Saturday, October 9, 1999
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P U N J A B | |
Saturday, October 9, 1999 |
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Mann to
enter House sans kirpan |
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Second
defeat for Badal family
Steps to prevent dengue mooted Panel to probe Cong dissidents'
role Tota Singh lashes out at Tohra Strike hits work at Jalandhar
civil hospital
Encroachment probe decision causes
stir Punjabis did the right thing: CPI ‘Badal should seek fresh
mandate’ SAD district presidents meet today |
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Mann to enter House sans
kirpan AMRITSAR, Oct 8 — President of the Shromani Akali Dal (Amritsar) and MP-elect from Sangrur Lok Sabha seat Simranjit Singh Mann today asserted that he would enter the Parliament House without his three-foot-long kirpan (sword) in deference to the wishes of his partymen. Mr Mann was talking to reporters here today at the Information Centre of the Golden Temple after paying obeisance. He claimed that under Article 35 of the Constitution all citizens had the right to carry their religious symbols but during the 1989 election when he was elected with a record margin of over four lakh votes from Tarn Taran Lok Sabha seat he was debarred from entering the Lok Sabha carrying his sword and thus he failed to attend the session. Mr Mann, however, said that he would take the issue of kirpan with the Speaker of the Lok Sabha. His first effort in the newly elected House was to form a forum of all members of Parliament belonging to minorities as he felt that under the BJP rule, minorities and other communities could not feel secure. Mr Mann pointed that his topmost priority would be to get the large number of Sikh youths languishing in jails for the past 16 years. He would try his best to secure their release. He was critical of the Shiromani Akali Dal leadership of Mr Parkash Singh Badal for doing nothing to help these young men who had been detained without any trial besides large number of them had not been convicted of any charge. Commenting on the pending demands of Punjab, which include river waters sharing, handing over of Punjabi speaking areas and the transfer of Chandigarh. Mr Mann felt that it was high time that the Union government took serious note of these issues. He would urge the government to redress these grievances on top priority basis. SAD (Amritsar) chief attributed his victory over SAD (Badal) candidate and Union Agriculture Minister Surjit Singh Barnala’s defeat a referendum against the corrupt Badal government which had not only drained this prosperous state but had rendered it bankrupt. He was critical of the
recent steep hike of diesel prices, which he felt would
hit the poor man hard. The farmer besides all others
sections would be affected. Mr Mann pointed out that Mr
Badal and had also failed to condemn the hike and lodge
protest with the central government. |
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Badal ‘gifted away’
Sikh shrines to Pak AMRITSAR, Oct 8 — Former SGPC president and chief of SHSAD Gurcharan Singh Tohra has blamed Punjab Chief Minister and SAD president Prakash Singh Badal of gifting away Sikh shrines in Pakistan to Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, during his bus trip to Lahore in February this year along with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. "Mr Badal never presented the Sikh point of view to Mr Sharif and never objected to the formation of the Pakistan Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee although the proposal was reported to have been put before Mr Badal", Mr Tohra claimed while talking to TNS at his home town in Patiala district, yesterday. Mr Badal knew that the new Sikh body was being formed for the management of Sikh gurdwaras under pressure from Sikhs residing in foreign countries as well as the Sikhs given shelter by Pakistan at Lahore and Nankana Sahib", he added. Asked about the significance of the formation of this committee after he was removed as SGPC president by pro-Badal supporters, Mr Tohra said he remained in constant touch both with the Pakistan Government and the External Affairs Ministry in India and forcefully countered the Pakistani moves in the past. He even intended to visit Pakistan in November last year to sort out the matter with Mr Sharif and permission for this was granted both by the Indian and Pakistan Governments. The tirade launched by pro-Badal supporters prevented him from making this trip. He added, "I am, however, not ready to undertake this trip to Pakistan now as I will come under shadow of meeting Sikh militants staying in Pakistan". He said the most disappointing factor in the formation of the body by the Pakistan government was appointment of the former ISI chief as its head. This was high-handedness on the part of the Pakistan Government. Only a Sikh body headed by a Sikh could justify the management of the shrines in Pakistan. Was there no capable Sikh to head it, he queried. Mr Tohra described the new Pakistan body as "non-representative" since the Sikhs living in India and foreign countries like Canada, England, the USA and Germany were ignored. The non-inclusion of SGPC representatives in the body pointed out to the intention of Pakistan to keep away Indian Sikhs", he remarked. Asked if there was any
