voices, including US lawmakers, over the proposed amendments to the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), asserting that the legislation was an internal matter and countries such as the US also regulated the flow of foreign funds. Responding to questions at a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Parliament alone would decide on the proposed legislation. “We have indeed taken note of the issue you mentioned, and there have been several comments on it. As far as legislative matters — specifically India’s own — are concerned, these are an internal matter, and our Parliament makes decisions regarding these,” Jaiswal said. He said the regulation of foreign funding was not unique to India. “I also wish to point out that there are many nations across the world, including the US, that regulate the flow of foreign funds,” he said. The remarks come two days after AHEAD OF TABLING OF BILL, CONG ISSUES WHIP The Congress on Friday issued a three-line whip to all its Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs, directing them to remain present in the House from August 10 to 12 as crucial legislative business, including the proposed FCRA Bill, is expected to come up for discussion. SHAH MEETS SPEAKER AMID HOUSE LOGJAM Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday met Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla amid the ongoing stalemate between the government and the Opposition over a debate on police crackdown on protesting students and Ram Temple donation theft. US Congressman Riley M Moore criticised the proposed FCRA amendments, alleging that these could enable government takeovers of churches and religious charities. Calling the proposal “a clear attack against Christians”, Moore had warned that, if passed in its present form, it could become “a point of major concern” in the IndiaUS bilateral relations. New Delhi, however, refrained from responding directly to the Congressman’s allegations, limiting its response to reiterating that legislative matters are decided by Parliament and fall within India’s sovereign domain. The proposed amendments to the FCRA, which governs the receipt and utilisation of foreign contributions by individuals and organisations, are expected to be introduced in Parliament next week. The proposed changes have triggered a debate, with critics expressing concern over their potential impact on religious and charitable institutions, while the government has maintained that the law is intended to ensure transparency and accountability in the use of foreign funds. The FCRA framework caters to the intake and utilisation of overseas funding across nongovernmental organisations, charitable entities, academic institutions, religious trusts and affiliated bodies. Ministry of Home Affairs figures indicate that 13,520 entities received foreign remittances totalling Rs 55,741 crore between 2019 and 2022. US India’s largest LPG supplier: Puri NEW DELHI: Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said the US had emerged as India’s largest supplier of LPG following disruptions triggered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz. “Today, the US accounts for something like 67 per cent of our LPG imports,” he said, adding that domestic LPG production had also been increased. — PTI SC junks plea for FIR againstJusticeVarma DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to entertain a plea seeking the registration of an FIR and a court-monitored probe into the discovery of half-burnt cash at the residence of former Allahabad HC judge Yashwant Varma. “This is a misuse of the judicial process. All for cheap publicity,” it said. — TNS NEW Patiala youth shot in US,kinseekgovthelp PATIALA: Khushkarandeep Singh, 24, a native of Patiala, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in California. He had moved to the US nearly five years ago to support his family and was working as a truck driver there. His family has appealed to the Centre to facilitate the early repatriation of his body. INSIDE