Amritsar, November 16
Though the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has exonerated Harbhajan Singh and other cricketers for appearing in advertising campaigns but yoga guru Ram Dev again said the multinationals were spending billions to promote sale of liquor, tobacco and soft drinks.

Addressing reporters here today after inaugurating the six-day yoga camp the Baba came down on these campaigns. He said these multinationals were ruining only health of people but also influencing youngsters to consume them. Quoting statistics he said cigarette and liquor companies were spending mind-boggling Rs 1.43 lakh crores and Rs 8.8 lakh crores, respectively, which could be used for the welfare of people.

He said modern system of medicine was very expensive for the treatment of patients. He reiterated the Indians ancient medicine system, Ayurveda and yoga could save this large amount. According to a WHO report only 35 per cent of India’s population was making use of the health facilities at the expense of Rs 1.80 lakh crores. He said his mission was to cure physical and mental illness through regular practice of yoga. He said whole world had recognised the importance and preventive aspects of yoga and ayurveda combination.

He said more than 10 crore people in the country were suffering from diabetes and blood pressure, which were creating health complications resulting in huge expenditure of several million rupees.

Earlier addressing more than 20,000 yoga aspirants the Baba advised them to abstain from fast food, soft drinks and take only fruits, boiled vegetables and ‘amrit’ like water of the holy city for longevity and ailment-free life. He suggested they should take lot of papaya which is he described as the most healthy fruit. Commenting on food habits of people the Baba felt that Punjabis were fond of rich diet and had the tendency to become obese and suggested they should refrain from overeating.

Chandigarh, November 16
Journalist and non-journalist staff of various newspapers and electronic media organisations celebrated Press Day at the office of The Tribune Employees Union today. They vowed to fight the challenges faced by the press industry and the electronic media unitedly and uphold their freedom. The coordination committee of the Confederation of Newspaper and News Agency Employees' Organisations organised the function.

The president of the Chandigarh Journalists Association, Mr Harish Vashisth, spoke on the role of the Press before and after Independence and sacrifices made by journalists in the freedom struggle. Mr Vinod Kohli, president of the Chandigarh-Punjab Union of Journalists, stressed the need to safeguard the freedom of the Press and maintain its impartial standards.

Dr Renuka Nayyar from Dainik Tribune asked the media people to introspect and perform their duties responsibly.

Mr S.S. Rawat, general secretary of the Indian Express Employees Union, underlined the need for the industry employees to remain united. Mr Anil Gupta, general secretary of the Tribune Employees Union, reminded the participants of the Defamation Bill and the fate it met with due to stiff opposition from the industry employees. He elaborated on the threat to freedom of the press and the electronic media due to commercialisation as it was negatively impacting the ethics of journalism.

Mr Sarbjeet Pandher spoke about the role the press people played in the freedom movement. He said journalists fought like soldiers for the independence of the country. Mr Balbir Singh Jandu, a former president of the Tribune Employees Union, said the advent of new technologies had increased stress on the industry employees.

Mr Jagtar Singh Sidhu, president of the Tribune Employees Union and convener of the confederation, cautioned the participants against the cunning politicians who used the press and electronic media for their personal interests. 

Patiala, November 16
“A journalist must learn to be true to his or her profession. He should work with objectivity and honesty to fulfil his mission. Instead of going for Page-3 journalism, he should write and work for the commoners,” said Dr H P S Walia, Head, Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Punjabi University at a function organised in the department to mark the celebration of National Press Day

“It is a day of self analysis and introspection for the journalist and they should try to make at least minimum ethical standards while working on and off the field”, he added.

While speaking on the occasion, Prof Navjit Singh Johal, Reader with the department said that Press Day provided an opportunity to the press people to analyse the present situation of the media. He pointed out that today the newspaper had become an industry, which was aimed at earning profits rather than serving the masses.