solution, Mr Tohra said this serious matter could be
tackled by the new government to be formed in the country
by making it an issue at future talks for peace. |
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College suspends 2 VIP sons TANGARI (Patiala), Oct 8 — Two VIP brats, a son of a Punjab minister, and the other a son of a former MP from Punjab, both students of Shahid Udham Singh College of Engineering and Technology here, were ‘suspended’ by the college management on the ‘suspicion’ of their involvement in a brawl which took place on the college campus on September 23. Even as about two weeks have elapsed since the incident wherein about two dozen of ‘outsiders’ entered the college premises and allegedly beat up some of students and misbehaved with some girls under the influence of liquor, the two were ‘suspended’ just two days ago. At the same time fear has gripped the institute till date as most college staff and students are tight lipped as to exactly what happened on the day and what led to the fight between two groups, each of which was allegedly led by the two VIP brats? Meanwhile, the college management has instituted a committee to look into the matter and take a decision about the fate of ‘suspension’ of Damanbir, a son of Mr Sarwan Singh, a Punjab minister, and Harinder Pal Singh, son of Mr Prem Singh Chandumajra, a former MP and a close confidant of Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra. Both are students of B. Tech (first year). The committee at its meeting today is likely to take a final decision after hearing both of them and eye-witnesses to the incident, which led to a two week long strike by students, who were protesting against the growing ‘rowdyism’ in the college. According to some students, a group of about 20 youngmen came to the college in four or five vehicles and beat up four students in the mess and even went on to the extent of misbehaving with certain girl students for an hour. On the other hand, Mr D. S. Kumar, Principal, who was a bit reluctant to give details about the incident, differed a bit and said about 20 ‘outsiders’ made their way to the college, went upstairs and thrashed Sandev Singh, a B. Tech (first year) student. Asked whether Harinder Pal or Damanbir were part of the ‘outsiders’, he, however, said he did not know where Damanbir was but asserted that Harinder Pal was sitting in his office when the incident took place. When asked whether he was not aware of the involvement of the two in the incident, then why they were suspended? Denying that there was any clash between two groups of students, he said: "We don’t know whether they were actually involved or not, it is the duty of the police to find out that." He added while confirming that they were suspended but at the same time saying that he did not even suspect the involvement of the two in the incident and the committee was looking into the matter. An FIR in this connection was lodged by the college management with the Sohana police, but no arrest has been made so far. Narrating the sequence of events, Harinder Pal Singh, who had come to college to appear before the committee, said on September 22, four youngsters, including Damanbir descended on the college campus and abused him, but the situation got defused as he kept quiet. "The next day I was on my way to college my friends informed me on my mobile that nearly 20 guys who had come along with some Punjab Police gunmen were looking for me and consequently I should avoid coming to college. Then I went on to bring four of my cousins and eventually went to the college, where on seeing them I straightway went to the office of the principal and complained to him about thrashing of students by them. This is all, and I don’t know how my name was dragged into the incident." Damanbir Singh was not available for comments, but his father, Mr Sarwan Singh Phillaur, admitted that his son and Harinder Pal Singh indulged in a clash on September 23. He said he did not know the reason behind the incident. "The committee is meeting today and they will decide the matter." Tension is writ large on the faces of students of the college where classes started yesterday after a fortnight-long strike by them. During this period even second year students stayed away from their annual examinations slated to begin from September 27. A number of students, requesting anonymity condemned the incident, dubbing it "most unfortunate." A number of girl
