Jalandhar, July 28
Controversies surrounding the Indian Army refuse to die out. Today, an ex-Captain, Jasdip Singh (28), was arrested by the district police for allegedly making hoax calls regarding the planting of bombs at a number of places.

The accused, a resident of 300, Jaswant Nagar, Garha Road, had on July 25 at 11.09 am made a call to Mumbai’s Main Police Control Room claiming that a bomb had been planted inside the Bombay Stock Exchange building.

However, during an extensive search operation, no bomb, explosive or any suspicious object was found. During the course of the investigation, it was established that it was a hoax call received from a PCO located at Central Town in Jalandhar.

Son of late Major Beant Singh, the accused was arrested under Section 66 of the Information technology Act (177/200/506) of the IPC at Division No. 4 Police Station here. 

Jalandhar, July 28
Amid controversies erupting in the Indian Army with each passing day, the Chief of Army Staff and Colonel of the Maratha Light Infantry, General J.J. Singh, made a silent visit to the Battalion of the Maratha Light Infantry at Kapurthala today.

The Chief was accompanied by his wife, Ms Anupama Singh, President of the Army Wives’ Welfare Association.

The General commanded Maratha Light Infantry Battalion from April 1985 to April 1987. — TNS

Jalandhar, July 28
A well-modulated voice, incisive wit and almost chilling clarity about issues. These are the first things that strike you about Naseeruddin Shah, the actor whose name was once synonymous with the now-abated wave of “parallel cinema”. Though Bollywood movies (he would not mind a foray into Hollywood, provided the script and money are attractive enough!) are his mainstay, it’s theatre that is his passion.

Interestingly, Naseeruddin does not harbour any grandiose notions about the ‘pull’ of theatre.

“I don’t think theatre would ever be commercially viable for an actor. It’s very difficult to live on theatre,” he says.

A facile and familiar medium like cinema that hardly requires any cognitive effort on the part of a viewer wins hands down.

“An audience just has to lap up what is dished out by cinema and television. There’s no strain to decipher meanings and make sense of what is being shown on stage. And then the role of illusions, whereby you can conveniently flit across a breathtakingly-beautiful foreign locale and be back home within a span of a few seconds, just cannot be ignored. Cinema thrives on these tantalising illusions.”

But there’s one thing for which this actor can vouch — theatre would survive against all odds because it is a vital medium of communication.

Recalling his National School of Drama (NSD) days, he says the NSD does not prepare actors for real-life situations. An NSD student is focused on “acting and acting only”. The other nitty-gritty is relegated to the periphery. But post-NSD, the actor learns that acting is just one part of the show, and then the going gets tough.

“I remember how after graduating from the NSD, Om Puri and I used to do rehearsals in local trains of Mumbai. But not many would have this kind of passion for theatre.”

He rues that Indian playwrights are not given their due place. If at all schools teach something about theatre, they force Shakespeare on children who find those plays not only far removed from their social reality, but also outside their familiarity-zone. And therein the stage is set for a sweeping disinterest in theatre!

A votary of a strong storyline that has a native feel about it, he thinks there is a dearth of original stories in Bollywood.

“Our lives are so full of stories that even a snippet would be a story in itself, yet our Bollywood storywriters are happy either lifting or adapting the stories from foreign movies,” he says candidly, adding, “I agree with Satyajit Ray who had said that Indian audiences were not demanding enough. The audiences here get satisfied with whatever is trotted out to them.”

Naseeruddin was in the city today in connection with the presentation of “Katha Collage” organised under the aegis of The Durga Das Foundation and Spice Telecom. The Tribune was the media sponsor of the play. 

Phagwara, July 28
After expressing his satisfaction over the Punjab Cabinet reshuffle, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee President Shamsher Singh Dullo, today gave clear indications that a major reshuffle in the administrative machinery was also on the cards. Mr Dullo claimed that corruption was not the reason behind the Cabinet reshuffle.

Talking to mediapersons after addressing a Congress rally at Rawalpindi village here this afternoon, Mr Dullo said the main criteria while allotting tickets for the Assembly elections would the ability of the candidate to win a seat. He said the names would be decided after observing the performance of the present MLAs and the aspirants.

Claiming that the Congress would again return to in Punjab, the PPCC president said the party was a democratic one and its elected MLAs would decide about next the Chief Minister. He said Congress could not work like the “dictatorship” of Mr Parkash Singh Badal in the SAD (B).

When asked about the party’s election manifesto and any poll alliance, Mr Dullo said though Congress had decided to contest the elections alone, any of the decision on any alliance would be taken only by the Congress High Command.

Mr Dullo said though the state government had allocated Rs 5 crore to each MLA, the amount could be increased according to the needs and requirements of their respective Assembly constituencies.

The rally was also addressed by Punjab’s newly-appointed Cultural Affairs Minister Gurkanwal Kaur, Phillaur MLA Chaudhary Santokh Singh and Phagwara MLA Joginder Singh Mann.

Earlier talking to mediapersons at the Phagwara Rest House, Ms Gurkanwal Kaur indirectly expressed her dissatisfaction over the Cabinet reshuffle. She claimed that she had worked hard in her previous portfolio and would again work hard in her new assignment.

Replying to a query, the minister said the Punjab Government would set up its own “Censor Board” to curb increasing “vulgarity” in Punjabi music videos.

Meanwhile, factionalism was witnessed in the Phagwara Congress with Improvement Trust Chairman Balbir Raja Sodhi, former Improvement Trust Chairman Harjit Singh Parmar, former Market Committee Chairman Nirmal Singh, and former Block Congress Committee president Harjit Singh Walia remaining absent from the rally.