“Our media is still the media of the elite class and not of the commoners. Newspapers today give much importance to the advertisements as a result of this distinction between the ads and the news is completely lost,” he said.

Mr Balwinder Singh, a student of journalism second year while giving his views on the present scene of Press explained as to how the press could prove helpful in informing people about their rights, in checking the acceptability of the newly formed acts and also in highlighting the important issues of the society.

Mr Gagandeep Chauhan, another students of second year, condemned the growing sensationalism in the media as a wrong practice and against the ethics of journalism.

Sangrur, November 16
In a case, fraud with a customer of the post office by an agent of the post office the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Sangrur, has directed six parties to pay Mr Nirmal Singh of Banganwali village (Sangrur), compensation of Rs 2.10 lakh and Rs 1.10 lakh, amount entered in the ledger of the post office, with interest of nine per cent from the date when the amount fell due to Mr Nirmal Singh.

The six parties are the Union of India through the Secretary, Telecom and Post, New Delhi, Superintendent Post Office Main, Sangrur, Sub Post Master, New Grain Market, Post Office, Sangrur, Mr Gurmukhpal Singh, Post Office, New Grain Market, Sangrur, Mr Akhil Gupta, agent of the post office of Krishana Basti, Sangrur, and the State of Punjab through Deputy Commissioner, Sangrur.

The Forum members, including Mr M.D. Sharma, president of the forum, also directed the six parties to pay Rs 5,000 as special damages for harassment and Rs 1,000 as litigation expenses to Mr Nirmal Singh, complainant. The Forum also ordered in the first instance the said amount shall be recoverable by Mr Nirmal Singh from the government and postal authorities that may later recover the same from Akhil Gupta, the post office agent.

As per the case complainant Nirmal Singh, Akhil Gupta was an agent of the post office for opening accounts in the name of consumers and collecting amount from the depositors. According to Mr Nirmal Singh, Akhil Gupta collected Rs 3.20 lakh from him in November and December 2003 and opened his nine term deposit (TD) accounts for Rs 35,000 each and an account for Rs 5,000 for one year. Akhil Gupta handed over the passbooks, issued by Subpost Master, new Grain Market, Post Office, Sangrur, to Mr Nirmal Singh. He also handed over lucky coupons, issued by District Savings Officer, Sangrur, on the deposit Rs 3.20 lakh to the complainant.

Mr Nirmal Singh was informed by Mr Gurmukhpal Singh, Post Office, New Grain Market, Sangrur, that there was only Rs 5,000 each in eight TD accounts as per the record of the post office besides Rs 35,000 each in two TD accounts with numbers 8302597 and 8302557. 

Chandigarh, November 16
The Punjab and Haryana High Court today issue notice to the Punjab Government for November 30 on a plea filed by advocate H.C. Arora. In an application, Mr Arora has prayed that the respondent government, its various bodies etc be restrained from inserting photographs of political leaders of the ruling party in auction and tender notices as is being increasingly done in Punjab.

The application was filed during hearing of the PIL challenging misuse of the state exchequer for political ends of the ruling party by way of advertisement campaigns etc. Citing several cases, the petitioner has stated that photographs of Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee president SS Dullo, ministers and even party functionaries were being inserted in such advertisements, which was not desirable since it was not the Congress that was bearing the expenses of such advertisements.

During hearing, the Divisions Bench comprising Acting Chief Justice S.S. Nijjar and Mr Justice S.S. Saron orally observed that such display of photographs of political leaders in advertisements of auction and tender notices was ridiculous.

Bathinda, November 16
The police today claimed to have arrested a proclaimed offender, who is also a Police Department employee, wanted in a murder case, and seized firearms from his possession.

SSP Varinder Kumar said that the accused had been identified as Bhajan Singh, a resident of Malout. The police arrested him when he was coming from Raike Kalan village on his bike. As soon as he spotted a police party he left his bike and ran away into cotton fields. He was arrested after a chase following which the police recovered a pistol, a rifle and live cartridges from his possession.