students contacted by this correspondent, maintained that
rowdism and use of alcohol by students and outsiders had
become more of a routine in the college with the
management of the college turning a blind eye to the
development. |
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Second defeat for Badal family FARIDKOT,Oct 8 — History repeated itself here on October 6 after 32 years when Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal, Union Industries Minister and son of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal suffered defeat at the hands of Congress candidate Jagmeet Brar with a margin of more than 5,000 votes in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. Mr Badal had himself tasted defeat at the hands of Mr Harcharan Singh Brar, former Chief Minister, in the 1967 assembly elections from Gidderbaha by a margin of a few votes. Interestingly, both Mr Harcharan Singh Brar and Mr Jagmeet Brar belong to Muktsar. From 1957, when Mr Badal entered the state Assembly after winning the election from Malout as Congress candidate against Mr Chiranji Lal Dhir, Mr Badal himself and his kin together have fought about 15 elections so far. This is the second defeat of Mr Parkash Singh Badal’s clan in the past 42 years. Mr Sukhbir Badal who joined politics after his father’s chances of becoming Chief Minister for the third time became bright in 1995 when Mr Manpreet Badal, nephew of Mr Parkash Singh Badal, won the Gidderbaha Assembly byelection with handsome margin during the Chief Ministership of the late Beant Singh. Mr Sukhbir Badal was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 when Mr Badal was out of power and became Union Industries Minister in 1998. Mr Parkash Singh Badal, who became MLA at the age of about 30 years, became Chief Minister of Punjab in 1970. He again occupied the chair of Chief Minister of Punjab in 1977 and remained in power till 1980. In 1997 Mr Badal again became Chief Minister for the third time after getting massive mandate from the electorate in alliance with the BJP after 17 years. Apart from Mr Parkash Singh Badal and his son Mr Sukhbir Badal, Mr Gurdas Singh Badal, brother of Mr Parkash Singh Badal and his son Mr Manpreet Badal were also elected to Parliament and the state Assembly about four times. Mr Parkash Singh Badal became minister in Punjab in 1969. In 1972 he defeated Congress candidate Mohinder Singh by 9,311 votes from the Gidderbaha Assembly segment. In 1977, he defeated Mr Baldev Singh in the Assembly elections and Mr Avtar Singh Brar in the Lok Sabha elections. In 1980 and 1985 Mr Badal defeated Mr Jagmeet Brar from Gidderbaha in the Assembly elections. Mr Badal did not contest the 1989 Lok Sabha elections when there was a wave for Mr Simranjit Singh Mann. Again in the 1991 Assembly elections which were aborted neither Mr Badal nor his kin were in fray. In the 1992 Assembly elections, Mr Badal and his associates went in for boycott. Mr Badal contested Assembly elections in 1997 and became Chief Minister. Political observers feel
the second defeat in the last 42 years is likely to cause
harm to Mr Parkash Singh Badal as an era of defection and
desertion in the ruling party may start any time and new
political alignments can take place. |
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News analysis CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — Rarely in Punjab's electoral history has a ruling alliance with a massive mandate won just a year ago has wasted it so fast and so soon. Last year the Akali Dal and the BJP had swept aside the Congress and other parties, and claimed all the 13 Lok Sabha seats. Now it has just managed to win three seats to save its honour. In 1998, the Akali Dal led by the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal and the BJP won nine and two seats, respectively. Another seat Jalandhar, Mr Badal gave to a former Prime Minister, Mr Inder Kumar Gujral. The alliance in 12 seats had polled 44.60 per cent votes. It was rated a rare win. The Opposition, including the Congress, was demoralised. Opposition to the Akali Dal was nowhere to be seen and Mr Badal, riding the crest of popularity, was one of the architects of the government that came into power in Delhi. The shifts in vote percentage are significant. The Badal Akali Dal went down by 4.43 per cent — from 