EDUCATION

JNU poll scene hots up
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 3
The election scene in the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) is heating up with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) – the student wing of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) — deciding to field tested trump card Sandeep Mahapatra for the president’s post.

The ABVP, which is seeking to retain the president’s post, is likely to face stiff competition from Albeena Shakeel, the presidential candidate of the Student Federation of India (SFI).

Albeena Shakeel is considered to be a political heavyweight in the JNU student politics as she has been the vice-president twice. She has also served as councillor and joint secretary in the earlier stints. The nomination of Sandeep for the president’s post is seen by many as the failure on the part of the ABVP to select an alternative candidate to take the might of Albeena Shakeel.

It is learnt that Sandeep was initially reluctant to contest the elections, but eventually decided to join the fray following persuasion from the political bigwigs. Sandeep enjoys popularity on the campus and observers are expecting a keen contest on hands with Albeena Shakeel expected to rise to the occasion.

The other contestants for the post of the president are Verghese K George of the National Students Union of India (NSUI), Manisha Sethi of the All India Students Association (AISA), and Vijendra S Chauhan of the Chattra Lok Shakti Party among other candidates. The poll in JNU has always been a major event in political circles.

COURTS

Lok Adalats coming to the rescue of poor: judge
R.D. Sapra

Sonepat, November 3
Mr Justice V.K. Bali of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and Executive Chairman of the Haryana State Legal Services Authority said here today Lok Adalats had proved an effective measure of providing justice to the downtrodden and weaker sections of society in the state.

Inaugurating a special Lok Adalat here, he said these adalats had virtually become a forum for agreements reached between rival parties. The Lok Adalats, he said, put their seal of approval after taking the consent of both parties. While arriving at an agreement, no pressure was put on the parties either by the judges or any outside agencies. All agreements between the rival parties had proved to be long -lasting and effective.

He indicated that the matter of establishing permanent and continuous Lok Adalats in various government departments and the statutory bodies of Haryana was under the consideration of the government. He said that free legal aid as per rules was provided to all litigants with annual income less than Rs 25,000.Also, they must belong to the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes, the backward classes, the handicapped or be industrial workers.

Mr Justice Bali stressed the need to implement the provisions of the Legal Services Authorities Act. By doing so, the workload in the courts would be reduced. He also sought the cooperation of the district administration for helping the Lok Adalats in speedy disposal of the cases. He asked the Deputy Commissioner, Mr S.N. Roy, to persuade gram panchayats and the Block Development and Panchayat Officers to motivate the litigant public to approach the Lok Adalats for petty cases instead of filing cases in the regular judicial courts.

He also asked the Superintendent of Police to take steps for encouraging the rival parties to get their cases settled in the Lok Adalats as it would give sanctity to such compromises.

The parties would not retract on the agreements reached between them.

He said it had been noticed that the agreements reached between the rival parties at the police stations had not been effective and on many occasions the parties had retracted.

CULTURE

Shabad recital touches new high
Tribune News Service

New Delhi, November 3
Kirtan recital touched a new high in the Capital with singers of different traditions sung under one roof at a function organised by Bhai Vir Singh Sahitya Sadan.

The three-day function, which concludes on Sunday, would focus on Raga Gauri, which would allow the performers freedom of interpretation.

On Saturday, performers trained to singing of Bani enthralled the devotees. The performers were Bhai Baljeet Singh Namdhari, Dr Niveditta Singh, Ms Jasvindar Kaur, Ms Gurinder Kaur, Harnam Singh and Bhai Baldeep Singh.

On the first day of the event, Bibi Jaswant Kaur, by singing in the Rababi tradition, returned to the fold one of the missing links of the traditional singing schools, which was lost following Partition of the country in 1947.

Another milestone of the function was the dedication of legendary Mullik Arjun Mansoor’s musical excellence to the rendition of Gurbani.

Hundreds of devotees listened to the music with rapt attention to the ragis as they went through the repertoire.

The Bhai Vir Singh Sadan holds shabad kirtan and other programmes to promote events to preserve the cultural and historical traditions of Punjab.

Bhai Lalji, a direct descendant of Bhai Mardana, companion of Guru Nanak Dev, had performed Shabad Kirtan in the Sadan.

He was honoured with Bhai Vir Singh International Award.

The Sadan had earlier organised musical feature based on Bhai Vir Singh’s first novel Sundri, whch was performed by Ms Madanbala Sindhu and her troupe.

Bhai Vir Singh was one of the three prominent persons who played a significant role in the Sikh renaissance. Others were Sunder Singh Majithia and Trilochan Singh. They formed the trinity of creative energy, intellect and beauty of the state.

Bhai Vir Singh was the main source of inspiration and the brain behind the Singh Sabha movement. His primary source of contact with the masses was through popular tracts, which he produced in abundance and his literary works had the stamp of profound scholarship.