A case was registered against him under Sections 25/54/59 of the Arms Act.

During his interrogation, he revealed that he, along with his three accomplices, had murdered Sukhdev Singh, a resident of Kot Ise Khan in Moga. They were booked under Sections 364, 365, 302, 201 and 120-B of the IPC on January 9. While his three accomplices were arrested, he was declared a proclaimed offender. He also confessed to have grabbed a piece of land in Abohar in connivance with his relatives. He said he got these firearms from his relative, Rajinder Singh, who was lodged in the Ferozepore jail and had died a couple of months back.

He disclosed that he was employed in the Police Department and had been playing truant since the murder. He admitted that he had murdered his first wife with his licensed rifle in 2000 and a case was registered against him in Malout. Later, he was acquitted following a compromise. 

Abohar, November 16
Amarjit Singh, who had allegedly murdered his eldest son and seriously injured his wife, younger son and daughter at the house of his in-laws in Kandhwala Hazarkhan village on intervening night of November 11-12, has committed suicide, police sources confirmed late last evening.

Amarjit (35) was reportedly frustrated over the refusal of his wife to go back to his ancestral village in Amritsar district.

He allegedly attacked wife, two sons and a daughter at Kandhwala Hazar Khan village at 1 am last Sunday.

His eldest son, Manjit Singh, later succumbed to his injuries.

Ninderpal Kaur, daughter of Phumman Singh, had told the police that her sister Jaswinder Kaur (34) had been married to Amarjit Singh, son of Mukhtiar Singh a resident of Bandala village in Amritsar district, in 1991. Their relations became strained as Amarjit allegedly developed ‘close’ relations with another woman in the same village. As Jaswinder Kaur objected to this the parents of the other woman threatened her of dire consequences.

Feeling insecure Jaswinder returned to her parents’ village along with her children a few months ago. Her husband also joined the family in September last. He tried to convince Jaswinder to accompany him back to Bandala but she was reluctant to return.

Last night he attacked his wife and children with a spade while they were sleeping. As they raised an alarm Ninderpal Kaur woke up but Amarjit had fled by then. All injured were rushed to the hospital but Manjit Singh (14) died after a few minutes.

A case had been registered under Sections 302, 307 and 324 of the IPC. The condition of the injured was stated to be stable now.

A police party from Arniwala police post was sent to nab the culprit.The police said Amarjit had consumed some poisonous substance before it reached Bandala village while looking for him on Wednesday. He was rushed to the hospital but could not be saved.

Amritsar, November 16
The state government today suspended Dr J.S.Dalal, Principal Government Medical College, following allegations of misconduct. Dr A.S.Padda , Medical Superintendent has been given the charge of principal.

The order, issued by Mr J.R.Kundal, Principal Secretary Medical Education and Research today stated disciplinary action was being contemplated against Dr Dalal on account of defiance of orders of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in an official matter.

The headquarter of Dr Dalal during suspension period would be the office of the Director, Punjab Institute of Medical Sciences Jalandhar . The director of the institute has been declared competent authority to grant permission to leave the headquarter during suspension period .

Suspending Dr Dalal, the principal secretary alleged there were reasonable apprehensions that continuance of Dr Dalal on his present assignment might result in tampering with witness /documents. He further alleged charges against him were tantamount to dereliction of duty. ‘

Following issuance of two charge sheets , Dr Dalal had levelled serious charges against Capt Amarinder Singh , Chief Minister , his Media Adviser ,the VC, Baba Farid Health University and the Director Medical Education and Research .

However, no FIR was lodged since senior officers alleged there were many chinks in the ‘kidnapping theory’.

The state government charge-sheeted Dr J.Dalal as allegedly for giving ‘ wrong experience certificate’ to Dr Karn Kumar Sharma, an Associate Professor of ENT with a view to promoting him as Professor.