32.93 in 1998. The BJP was pushed down from 11.67 per cent to 9.15 per cent. The BSP which contested a few number of seats scored 3.8 per cent and the Tohra Akalis with seven seats it contested got 4.6 per cent. The CPI and the CPM with just one seat each had 3.7 per cent and 2.1 per cent of vote share. The same way the Mann Akali Dal had one seat and secured 3.4 per cent in votes. And, the Congress is the winner in nine seats increased its vote share from 25.85 per cent to 38.4 per cent. So it is not Mr Tohra alone to upset the calculations of Mr Badal. What has happened in just one year that Mr Badal's mass base deserted him to the extent that he has lost most of the seats, including his traditional family stronghold of Faridkot. Ask Mr Badal and pat comes the reply that his rival, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, who had been removed from the presidentship of the SGPC and thrown out of the party, got in league with the Congress and played a wily game. Is Mr Tohra or his outfit, the Sarb Hind Akali Dal, that powerful that it could just tilt the scales against Mr Badal and his colleagues? Well, Mr Badal would not like to concede this, but Mr Tohra has proved he can. Mr Badal also concedes that his government might not have come up to the expectations of the Punjabis, a very ambitious lot, according to him, and, therefore, the Akali and BJP candidates got a drubbing. But he admits no other reasons — no fissures in the ruling Akali Dal and no complaints either from any party unit or from any Jathedar. He forgets what happened in Sangrur where his own colleagues first set up a candidate to oppose union minister, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, and later when forced to withdraw, they opposed him and supported Mr Simranjit Singh Mann, who finally won the seat with a massive margin. In any case, Mr Badal will hold his court at several levels and come out with details why he lost the battle. Cabinet expansion is one answer to some of the crisis he is going to face. During campaigning Mr Badal's heavy reliance on the charisma of Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee rather than on his own pull also showed that in the back of his mind Mr Badal was reading something unsavoury for his alliance. But even this factor did not help. And also, it is anyone's guess, how big was the ‘charisma’ and how much could the alliance encash on the Kargil war. There is no piggy ride available in politics. People want justice, honour and development and Mr Badal had promised all this. Are their expectations too high if they seek an honest ruler or when they want the police to stop false prosecution and custodial deaths or when they want those guilty of crimes in the past to be punished? The fiscal crisis, means that the government has no money to spare for the development, and since there is no Mr Gujral in Delhi. Mr Badal can hope for no hand outs either. All development works are at a standstill and the government could hardly pay the salaries and pensions. That too by borrowing from several sources. "This is not a problem typical to Punjab. All other states are facing it", Mr Badal answers. But why is the sales tax growth is so dismal despite a booming trade and industry up to Rs one lakh thousand crore? There is no answer. Other states have shown much better rate of growth of sales tax and other taxes. What has happened to Punjab? Political grapevine has many stories to tell, including that the money is collected but goes to private pockets. What the truth is anyone's guess. As the department is with Mr Badal himself. But the fact is that Punjab's coffers are empty and there is no sign of recovery. This must have weighed high on voters minds to upset the Akali Dal (Badal's) applecart. Again, Mr Badal denied that dynasty culture being promoted in the Akali Dal has anything to do with the defeat. He cites the case of other parties like the Congress. "It is natural for a lawyer's son to be lawyer and so on. What is wrong with politicians' sons and daughters joining politics. I am a third generation in politics and my son is the fourth generation. People at times force us", he argues. But goes silent when quizzed on why was he so critical of the Nehru dynasty and Indira dynasty for years, and why this change of heart now? Clearly lack of governance, as travelling journalists have observed, and poor development added to the defeat besides a family under attack all the way. Mr Tohra only provided the proverbial last straw to the camel's back. But then he too had faced Mr Badal's wrath when he has demanded that Mr Badal should step down from the presidentship of the party and concentrate on governance. Now Mr Badal controls not only the government and the party but even the SGPC. No Akali leader has enjoyed such powers. But more the power, more weak the leader. This Lok Sabha election
has not only proved that Mr Tohra is a pain in the neck
of Mr Badal, forcing him to shuffle and reshuffle his
ministry, but there is now Mr Mann in the Lok Sabha, a
much sobered and moderate according to his claims, to
prick Mr Badal. |
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Steps to prevent dengue mooted HOSHIARPUR, Oct 8 — Three out of the five suspected dengue patients referred to the CMC, Ludhiana for confirmatory tests and treatment have been found to be suffering from dengue fever. This was disclosed by Dr Bal Gopal Goyal, Chief Patron of the IMA branch and a local physician, while talking to mediapersons in the presence of Dr Kiranjit Kumar, Civil Surgeon, and Dr Dalip Kumar, District Health Officer, here yesterday. A local physician, who had also been referred to the CMC Ludhiana for confirmatory test, had been found to be suffering from dengue. The Civil Surgeon said in view of the reports from various cities, including Hoshiarpur, regarding the spread of dengue fever, the health authorities had decided to educate the public regarding the ways to prevent this disease. The public would also be educated about means to control the outbreak of dengue fever, dengue haemorrhage fever. He said eliminating the breeding sites of aedes aegypti mosquito, use of mosquito nets, mosquito repellents and periodic insecticide spray in and around residential premises were a must to prevent the spread of the disease. The Civil Surgeon said the Municipal authorities in towns and sarpanches and panches in rural areas had been asked to launch special cleanliness drives in their respective areas to destroy the breeding places of mosquitoes. The spray of pesticides would also be carried out to eliminate larva. He said no specific case of dengue had been reported in any of the civil hospitals in the district so far. However, reports of some suspected cases of dengue were being received in the private clinics, he added. Dr Ajay Bagga, Press Secretary of the PCMS Association said the patients referred to CMC and DMC in Ludhiana were having difficulty in getting the required blood for them and their attendants were not able to arrange the blood. He said in a confirmed case of dengue eight to 10 units of blood were needed for the patient. The attendants of the patients were being told to arrange donors themselves to get fresh blood. Mr H.S. Randhawa Executive Officer, Municipal Council, said a cleanliness fortnight would be observed to rid the city of breeding sites of mosquitoes. He said special safai sevaks had been recruited. Meanwhile, Mr Iqbal
Singh Sidhu, Deputy Commissioner, Hoshiarpur, called a
joint meeting of the district health authorities today to
review the situation and chalk out further line of
action. |
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Panel to probe Cong
dissidents' role PATIALA, Oct 8 — The Congress is setting up a panel to look into the role played by some senior party leaders who allegedly tried to sabotage the election campaign of Pradesh Congress President Amarinder Singh's wife Praneet Kaur from this constituency. Dissident leader and former minister Brahm Mohindra is likely to be the first target of the District Congress Committee (DCC) which has admitted that it is investigating allegations accusing the former minister of sabotaging the campaign of the Congress candidate by organising meetings in favour of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) candidate through his supporters. The district Congress (urban) chief, Mr Ved Prakash Gupta, stated here today that the panel would submit its report within 15 days. He said in case of Mr Brahm Mohindra, disciplinary action recommended by the state Congress was already pending with the All-India Congress Committee (AICC). He said anti-party activities of some leaders had already been reported to the AICC observer who had visited the constituency during the campaign. Some senior leaders, including Mr Mohindra, Mr Birdevinder Singh and Mr Prem Gupta had formed a group to deny the party ticket to Mrs Praneet Kaur. Mr Gupta said the party
would also demand early elections to the local municipal
corporation besides working out a plan for the
beautification of the city. |
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Tota Singh lashes out at
Tohra CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — The Punjab Education Minister, Mr Tota Singh, today lashed out against the former SGPC chief, Mr Gurcharan Singh Tohra, for supporting the Congress openly in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Punjab. Mr Tota Singh in a statement here said Mr Tohra's party was not only in league with Capt Amarinder Singh "secretly but had even set up a joint polling camps" with the Congress. The minister also criticised Mr Tohra for seeking the removal of Mr Parkash Singh Badal from chief ministership. All the organisational wings of the SAD as well as the entire Akali Legislature Party stood like a rock behind Mr Badal, who with his far-sighted and visionary leadership had led the party through the most difficult period. The results of the Lok
Sabha poll in Punjab were not a mandate on the local
issues. He ridiculed Capt Amarinder Singh's demand for
dismissal of the state government. The minister advised
Capt Amarinder Singh to first seek the resignation of the
Congress President, Mrs Sonia Gandhi, for the worst-ever
defeat for the Congress since Independence. If Capt
Amarinder Singh's logic were to be accepted then the
chief ministers of Delhi, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and
Goa should first resign in the wake of poll debacle for
the Congress in their states. |
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Strike hits work at Jalandhar
civil hospital JALANDHAR, Oct 8 — Work in the local civil hospital remained paralysed for over three hours as more than 400 staff members of the civil hospital and the Civil Surgeon’s Office comprising doctors, nurses, clerks, pharmacists, lab technicians, class IV employees and safai karamcharis gathered in front of the Emergency Department and staged a rally. They raised slogans against the state police for its inefficiency in arresting the persons responsible for the incident of September 26. The leaders, including Dr M.B. Bali, Dr D.S. Bimra, Mrs Jagdish Randhawa, Mr Rajeshwar Jaitelly, Mr H.S. Aneja and Mr Charan Dass strongly condemned the gundaism indulged in by anti-social elements on the staff on duty. They strongly condemned the inefficiency of the local police in not arresting the culprits even after two weeks which is creating a sense of insecurity among the staff of such a noble profession. Leaders of the Joint Action Committee disclosed that these rallies would continue for three days failing which all staff members would go on strike on October 11, thereby paralysing health services, including medico-legal and autopsy work. The employees went in a
procession to the office of Civil Surgeon and held a
rally there also. The rally was addressed among others by
the Civil Surgeon, Dr D.P.S. Sandhu. |
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Retiree deprived of plot SUNAM, Oct 8 — Mr Ram Kishan Arora, 74, a local retired employee of Northern Railway, purchased a plot in New Kundanpuri Colony, Ludhiana, from Mr Avtar Singh, proprietor of Himalaya Colonisers. The plot measured 100 square yards and its number was 190. The total amount payable was Rs 4,500 with Rs 100 as monthly instalments. He paid regular instalments up to Rs 3,700 and the last instalment was paid through receipt No. 1721, dated March 18, 1974. Thereafter he got a message that the payment of the instalments had been stopped due to litigation between the colonise and owner of the agricultural land who had sold the land to Mr Avtar Singh. After a gap of about 10 years, Mr Avatar Singh again started allotting plots on payment of the balance amount due from purchasers. Those were the peak days of militancy in Punjab and members of the minority community were migrating from the state. In the meantime, Mr Arora retired from service at Jakhal in Haryana and settled at Sunam. His colleagues, who had also purchased plots from the same coloniser, did not know his new address. So Mr Arora failed to get any information regarding his plot. In 1993, he came to know that Mr Avtar Singh had started allotting plots. Mr Arora approached the coloniser on April 22, 1993 for allotment of his plot on payment of the due amount. The coloniser refused to listen to his plea and reportedly threw his letter and misbehaved with his wife, who had accompanied him. The couple approached Mr Satpal Gosain, MLA, in Ludhiana. The legislator gave him a letter addressed to Mr Arora stating "adjust Mr Arora. Charge the balance amount reasonably and give him the plot". The couple approached Mr Avtar Singh with the letter, but he did not agree. In the meanwhile, Mr Arora fell sick and his wife approached Mr Gosain again, who accompanied her to Mr Avtar Singh’ s residence. But the coloniser refused to allot the plot to Mr Arora. On June 1, 1993 Mr Arora went to meet the Deputy Commissioner, but he was not available in the office. He met the ADC and gave a memorandum containing details of the case. On June 22, 1993 Mr Arora went to see the plot and found it occupied by ASI Bachan Dass of the Punjab police. The wife of the policeman told him that they have purchased the plot from Mr Avtar Singh. Another attempt to meet the ASI proved futile as a head constable present there threatened him. Mr Arora then sent a registered letter to Mr Bachan Dass, but got no reply. A notice was sent to the ASI by Mr Arora’s advocate, but it was returned undelivered as the ASI refused to take the delivery of the notice. Mr Arora also represented his case to then Chief Minister of Punjab Beant Singh, but to no avail. When contacted, the ASI and the coloniser failed to give a satisfactory explanation regarding the case. Subsequent attempts to contact Mr Avtar Singh during the past one week by the Ludhiana correspondent of The Tribune proved futile. However, one of his assistants, Mr Sanjay Jain, said the piece of the land was allotted to another party after Mr R.K. Arora failed to pay all his instalments. "A plot is allotted to a party after the party has paid one instalment of the total 50 or 60 or 70 instalments as desired by the allottee. However, the plot is transferred in the name of the allottee only after all instalments have been paid," he stated. He refused to reply
whether the original allottee was given notice before
cancellation of his plot. |
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Encroachment probe decision causes
stir LUDHIANA, Oct 8 — The Punjab government’s decision to institute an inquiry into the phenomenon of systematic encroachments on public land over the past years has created a stir here. The inquiry will begin from next week. Mr D.S. Kalha, Commissioner, Patiala division, will hold the inquiry at the Circuit House on October 14 and 15. He has invited members of the public to come forward and provide him with specific instances of encroachments on public land. Several individuals and organisations have expressed a desire to come forward and expose the politician-bureaucrat-builder nexus which has been causing a loss of crores of rupees every year to civic bodies. Some say that they will prefer to depose before the inquiry officer on camera because of fear of retaliation from those against whom complaints will be lodged. Although the terms of reference of the inquiry are wide, the inquiry is being restricted to just four instances of alleged encroachments mentioned in the columns of this newspaper on October 2. This has raised doubts in the public mind about whether the probe is designed to uncover or cover up the encroachments. According to reports
here, the Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, has
taken a serious note of the alleged nexus. |
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Punjabis did the right thing: CPI CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — Dr Joginder Dayal, secretary of the Punjab unit of the CPI, today congratulated the Punjabis for giving a crushing defeat to the SAD-BJP combine in the Lok Sabha elections in the state. He said the unity of secular forces (Congress, the CPI and the CPM) and the anti-incumbency factor were mainly responsible for the defeat of the SAD-BJP combine. The SAD-BJP coalition government in the state had promised to provide a clean government and bring transparency and resolving the long-pending issues pertaining to the state. Contrary to this, corruption touched an all-time high and there was a no transparency even in the transfer and appointment of a peon what to say about other posts and appointments. Dr Dayal said atrocities on Dalits, police excesses, deaths in police custody, rape of girls by so-called Kakas were the issues rankling the minds of the people, and they were waiting for an opportunity to express their anger. The people utilised the Lok Sabha poll to express their anguish. No Punjab problem was solved despite the Vajpayee-led friendly government at the Centre. Alleging that Mr Badal
followed only the agenda to advance the political
interests of his son, Dr Dayal said the SAD lost in 52
Assembly seats out of 75 held by it. |
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‘Badal should seek fresh
mandate’ BATHINDA, Oct 8 — Mr Darshan Singh Jeeda, President, Samajwadi Janata Party (SJP), Punjab, has demanded the resignation of the state Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, over the crushing defeat of candidates of the SAD-BJP in the recently held Lok Sabha elections. In a press note issued here yesterday, Mr Jeeda pointed out that the defeat of Mr Sukhbir Badal, Union Industry Minister, had proved that people did not want Mr Parkash Singh Badal to stay as the Chief Minister for more time. He added that Mr Badal should seek the mandate of the people afresh. Mr Jeeda alleged that Mr Badal had adopted all tactics and pressed the government machinery into service to woo voters to ensure the victory of his son from Faridkot, but people had proved that they did not want money for their votes. They only wanted a lawful and corruption-free government. Mr Jeeda said Punjab was
being ruled by Mr Badal and his family members. Even
SAD-BJP MLAs and ministers were agitated over the type of
governance which was being given in Punjab, he added. |
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SAD district presidents meet
today CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 — The Shiromani Akali Dal headed by Mr Parkash Singh Badal has called a meeting of the district jathedars (presidents) of the party tomorrow at 11 a.m. in the SAD's head office, according to Mr Kirpal Singh Badungar, secretary of the SAD. The meeting of the Party's Political Affairs Committee (PAC) will be held on October 11 at Chief Minister, Parkash Singh Badal's residence at 3 p.m., Mr Badungar said. At both meetings the
party leadership is expected to discuss the post-poll
scenario in the state and the country. |
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Fuel wood production
‘inadequate’ LUDHIANA, Oct 8 — Energy from wood is a primary source of energy, as around 62 per cent of the domestic fuel needs in rural areas and 35 per cent in urban areas in the country are met from wood. The demand for fuel wood in India is estimated to be 250 to 400 million tonnes per annum. However, not more than 50 million cubic metres is reportedly produced in the forests leaving a staggering gap of more than 90 per cent between production and consumption. The natural forests are no longer proving adequate to meet the nation’s fuel wood needs. This was stated by Dr G.S. Kalkat, Vice-Chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University, while delivering the inaugural address at the North Zone Wood Energy Workshop. The workshop has been organised by the Department of Forestry and Natural Resources in collaboration with the Indira Gandhi National Forest Academy, Dehradun. The Vice-Chancellor said although energy from wood played a very important role in the rural energy scenario as well as in the national energy balance, yet it had not received due importance at the planning and policy levels. A proper strategy for regenerating this resource and ensuring its sustainable production were the needs of the hour. He suggested that apart from existing forests, fuel wood must also be grown on land outside the forest areas. In his keynote address, Dr P.K. Khosla, Vice-Chancellor of Himachal Krishi Vishwavidyalaya, Palampur, emphasised on addressing the issue of energy from wood by incorporating it in the training and education curricula. As many as 100 delegates
from different parts of the country are attending the
workshop. The main objectives include reviewing the
existing syllabus of forestry training institutions and
universities imparting forestry education. |
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"Enforce SC verdict on quota
promotions" NAWANSHAHR, Oct 8 —
Dr Brij Mohan Barthwal, Press Secretary of the General
Category Welfare Federation Punjab, in a press statement
here today demanded the implementation of the Supreme
Court judgement regarding quota promotions. He also
criticised the stand of certain ministers and leaders
against the judgement. He said political leaders had been
misleading people regarding the judgement and trying to
get political mileage. The judgement of the Supreme Court
in the Ajit Singh Janjua case had not put an end to the
reservation policy, but it had asked the government
implement the reservation policy properly not allowed to
any one undue benefit of the reservation policy, he
added. |
||
Seminar on gurdwaras Bill CHANDIGARH, Oct 8 —
The Sikh Budhijivi Council headed by Dr Sukhbir Singh
Nagra and secretary-General, Mr Gurdev Singh, said a
seminar would be organised with regard to amendments in
the Sikh Gurdwaras Bill, 1999, on October 16 at Gurdwara
Model Town extension, Ludhiana. |
||
1 hurt as thieves ransack
house LUDHIANA, Oct 8 — A gang of thieves, allegedly belonging to a criminal tribe, ransacked the house of an Assistant General Manager (retd) of a bank at College Road here last night and injured him seriously. According to sources, the thieves entered the house of Mr Ram Prakash Dhir late last night after scaling the wall of the adjoining PWD rest house. They ransacked the house
and injured Mr Dhir with rods. He was admitted to
Christian Medical College and was stated to be in a
serious condition. |
||
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||
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